Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Legoshi trying out the hoodie ._. my art this is how I imagine legoshi looking

The sleek black car pulled up to Cherryton Academy, its polished surface gleaming under the afternoon sun. Inside, Legoshi, a towering seven-foot gray wolf with a missing left arm, sat rigidly in the backseat, his massive frame almost filling the space. Beside him, his grandfather, Gosha, a seasoned Komodo dragon, chuckled.

"Remember, Legoshi," Gosha rumbled, his voice a low purr, "make some friends. Jack's here, but… keep him at arm's length."

Legoshi’s long, scarred fingers tightened around the worn leather of his seat. "Yes, Grandpa. I know… I’m just… nervous. What if they're afraid of me? I look… different. All these scars…" He traced a finger across a jagged line that snaked down his neck a memento of a brutal attack when he was only six. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the quiet hum of the car engine.

"Besides I'm really late.. I've already been absent for a week..." Legoshi said while his ears dropped and he stared down at his legs sighing 

Gosha nudged him with an elbow. “Nonsense, Legoshi! You’re a strong, resilient wolf. Besides, if they do have a problem, just flash that friendly grin and those big ol’ paws of yours at them. Just like how I charmed Toki back in the day.” He winked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Legoshi managed a weak chuckle, though his muscles remained tense. "Fine.. Okay, Grandpa. I’ll try my best."

Right before exiting the car gosha asked "are you sure you really don't want to use the prosthetic?"

Legoshi scratched his neck "sorry grandpa.. it just felt uncomfortable and I kept losing balance it's way too heavy because I'm too big.."

Gosha chuckled "it's okay legoshi I wouldn't want you to Trip everyday at school it'd be embarrassing for you and me you should tell jack about your birthday last week"

Legoshi nodded

|I can do this|

he silently urged himself, picturing a confident version of himself striding across the campus. The image shattered the second the car door opened.

A dozen sounds assaulted his senses – the excited chatter of students, the squawking of birds, the sharp scent of fear mixed with the sweeter aroma of pine and freshly cut grass. Dozens of eyes, wide and curious, or wary and apprehensive, bore into him. The carefully constructed wall of confidence crumbled. He recoiled, burying himself behind Gosha's broad shoulders.

"Oh, come on, Legoshi," Gosha sighed, "You're seventeen! You can't still be clinging to me like this."

“I—I know,” Legoshi stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. His tail tucked between his legs; his ears drooped. “I’m just scared.”

Gosha fixed him with a steady gaze. “Scared of what? I’ve trained you since you were a pup! If anyone tries to hurt you, you kick their…" he paused, "…you defend yourself appropriately."

"But Grandpa," Legoshi protested, "you said no violence—"

“Self-defense is not violence," Gosha interrupted firmly.

A weak chuckle escaped Legoshi. "Right. Self-defense sure grandpa.."

Before enrolling, Gosha had commissioned a custom-made hoodie to conceal Legoshi's numerous scars. He’d swung by the tailor’s to pick it up, only to find Gon, the academy's headmaster, also present.

"Oh, hey, you're… Mr. Gosha, right? The Komodo dragon. I've heard about you, you desperately pleaded for your grandson to be put in dorm 701 I'm assuming he's also a Komodo? Where is he?” Gon asked, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of Gosha's imposing figure. He somehow missed the giant wolf standing nervously beside him.

Gosha cleared his throat. "Ah, Legoshi. Stop hiding behind me! This is Headmaster Gon."

Slowly, hesitantly, Legoshi emerged from behind Gosha, his large ears pressed flat against his head, his tail tucked low. His voice was a shaky whisper, barely audible. "H-hi… I’m L-Legoshi."

Gon's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You… adopted a gray wolf? And why is he… so big?” A flicker of concern crossed his face.

Gosha corrected him smoothly, “He’s my maternal grandson. Legoshi here is… a hybrid. Don't worry, he's not venomous — just a bit bigger, stronger, heals faster than your average wolf. And completely immune to most poisons. I just hope his hybrid nature doesn't cause problems for him. He's also… only got one arm. Lost it in an attack when he was six.”

Gosha then lifted the thick, dark gray hoodie, revealing Legoshi’s many scars, before Legoshi could stop him. The young wolf flinched and tried to pull it back on, panic rising in his eyes.

"Grandpa! I don't want to show everyone!"

"Oh, right, sorry, Legoshi," Gosha mumbled, his tone laced with regret.

Gon stared at the young wolf, a mixture of surprise and concern etched on his face. "You… had a child with a gray wolf…? How…?” he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gosha’s gaze dropped. "She's… gone now. Legoshi is only twenty-five percent Komodo dragon. His father was Miyagi..." he said quietly, the name hanging heavy in the air.

Gon's eyes widened. "Miyagi? The movie star?"

Gosha nodded grimly. "But…he's not really interested in Legoshi. Left us almost immediately and then his mother.." He paused "let's just say she 'passed away' "

Gon frowned, his gaze lingering on Legoshi's tense posture. "I see… I understand but you requested that Legoshi be placed in Dorm 701? Why's that?"

Gosha's voice softened. "Legoshi only had one childhood friend, Jack the Labrador, and I hear he's staying in 701."

Relief flickered across Gon's face. "Ah I see. At least he has a friend. Well, I shouldn't keep you any longer. Please take your grandson to his dorm. I have some urgent business to attend to."

Gosha thanked Gon, and together, the unlikely pair set off towards Dorm 701, the massive wolf still visibly apprehensive, his gaze fixed on the ground.

The knock echoed softly against the aged wood of Dorm 701's door. A cheerful golden Labrador, Jack, swung the door open, his tail thumping a happy rhythm against the floorboards.

"Hey, Jack, Legoshi's here!" Gosha boomed, his voice a low, rich baritone that filled the hallway.

Legoshi lumbered forward, his massive form casting a long shadow that stretched across the threshold. He felt the familiar nervousness tighten in his chest the weight of his size, of his scars, of the judgments he anticipated.

Jack, however, didn't seem to notice any of this. He launched himself at Legoshi, engulfing him in an enthusiastic hug. "Legoshi! It's been ages!"

A genuine smile, a rare and precious thing, spread across Legoshi's face. He returned the hug, the warmth of Jack's embrace a surprising comfort. "Jack… you’re right. It has been a while."

The hug, a spontaneous explosion of affection, caught the attention of the other occupants of the dorm. Jack, ever the enthusiastic host, immediately launched into introductions. "Legoshi, this one is Voss, and these guys are Collot, Durham, and Miguno. And, of course, me!" He grinned.

Legoshi chuckled, a shy, self-conscious sound. "H-hi guys, I'm Legoshi."

Before Legoshi could even sit, Voss, a seemingly hyperactive individual, pounced on Jack. “Hey, Jack, why did you say 'this one' instead of 'this guy' when you introduced me?!”

Jack stammered, his usual confidence momentarily faltering. "I-I uh…"

The room erupted into laughter, the tension breaking like a dam. Jack, regaining his composure, introduced Gosha to the group. After a few minutes of pleasantries, Gosha excused himself, leaving Legoshi with his new roommates.

"So you're the one Jack's been talking about?"

"Whoa! Dude who was that Komodo?"

"What's your type?"

"Why'd you transfer in so late?"

A barrage of questions descended upon Legoshi, but Jack intervened, his voice firm and protective.

"Hey, guys, come on! He hasn't even had a chance to sit down yet!"

As Legoshi finally sat on the edge of his bed, Collot leaned forward, his voice curious. "Hey, Legoshi, why are you wearing that hoodie? It's pretty warm in here."

Legoshi stammered, "I-I… I just…"

Before he could finish, Durham, acting impulsively, reached out and pulled the hoodie off Legoshi’s head. Jack gasped, "Durham! What are you doing?!"

But no one heard him. All eyes were on Legoshi, and the room fell into a stunned silence. The others stared at his body, their expressions shifting from curiosity to horror. The laughter died in their throats. A collective gasp filled the room, the stunned silence broken only by the soft sob escaping Legoshi’s lips.

"L-Legoshi… wh-what… what happened to you?" Miguno whispered, horrified. Tears welled in Legoshi's eyes, the years of suppressed trauma erupting at last. Jack, his face pale, hurried to comfort him, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced with a serious intensity that none of them had seen before.

Durham, realizing the gravity of his actions, mumbled a frantic apology. "I-I'm so sorry, Legoshi! I didn't know!" He received a sharp, warning glare from Jack—a look so unexpected, it silenced the room. This wasn’t the Jack they knew

Jack, taking a deep breath, attempted to answer their unspoken questions. "When Legoshi turned six, we went to celebrate his birthday in the city…" he began, his gaze fixed on Legoshi's tear-streaked face, his voice thick with emotion. He paused, asking for Legoshi's permission to continue the painful story. Legoshi managed a slow nod.

Jack continued, his voice laced with grief and anger "Our moms were busy getting food and let us wander off. Legoshi was chasing a bug when he heard a scream. It was a herbivore about to be attacked by a Komodo dragon that had lost control. Without thinking, Legoshi ran to help. He knew he was immune to the poison, but he didn't account for the difference in strength. I couldn’t jump in to help I could only watch as Legoshi was attacked… torn… mangled. I ran to call Gosha and Ms. Leano, screaming that Legoshi was being attacked but when we got there… it was too late. The Komodo had already bitten off his arm. Legoshi was lying there… in a pool of his own blood. Gosha was furious he attacked the Komodo and managed to subdue him, but we focused on getting Legoshi to the hospital. They couldn't reattach his arm it was completely crushed. We waited for hours… while Legoshi underwent surgery… I was so relieved when he woke up… but then I cried because I was so helpless. Legoshi cried too. ‘My arm,’ he said, but then so softly, he asked, ‘Is that person okay? The one who was attacked?’ I told him the herbivore was fine but that he needed to look at what happened but he didn’t care! He only cared about that herbivore! The police caught the Komodo, and, the herbivore he saved was incredibly wealthy and felt terrible. She was a kind Dall sheep, and she gave Legoshi money to live the rest of his life in comfort and even paid his bills we don't really know where she is right now but we still want to thank her..” Jack finished, tears threatening to spill, and the stunned silence hung heavy.

"I'm sorry legoshi.."

"For what jack..?"

"I couldn't help you all I did was watch as he did that to you!"

"But you would've gotten hurt jack.." legoshi said frowning

"Legoshi you should care about yourself more.."

Jack tightened his hug around Legoshi, the warmth of his embrace a tangible comfort against the raw vulnerability Legoshi had just exposed. He knew this secret this horrific event was supposed to remain hidden, yet here it was, laid bare before his new roommates. The weight of that knowledge pressed down on him, a heavy counterpoint to the comforting pressure of Jack's hug.

Collot, his voice soft with understanding, spoke, breaking the heavy silence. "So, Legoshi, you were wearing the hoodie because… of this…"

Legoshi nodded slowly, his tears still falling, each drop a testament to the pain he had carried for so long. He raised his head, his gaze flitting nervously between his new friends. "I-I hope you don't hate me after this…"

They quickly reassured him, their voices filled with genuine sympathy and acceptance. They were shocked, yes, but their shock was far from judgmental.

Jack, still holding Legoshi, turned to glare at Durham—but Legoshi gently stopped him. “Jack… it’s okay. I think it’s best they know. I don’t want to have to hide it here, in the dorm.”

Legoshi’s calm demeanor, his acceptance of the situation, calmed Jack down "Okay, Legoshi..." Jack conceded, his voice still laced with concern. "Fine… but are you sure you’re okay? You were crying a lot. Don't worry me like that."

Legoshi chuckled, a shaky sound, but a chuckle nonetheless. "Well, you look kind of cute when you’re worried."

Jack’s face flushed a deep crimson, his ears drooping adorably. Voss, piped up, his voice laced with playful curiosity. "Are you two a couple?"

Legoshi and Jack simultaneously denied it, their voices overlapping in a chorus of indignant denials. "No! No, we're not!"

Legoshi, however, couldn't resist teasing Jack. He stared at Jack's blushing face, his laughter echoing through the room. "Jack, you're really cute right now!"

Jack, his cheeks burning even brighter, retorted playfully, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Oh yeah? Then how about this!"

Before anyone could react, Jack had swiftly pulled off Legoshi's shirt, his hands moving to rub Legoshi's belly with surprisingly gentle strokes. "Take this, Legoshi!" he said with a grin.

Legoshi, caught completely off guard, let out a long, contented sigh his tongue stuck out as he basked in the unexpected attention. He huffed with pleasure, a low rumble vibrating in his chest.

The room erupted in laughter. "Whoa, Legoshi, are you okay?!" Durham asked, his voice barely audible above the laughter.

Legoshi, completely at ease now, squirmed on the bed, a blissful expression on his face. Jack, continuing to rub his belly, chuckled. "Who looks cute now, huh? That's right, you!"

Jack stopped his massage, and Legoshi let out a whine of protest. "Jack… more…" he mumbled, before realizing what he’d just said. His face turned a bright, embarrassed red.

"J-Jack… why did you do that?!" he stammered, unaware of his exposed chest.

Jack grinned mischievously. "Hehe, Legoshi… revenge!"

Legoshi sputtered, his face even redder now. "Jack…," he groaned, realizing he was completely shirtless. "JACK! WHY DID YOU TAKE MY SHIRT OFF TOO?!"

The dorm erupted into even more laughter, a joyous cacophony that filled the small room. Collot, amidst the laughter, managed to blurt out, "Don't get me wrong, you're hot even with those scars.. but you were kinda cute just now"

Legoshi's face was now the color of a ripe tomato. He glared playfully at Jack, his voice laced with mock indignation. "Jack, how could you?"

Jack, unrepentant, grinned back. "Just so you know, I could do that to you anytime."

Legoshi’s ears drooped, a hint of defeat in his posture. "Fine, fine. I'll stop teasing you," he mumbled, a small smile playing on his lips.

Jack grinned, his earlier concern dissipating. "Hey, guys, why don't we give Legoshi a tour? He's been homeschooled almost his whole life, so this could be fun!"

The others readily agreed. They led Legoshi on a whirlwind tour of the sprawling campus, pointing out various buildings, clubs, and interesting spots. As they neared the drama club building, someone spotted Legoshi and immediately scouted him, their eyes widening in surprise. A collective gasp arose from the group, a big question mark hanging in the air. It was way too late to recruit someone.

Legoshi, utterly bewildered, asked, "Wh-what? Why?"

Jack nudged Legoshi playfully. "Hey, Legoshi, maybe you could be a great actor, just like your dad? You should try out!"

Legoshi hesitated, his nervousness returning. "I-I'll join the stagehands," he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

A slight frown flickered across Jack's face, but he quickly masked it, respecting Legoshi's decision.

The tour concluded late in the afternoon. Legoshi's first day of classes loomed the next morning, so they headed back to the dorm, exhaustion settling over them like a warm blanket.

The next morning, Legoshi was roused from sleep by Jack’s cheerful voice. "Morning, Legoface! Better get ready, or you're gonna be late for your first day!"

Legoshi quickly showered, dressed in his crisp uniform, and reached for his hoodie. Collot, unusually late, stumbled out of his bed. his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Legoshi. "Hey, guys… whoa, Jack… is that Miyagi?!"

Legoshi turned, a confused expression on his face. "Collot, what… no, it’s me, Legoshi. Miyagi is my dad!"

Collot blinked, processing the information. "Oh, okay… Miyagi being your dad makes sense… wait, WHAT? MIYAGI IS YOUR DAD? 'THAT' MIYAGI?!"

Legoshi scratched the back of his neck, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Oh yeah… I forgot to mention that."

The realization hit the others like a ton of bricks. Durham, Miguno, and Voss stared at Legoshi with a mixture of disbelief and awe

Collot, overwhelmed, let out a dramatic sigh. "We're roommates with the son of a celebrity…" He swayed slightly, threatening to faint.

Legoshi hung his head, his voice low and melancholic. "Guys… dad left anyway, so technically, I'm not really his son anymore. He didn't care about me…"

A collective "Oh…" filled the room, a mixture of sympathy and understanding. Miguno, being blunt stated, "Legoshi, no offense, but your life actually sucks…"

Legoshi nodded, his expression resigned. "Yeah, I’ve known that for a while." He grabbed his bag and left the dorm with Jack, leaving his roommates to process the stunning revelation.

The remaining dorm-mates exchanged glances, a mixture of sadness and amusement in their eyes. They felt sorry for Legoshi, truly, but there was also a shared unspoken thought

|With that face... Legoshi would definitely get a girlfriend|

As Legoshi and Jack walked down the crowded hallway, Legoshi felt a wave of scrutiny wash over him. Dozens of eyes—curious, apprehensive, even fearful bore into him. He instinctively leaned closer to Jack, seeking the comfort of his presence. Jack, sensing Legoshi's discomfort, gently patted his back, his touch reassuring and calm.

"Legoshi, it's okay," Jack murmured, his voice low and soothing. "I felt the same way when I first transferred here."

But Legoshi shook his head, his voice barely a whisper. "Jack, no… this is different. They're all looking at me… like they're scared of me." His voice trembled slightly, the fear evident in his downcast gaze. His ears drooped, his posture slumping. Tears welled in his eyes, threatening to spill over.

Jack glanced at Legoshi's tear-filled eyes, his heart clenching with sympathy. He gently tightened his grip on Legoshi’s arm, offering silent reassurance. "Legoshi, don't cry," he whispered, his tone firm yet tender. "They're just staring. They're just… a bit scared of you, that's all." He stroked Legoshi's arm reassuringly. "It's your size and, well, you are kinda intimidating." He added with a weak chuckle.

They finally reached their classroom, but the feeling of being observed didn’t disappear. Legoshi flinched at every glance, every rustle of movement, his body tense. Jack, sensing his continued distress, slid closer, his hand finding Legoshi's arm again, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Come on, Legoshi," Jack said quietly, his voice a mixture of encouragement and understanding. "Get it together. It's still only your first day. You'll get used to it soon enough." He offered a reassuring smile, hoping to convey the message that he was there for Legoshi, no matter what. He subtly shifted his body to shield Legoshi from some of the more intense stares.

Finally, the teacher arrived, but to everyone's suprise it wasn't the tiger they'd been expecting. Instead, a zebra—a herbivore—stood before them. The zebra glared at Legoshi, then quickly retreated when Legoshi noticed.

The zebra, sporting a rather unconvincingly cheerful smile, announced, "Alright class, settle down! Your teacher's got a case of the Mondays… or maybe it's the wildebeest stew? Anyway, I'm in charge! And that big guy over there needs to stand up." As she pointed to legoshi

Legoshi flinched, nearly knocking over his desk. He stood, looking startled. "Y-yes?" he squeaked.

The zebra peered at him through her spectacles. "You're new, right? Because otherwise, I'm seriously questioning the school's security measures. We can't have a creature that could probably swallow a locker whole lurking unnoticed. Also what's with the hoodie? Could you Take it off?"

Legoshi stammered "i-i can't take it off.."

Jack came to his defense " he needs that hoodie he has a few things to hide so as to not disrupt the class"

The zebra chuckled "oh really? Hope he's not hiding a dead sheep under there"

A ripple of nervous laughter went through the class. Legoshi shifted his weight, his ears drooping.

"So," the zebra continued, "spill the beans, Big Guy. Name, age, favorite snack and please, try not to accidentally inhale anyone during your introduction."

Legoshi, his voice barely audible, mumbled, "M-my n-name is Legoshi. I'm seventeen… and I… I like… egg sandwiches"

The zebra burst out laughing. "Egg sandwiches? Seriously? The giant wolf's kryptonite are... Egg sandwiches?"

The class erupted in laughter. Legoshi, mortified, shrunk further into himself. Then, Jack, the loyal friend, nudged him. "Hey, don't worry, dude. They're just jealous of your awesome size. Besides, egg sandwiches are awesome." He winked.

Legoshi, still blushing furiously, mumbled a grateful "Thanks," and promptly tripped over his own feet while trying to sit down. The ensuing tumble sent another wave of laughter through the classroom, this time, even Legoshi couldn't help but crack a small smile.

The final bell chimed, releasing a wave of students. Legoshi felt a lightness he hadn't expected, a few friendly nods and greetings from both herbivores and carnivores easing the tension he’d carried all day. A grin tugged at his lips. Jack, the best friend you could have. nudged him playfully. "Legoshi, you look so cute and.. you're happy now! Told you you'd be fine!"

A blush warmed Legoshi's cheeks. He mumbled, a barely audible, "Y-yeah, I'm fine now," his gaze drifting to the floor.

The cafeteria buzzed with lunchtime chatter. They found their usual spot amongst their dorm mates. Durham leaned in, a conspiratorial grin on his face. "Legoshi, that little introduction earlier… even the teacher made fun of you. At least you're not hated or anything!"

Legoshi's ears perked up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Y-you were there?"

Durham chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. "Yeah, Miguno, Voss, and Collot too. We're all in the same class!" Legoshi's blush deepened, his shoulders hunching slightly. A ripple of amusement went through the group.

He picked at his egg sandwich, the quiet scrape of his fork against the plate a counterpoint to the surrounding noise. Suddenly, a shadow fell across his food. He looked up, startled, to see an alpaca grinning  at him.

"Hey, Legoshi!"

The sandwich slipped from his grasp, clattering onto the table. Before Legoshi could react, Jack’s hand shot out, scooping it up. "Five-second rule, Legoshi! Calm down, it's just one of our classmates."

Tem, the alpaca, offered a sheepish smile. "Oh—uh, sorry about that, Legoshi. My name's Tem. I didn't mean to startle you."

Legoshi stammered a reply, his voice barely a whisper, "Oh, no, no, no… it's okay. It was my fault. I just… got a little scared."

Tem's brow furrowed slightly, amusement fading. "Scared? Oh, come on, I'm an alpaca, you're a gray wolf! Why would you be scared of me?"

Jack, sensing Legoshi's struggle to express his feelings, stepped in. He explained, his words carefully chosen, about Legoshi's difficulty talking to people and his fear of others' reactions to his size.

Tem nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Oh, I see. But don't worry, Legoshi, I'm not scared of you! And I don't think any of our classmates are either… I can't say anything about the rest of the school though.." he added, his gaze drifting towards a group of herbivores who were pointedly ignoring them. A subtle shift in Tem's posture betrayed a hint of unease.

Legoshi's ears drooped, his tail tucked between his legs. His shoulders slumped, his posture replaced by a visible dejection.

Tem, seemingly undeterred, continued, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Anyways, Legoshi, a lot of the girls in our class already have a crush on you!"

The words caught Legoshi completely off guard. He choked on his sandwich, his eyes wide with disbelief. A frantic cough wracked his body as he struggled for breath. Jack quickly intervened, helping him clear his airway.

Tem chuckled, seemingly unfazed by Legoshi's distress. "Legoshi, I don't know if you know this, but you look exactly like that Miyagi guy, and girls some herbivores too are already fighting over you!"

A stunned silence hung in the air before Legoshi, without thinking, blurted out, "I-it can't be helped… h-he's my dad, so of course I look like him!"

Tem stared, his expression a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Legoshi, is there something wrong with my hearing? Because I swear I heard you say that Miyagi is your dad...?"

Jack, with a knowing look, confirmed, "Nah, your hearing's fine. Miyagi is Legoshi's dad, "

"Huh?!"

"though he didn't really care about Legoshi and just left…"

Tem's face fell. "Oh… he left? Just like that?"

Legoshi nodded slowly, his gaze distant, lost in a memory he clearly preferred to avoid. "I don't think I ever actually got to meet him. I'm pretty sure he left before I even became a pup…"

Just then a shadow fell over their table. Tem's friends had arrived, their faces tight with disapproval. "Tem, what are you doing with that freak? He probably eats herbivores! He's huge He'll eat you for sure!"

Tem's response was immediate, a fierce protectiveness in his voice. "He's my classmate! Don't worry, I know he wouldn't eat me, right, Legoshi?" He turned to Legoshi, his voice softening with concern as he saw the tears welling in Legoshi's eyes.

"Hey, Legoshi, are you okay?"

Legoshi tried to wipe away the tears, his head bowed low. Jack, the observer, offered a quiet explanation, "He's probably crying because they called him a freak. He's scared of being called that, that's the main reason he can't talk to people…"

Tem's face hardened with anger, then softened with empathy. "I'm sorry about my friends, Legoshi…"

But Legoshi cut him off, his voice barely a whisper, a raw honesty in his tone. "No, they're right… I am a freak. I look like a monster. I already know that… I don't want to stay anymore. I'm going."

Tem's eyes widened, concern etched on his face. "Wait, Legoshi! Where are you going?"

"To the drama club," Legoshi mumbled, his voice barely audible above the din of the cafeteria

|I want to stay with jack..|

A flicker of hope ignited in Tem's eyes. "Then let me go with you! I'm part of the drama club too!"

A small, almost imperceptible nod was Legoshi's only response, a silent acceptance of Tem's offer. They left the table, the jeering whispers of Tem's friends fading behind them as Jack shot them a warning glare. The two friends, their faces a mixture of shock and guilt, quickly retreated.

The drama club room was quiet, a stark contrast to the chaotic cafeteria. A pelican, Sanu, looked up from his paperwork as they entered. "Oh, hey Tem, you would've been late if you took any longer, and this is…?"

Tem introduced Legoshi, adding quickly, "Also, don't ask him to remove his hoodie; he needs it… for personal reasons."

Sanu's curiosity was evident. "Tem, how do you know Legoshi? Were you two friends before coming to Cherryton?"

Tem explained, his words carefully chosen, about Legoshi being a new student and his struggles with social interaction. "I know he looks a bit scary, but you really shouldn't be afraid of him. He's just really awkward and can't really talk to people."

Legoshi offered a quiet, "Thanks, Tem…"

"No problem!" Tem replied, his smile genuine and reassuring.

The quiet was shattered by the arrival of a tiger, Bill, who approached with an air of casual aggression. "Heya new kid, my name's Bill. Why can't you take off the hoodie?"

Before Legoshi could answer, Bill lunged, attempting to rip the hoodie from his shoulders. Legoshi reacted instinctively, dodging the grab and delivering a powerful kick that sent Bill sprawling across the room.

A gasp escaped Legoshi's lips. "I-I'm sorry, Bill! I-I didn't mean to!"

Bill groaned, slowly getting to his feet, clutching his stomach. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth. His words were laced with disbelief and a hint of fear. "Legoshi… wh-what the hell was that? Are you a fucking bear…?"

A stunned silence filled the room. Sanu's pen clattered to the floor. Tem, his face a mask of concern, rushed to Legoshi's side. "Guys, wait! Don't look at Legoshi like that! He just panicked!"

But the damage was done. Fear, palpable and heavy, hung in the air. Even Riz, a large brown bear known for his calm demeanor, stared at Legoshi with wide, apprehensive eyes. The speed and force of Legoshi's reaction had shaken them all.

Tem, trying to regain control, pleaded, "Guys, stop! Legoshi just panicked. Don't look at him like that, or he's gonna…"

His voice trailed off as he felt a tremor in Legoshi's body. He looked down to see tears silently tracing paths through Legoshi's fur.

Tem knelt beside him, his voice gentle, reassuring. "Hey, it's okay… you were just panicking, that's all… I'm not scared of you."

Legoshi shook his head, his voice choked with sobs. "But they are!" He curled up, his knees drawn to his chest.

A quiet voice cut through the tension. "Hey… I'm not afraid of you. My name is Els… nice to meet you, Legoshi…"

Legoshi looked up, his tear-filled eyes meeting those of Els, an angora goat, who approached with hesitant steps but unwavering kindness.

"Really… you aren't scared of me?"

Els smiled, a genuine warmth in her expression. "I'm not scared of you, I promise. You look so sad… why would I be scared…"

Legoshi's sobs subsided, replaced by a shaky breath. "Thank you… Els."

Bill, having recovered somewhat, approached, scratching his neck awkwardly. He started to apologize, but Legoshi, bowing deeply, cut him off. "Bill, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Only his right arm was visible.

Bill looked at him, concern replacing his initial anger. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Legoshi, calm down. I should be the one saying sorry. I lunged at you like that. You just got a little overwhelmed, I'm pretty sure."

He paused, then his eyes narrowed in observation. "Wait, Legoshi, why are you only showing your right arm? Why not both? Isn't it hard to keep that position with one arm?"

Legoshi hesitated, his voice barely a whisper. "I-i… I don't have a left arm…"

He clutched the empty sleeve of his hoodie, the fabric bunching where his missing limb should have been. The gesture was a subtle, heartbreaking confirmation of his unspoken pain.

The drama club fell silent. A stunned hush descended, broken only by the soft intake of breath from Els.

"Y-you don't have a left arm?" The question hung in the air, disbelief etched on her face.

Even Tem, his eyes wide with shock, looked at Legoshi with a newfound understanding. He hadn't known.

Els's voice was soft, tentative. "Is that why you wear the… hoodie?"

Legoshi started to speak, his voice trembling slightly, "I-it's not just because of my left ar—"

His words were cut short by a sudden, violent burst of sound—the heavy thud of a door swinging open. A red deer, imposing, filled the doorway. His gaze immediately locked onto Legoshi, a harsh glint in his eyes.

Sanu, ever the diplomat, attempted to smooth things over. "Oh, Louis, you came! so does that mean you're staying after all?"

Louis's response was curt, devoid of warmth. "Obviously, I wouldn't have come here otherwise."

Sanu's reply was a barely audible, "R-right."

Louis's gaze shifted to Legoshi, his assessment sharp and dismissive. "What's with the wolf?"

Sanu, sensing the potential for conflict, quickly explained, his voice a little too high-pitched. "O-oh, this is Legoshi. He's… pretty strong, but he doesn't have a left arm. He's not great at talking to people, so he'll be joining the stagehands."

Louis scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive. "Makes sense. A wolf without a left arm is just a dog. No talent for acting whatsoever."

The words hit Legoshi like a physical blow. His shoulders slumped, his head bowed. Tears welled in his eyes, threatening to spill over.

Louis noticed the tremor in Legoshi's shoulders, the way his head drooped. His voice, though still harsh, held a hint of something else—perhaps a grudging respect, or maybe just annoyance at the display of weakness. "Stop acting so wimpy. You're a damn wolf. Act like one."

Legoshi slowly nodded, his gaze fixed on the floor. He reached up, his hand trembling slightly as he wiped away the tears that threatened to fall. The silent action spoke volumes—a silent promise to himself, to Louis, to somehow meet this challenge.

The drama club, initially a scene of hushed whispers and wide-eyed stares, gradually transformed into a surprisingly welcoming space. Legoshi, initially a creature of nervous fidgets and mumbled apologies, found himself the recipient of surprisingly friendly introductions. Sanu, the smooth president (or at least, trying to be), offered a reassuring pep talk about Louis. "Don't worry about Louis he's just perpetually grumpy. Think of it as a daily dose of dramatic irony – you'll get used to it. Eventually."

Sanu then turned his attention to Legoshi, a twinkle in his eye. "So, Legoshi, feeling comfortable? Last I heard, you were basically homeschooled almost your whole life. Big difference."

Legoshi, a small smile playing on his lips, nodded. "Well… I'm happy that not everyone is scared of me… or thinks I'll eat them."

Sanu let out a relieved sigh that sounded suspiciously like a whoosh of air escaping a punctured tire. "Excellent! Now, not to pressure you, but we've got a welcoming ceremony for the new transfer students in a few weeks, complete with a play. Think of it as your official 'I haven't eaten anyone yet' debut"

|Shouldn't I be with the..? nevermind...|

Legoshi's smile faltered slightly. "O-oh, okay. I-I should get to practicing like everyone else…" he mumbled, already envisioning himself accidentally tripping over a prop and taking out half the cast.

Sanu chuckled, a warm, fatherly sort of chuckle. "Right, but don't burn yourself out, Legoshi. If you feel tired, take a break. It's not like the world will end if the play is slightly delayed. Unless, of course, Louis decides to direct it himself. Then all bets are off."

Legoshi nodded, already picturing Louis's terrifyingly intense directorial style. Tem, ever the instigator, piped up, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Legoshi, you're worrying too much. Calm down. Should I tell Sanu about your dad, or are you not comfortable with it…"

He instantly regretted it, expecting a flood of tears. Instead, Legoshi surprised him with a grin. "Sure! I want to see how Sanu reacts to it too!"

Tem, relieved and slightly bewildered, spilled the beans about Miyagi. Sanu's jaw dropped so hard it nearly hit the floor. "So that's why you looked familiar…" he breathed, his mind clearly struggling to reconcile the image of the stoic, brooding Miyagi with the slightly clumsy, endearing Legoshi. He nearly fainted, clutching his chest dramatically.

Legoshi and Tem burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the room.

Sanu, regaining his composure, shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "I really shouldn't be surprised anymore. I thought nothing could top that random panic "attack" but this… wow. You're officially the most unpredictable stagehand we've ever had."

Legoshi chuckled, his earlier anxiety replaced by a newfound confidence. "Well, I should be going. They're probably already practicing their lines. I need to go practice… not tripping over props."

Sanu waved him off, a grin splitting his face. "Okay, Legoshi. And remember, if all else fails, just blame it on your dad. He's a movie star; he can handle the bad press."

Later, as practice ended, Legoshi found Tem wrestling with a tiny envelope at his locker.

"Tem, what's that?" Legoshi asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

Tem jumped, nearly dropping the envelope. "O-oh, uh, it's… a love letter for Els… I've had it since last year, but I've been waiting for the perfect moment… but…" He trailed off, looking utterly flustered.

Legoshi burst into laughter. "Really, Tem? A year-old love letter? Are you planning on giving it to her in a time capsule?"

Tem blushed a furious red. "I-I don't know! Okay, I just…" he stammered, his voice barely a squeak.

Legoshi, still chuckling, patted Tem on the shoulder. "Tem.. I've known you for about a day but maybe you should give it to her alread."

They left the locker room, Tem still blushing furiously, but with a renewed sense of purpose. Back at the dorm, Legoshi was greeted by a boisterous welcome from Jack.

"Legoshi! You're back! It was so dull without you, we almost had a staring contest to pass the time!"

The other dorm mates grumbled, "Hey! That's not fair! We were playing cards!"

Jack, unfazed, grinned. "Whatever! Just saying, Legoshi makes things more interesting. He's got that 'I might accidentally trip and knock over a bookshelf' charm."

A playful scuffle erupted, but this time, Legoshi joined in, laughing as Voss playfully tackled him to the floor.

Jack, finally catching his breath, turned back to Legoshi. "So, how was the drama club? Did you manage to accidentally direct a scene?"

Legoshi grinned, a genuine, happy smile. "It was great. They were scared at first, but I don't think they're scared of me anymore… mostly."

Durham scoffed, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "More like a 'I'm gonna steal your girlfriend' charm."

Collot chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Nah, that's my charm. Once I show anyone my eyes, they'll fall for me. My eyes are so magical, they turn you gay!"

The dorm erupted in laughter, the playful banter a comfortable soundtrack to the evening. Legoshi, nestled in his bed, smiled. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions, but nestled amongst friends, surrounded by the comforting sounds of laughter and easy camaraderie, he finally drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

As everyone fell asleep, Jack looked at Legoshi and smiled, remembering their first meeting when they were both five.

-Flashback starts-

Jack’s classmates patted Jack on the back. “Heh, you became the teacher’s pet again. Lucky you!”

“I-it was a coincidence!” Jack insisted, a little defensively.

“You got a 100 on that last test? Yeah, right. That wasn’t a coincidence.”

“Man, I wish I was artificial,” one classmate sighed. “I’d have a big brain from the moment I was born!”

“How about you help us cheat on the next test?” another suggested, grinning.

“Wh-what? I don’t know…” Jack replied, his gaze drifting away. He saw a silhouette—a gray wolf—sitting quietly by himself, playing with the sand.

|I’m all alone, but… there’s someone out there who’s more alone than I am|

Jack thought, a pang of sympathy hitting him.

“Ugh, he’s here again. Let’s go,” one of the children muttered, and the others echoed his sentiment.

“Gross.”

“I heard he's a gray wolf. Let’s get out of here; he might eat us!”

“He’s scary.”

“I heard he always comes here to chant curse spells!”

“Yeah, he cursed that class one time too.”

“Aw, man.”

“Well, he is a wolf. Let’s get away from him.”

Jack heard all the whispers and rumors about Legoshi.

|A wolf..|

Jack thought, a strange mix of fear and compassion welling up inside him. He approached Legoshi cautiously.

“Hey, you… what are you doing here? Don’t you want to play with everyone else? Legoshi…”

“How do you know my name?” Legoshi asked, surprised.

“Oh, we live close to each other… Hey, you’ve got dirt on your face.”

Legoshi wiped it off with his shirt and started to back away.

|It’s now or never… He’s not chanting curse spells… he’s just playing with the sand like everyone else… I need to talk to him|

Jack thought, gathering his courage.

“Hey! Why are you running away from me!”

|Because…|

“Are you trying to be all alone!?” Jack persisted.

|Because… |

“Ow!” Jack yelped a

“A wolf like you can be so much more. So why…? You’re weird… you’re really, really weird…” Jack said, his words clumsy but heartfelt.

Legoshi’s voice was low. “I know that.”

Legoshi looked at Jack, his expression unreadable. “Why aren’t you smiling?” he asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

Jack's smile faltered. "O-of course not! This is the first time I've ever talked to a wolf... but I didn't think I'd be so jealous of you," Jack replied.

“Why are you jealous?” Legoshi asked, genuinely confused.

“Dogs were made to be a refined version of wolves… you’re my ancestor,” Jack explained.

“Are ancestors really all that great?” Legoshi asked, a hint of skepticism in his voice, leaving Jack slightly bewildered.

“I don’t want any power or strength… in fact, I’m jealous of you,” legoshi said.

“Wha—” Jack started to ask further, but he was interrupted.

“Oh, what’s this? This looks fun! The original is facing off with the artificial!” the other children shouted, their taunts echoing around them.

“He’s been acting as the teacher’s pet, so he thinks he’s smarter than us. You’re a wolf why don’t you teach him a lesson?”

Jack stammered, “L-Legoshi…”

Jack forced a smile. “Heheh… this is my fault. This is such a fix, right? What should I do…?”

Legoshi cut him off. “I’ve been wondering ever since I saw you… why are you smiling? If you don’t like this... then get mad.”

“I-I can’t get mad,” Jack admitted, his voice small.

“Why don’t you get mad?” Legoshi pressed.

“I’m a dog. At times like this, all I can do is smile,” Jack confessed, a hint of sadness in his tone.

Legoshi’s voice dropped, his tone hardening slightly. “Are you.. blaming your faults on your species…? Aren’t you supposed to be a refined version of my species?”

Jack lunged at Legoshi, his frustration boiling over. “I DON’T WANT TO BE LECTURED BY AN IGNORANT WOLF!! YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT I DON’T!”

"NO I DON'T!"

Legoshi continued it was quiet, almost a whisper. “What do you know…”

“Huh?” Jack asked, confused.

“What do you know about being a wolf?” Legoshi asked, tears streaming down his face. “I don’t want any of these I don’t want these claws, these fangs, these hands, I don’t want this body! What would you know? You’re just a dog!”

Jack replied angrily, “I WANT THEM! I WANT ALL OF THOSE! WHY... WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT THEM!”

Legoshi replied, still crying, “Because.. because I want friends! I can’t make any friends! Just because of how I look, the other herbivore kids get away from me just because of my species… and I’m way bigger than everyone else! I just want to talk to people, but I can’t. I walk up to them, and I look like a monster! But you? You dogs are fine they’re all okay with you! Just because you’re a Labrador, you don’t have these claws and fangs, but I do! I don’t want them I really don’t. I just want friends, but everyone avoids me! AND IT’S ALL BECAUSE I’M A WOLF!” Legoshi’s voice erupted, raw with pain and frustration.

Jack looked at the crying wolf, his anger dissolving into concern.

“What…? You want friends?”

“YES I DO! I WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE, PLAY WITH SOMEONE, AND HUG SOMEONE LIKE ALL THE OTHER NORMAL KIDS DO, BUT I CAN’T DO THAT! I’M ALL ALONE JUST BECAUSE OF MY SPECIES, BECAUSE OF HOW I LOOK! SO WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU WANT TO BE A WOLF? AND I’M BIGGER THAN MOST OF THE OTHER KIDS HERE TOO! OF COURSE I HAVE NO FRIENDS!” Legoshi sobbed uncontrollably, leaning against Jack.

Jack then said softly, “Then… how about I be your friend?”

|huh..?| Legoshi thought while trying to process what he said

Legoshi looked at Jack, his eyes wide with surprise and a glimmer of hope. “What…? You’ll… be my friend?”

Jack nodded, trying to smile. “I’m sorry, Legoshi… My name is Jack. Can we... be friends from now on…?”

Legoshi smiled, a genuine, happy smile, his tail wagging and his tears slowly subsiding.

“Yeah… let’s be friends… Jack.”

-flashback ends-

Jack finally fell asleep and woke up the next day early as always. He nudged Legoshi awake.

"Legoshi, wake up! You don't wanna be late, do you?"

Legoshi grumbled, "Jack… five more minutes…"

"Legoshi, you're gonna be late!" Jack insisted, gently but firmly.

"What about the others? They're not awake either…" Legoshi mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

"Because you're not a morning person! I know you're not gonna wake up without me. You're the most irresponsible one here!" Jack teased, though there was a hint of affection in his tone.

Legoshi grumbled, "Jack, you're mean… Fine, I'll wake up…" He slowly rose from his bed, his fur all messy and tangled. He yawned widely, clearly wishing he could sleep more.

"Oh, come on now, go get dressed for classes. I don't want to be late too!" Jack urged, already starting to get ready himself.

Legoshi said, "You're not my mom, Jack…"

Jack grinned. "Well, I'm your dad now! Go shower!"

Legoshi chuckled. "Fine, fine, I'll take a shower. Wait for me, Jack."

After showering and getting dressed, Legoshi decided to do the same thing as yesterday – to style his fur to resemble Miyagi. It had been surprisingly well-received yesterday, garnering more positive attention than negative, and he hoped for a repeat performance today.

As Legoshi got dressed, he and Jack left the dorm. Legoshi still slouched slightly, but his posture had improved "slightly less deflated." You could say

He’d styled his hair meticulously, channeling his inner Miyagi. He looked like a movie star… a slightly awkward, perpetually-slouching movie star, but a movie star nonetheless.

He entered the classroom, bracing himself for the usual side-eye. Instead, he was greeted with smiles and waves. It was… unsettling. Like discovering your arch-nemesis had secretly been knitting you a tiny sweater.

Jack nudged him, a mischievous glint in his eye. “So, who’s the lucky girl? Spill the tea, Miyagi-wannabe.”

Legoshi sputtered, “Wh-what?”

Jack grinned, leaning in conspiratorially. “Come on, man, don't be shy. Which one of these lovely ladies has captured your heart? Or is it a gentleman? I'm not judging. Diversity is key, right?”

Legoshi stammered, “N-no one! I don’t have a crush on anyone yet, Jack!”

His heart ached when he said that

|so he really doesn't love me..| jack thought while frowning

Jack snorted. “Sure, Legoshi. ‘Sure’ as in, ‘I’m totally hiding a secret admirer club in my locker.’ well you said 'yet' so I'm assuming you have options"

The substitute teacher, the ever-fabulous zebra, sauntered in. “Well, it seems your teacher’s still stuck in traffic, probably arguing with a parking meter. So, I’m back!… Whoa, hold on a minute. Is that… Miyagi?! In the flesh?!” she exclaimed, eyes glued to Legoshi's surprisingly stylish fur.

Jack, the helpful 'friend' (and master of dramatic flair), dramatically swept his arm towards Legoshi. “Th-this is Legoshi, I’m surprised you could see his face from over there, even though he had a hoodie on!”

The zebra chuckled. “Don’t underestimate my eyesight, young man! But seriously, that’s a new look. Didn’t expect that from our resident gentle giant… who, by the way, is clearly radiating ‘someone’s got a secret crush’ vibes spill the beans Who’s the lucky girl?”

Legoshi choked on air. “Wh-what?”

The zebra raised an eyebrow. “Oh, come on. I’m not blind, and I’m certainly not deaf to the collective swooning in this classroom.”

Jack, ever the smooth operator, stepped in. “I already interrogated Legoshi earlier he said ‘no one… yet.’ Leaving plenty of room for romantic possibilities, wouldn't you say?” he winked at their teacher.

Legoshi groaned. “Jack, you traitor!”

Jack just grinned. “My lips are sealed… mostly.”

The classroom erupted in laughter.

The zebra, still smirking, tapped her hoof against the floor. “All right, settle down, class! I’m all for romance, but during my lectures, I expect your undivided attention. Otherwise… our resident gentle giant will personally… 'devour' your enthusiasm.” She gave Legoshi a playful look, causing him to blush furiously, even under the protective cover of his hoodie. The entire class found this hilariously adorable.

The lecture droned on, a peaceful hum broken only by the rustle of suspiciously crinkly notes. Class ended, and a zebra's surprisingly cheerful smile did wonders for Legosi's nerves. He and Jack headed to the cafeteria, completely unaware they were being stalked by the 701 boys, who were convinced they were a secret, gay couple.

"Collot, are you sure?" Durham squeaked, his voice barely audible above the thump-thump-thump of his own racing heart. "Because if not, we've wasted precious minutes of our lives that could have been spent… well, doing something else."

"Trust me," Collot declared, puffing out his chest like a prize-winning pigeon. "When have I ever been wrong about these things? Never, that's when!"

Durham mumbled something about Collot's questionable judgment on the merits of various brands of clothing but quickly shut up when Collot glared. Voss let out a snort that sounded suspiciously like a strangled giggle.

"Exactly!" Miguno chimed in, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Collot's a love life detective! He even figured out who Voss had a crush on! (It was that fluffy squirrel, wasn't it, Voss?)"

Voss sputtered, a blush creeping up his neck. "Hey! That's classified information!"

Miguno grinned, unrepentant. "Nope. Classified as 'hilariously obvious.' "

Voss pouted, looking like a kicked puppy.

Suddenly, Collot gasped dramatically, pointing a trembling finger. "Look! A public display of affection! And it's… adorable!" Legosi and Jack were hugging, a picture that screams gay

-Meanwhile-

"Jack… we should hang out more," Legosi mumbled, surprised by his own boldness. "It's been, three years. I… I missed you."

Jack grinned, a twinkle in his eye. "Legoshi… how about this weekend? We could go somewhere… exciting?"

"The city?" Legosi suggested, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes.

Jack asked "Legoshi, are you sure? Last time we were there, you... nearly died..." Jack said and frowned

"Yeah, but I need to face my fears It was when I was six… I'm seventeen now. I'm practically an adult! I just… I want to go with you, but maybe you'd rather—"

He was cut off by Jack's enthusiastic hug, a Labrador-sized bear hug that nearly squeezed the air out of him. "Oh, Legosi! Labradors are your companions for life! You should know that by now!"

Legoshi chuckled, hugging back. "Thanks, Jack. I don't know what I'd do without you… "

The 701 boys exchanged excited glances, their conspiracy theories reaching fever pitch.

"I told you!" Collot crowed triumphantly. "They're dating! Voss, get the photographic evidence!"

Voss, already fumbling with his phone, snapped a picture as Legosi and Jack, completely oblivious, continued their journey to the cafeteria. The 701 boys trailed behind, casually joining them at their table.

"Explain yourselves," Collot demanded, brandishing the photo like a weapon.

Legoshi and Jack's jaws dropped, their eyes wide with a mixture of shock and horror.

"I-I can explain!" Legosi stammered, his fur bristling.

"No explaining needed," Collot declared, a smug grin spreading across his face. "You're dating, right? Don't even try to deny it. The photographic evidence is irrefutable!"

Their faces flushed crimson. "N-no!" they both denied,

their hearts both ached when they said that for some reason

their paws nervously fidgeting.

Just then, Tem strolled up, looking utterly unconcerned. "Hey, Legosi! You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost…"

Legoshi jumped, nearly knocking over his drink "Tem! Don't scare me like that!"

Tem chuckled. "Seriously? Talking to people is your weakness?"

Jack grinned. "His weakness is anyone smaller than him. He thinks he might accidentally devour them!"

Tem laughed, completely unfazed. "Really? I doubt you could devour me! I'm practically a walking, talking haystack."

Legoshi glared at Jack. "I'm not scared of eating him! I'm scared of talking to basically everyone! You're teasing me!"

Tem chuckled and sat down, completely unfazed. "I don't think Legosi would ever eat anyone. He's too gentle… he wouldn't even hurt a grasshopper."

Jack agreed. "You're right! He loves bugs!"

"Oh really? I guess I was spot on" tem said his voice was slightly muffled while eating

Tem nodded, munching on his lunch. Legosi felt a blush creep up his neck again. He was happy, but then Durham asked about the drama club.

Tem, in a blur of unintentional honesty, recounted Legosi's accidental tiger-kicking incident and his one-armed status.

"Tem!" Legosi hissed, his ears drooping.

"Durham asked," Tem shrugged innocently.

"How did you 'accidentally' kick a tiger across the room?" Durham asked, his eyes wide with fascination.

"Reflex," Tem offered vaguely. "Pure, unadulterated reflex."

Voss joked, "Don't accidentally throw me out the window next, I'm too small! I'd probably just bounce."

Legoshi's face burned a fiery red. "No! I wouldn't!"

Voss chuckled. "Sure, 'accidentally' kicked a tiger… I'm not buying it. But I am buying popcorn for this show."

Legoshi's ears drooped, his tail tucked low. His blush deepened. He was officially a blushing mess.

Legoshi blushed furiously under Tem's teasing comments about his first few minutes in the drama club Jack and Voss erupted in laughter.

"Jack! You're supposed to help me!" Legoshi exclaimed.

"No can do. You're on your own," Jack replied.

"Jack..." Legoshi whined, employing his cutest pout. Jack couldn't resist Legoshi was undeniably adorable. He pinched Legoshi's cheeks. "Fine. I'll treat you to something to make up for it on the weekend."

A smile spread across Legoshi's face.

"Oh! Lunchtime's almost over," Jack said. "You guys should get to the drama club soon."

Legoshi frowned, but nodded, and he and Tem left.

Voss whispered conspiratorially to Collot, perched on his shoulder, "Collot, you're right! They're totally going on a date this weekend!"

Jack overheard. "Voss we're not dating! We're just hanging out because we haven't seen each other in so long!"

"Sure," Voss said, unconvinced. "Collot, those two are definitely dating…" Durham, Miguno, and Collot nodded in agreement.

Jack's blush deepened, his golden fur turning a noticeable shade of pink.

Meanwhile, Legoshi and Tem arrived at the drama club. They completed their usual practice and returned to their dorms. It was late, and Legoshi finally fell asleep, thinking

|School isn't so bad after all…|

For the next two weeks, life was peaceful. Legoshi, known as the gentle giant, readily helped others, even with the smallest tasks. Some of the female students affectionately dubbed him a teenage Miyagi, and he unexpectedly gained popularity.

But that peaceful existence ended with Tem's death.

Chapter Text

The morning light broke through their window waking the dorm 701 up for a dreadful day.

as they walked to class. Legoshi felt a familiar dread his ears drooped, his tail tucked low. Something was terribly wrong he put the hood of his hoodie back on and continued walking

|why are they glaring at me..| he thought

They reached the classroom Tem's seat was empty Their teacher, a grim-faced tiger, announced, "I'm sure you're all aware of what happened last night…"

Jack asked, "What happened last night?", eliciting the teacher's stunned reply,

"you haven't heard?"

He paused

"One of your classmates… was devoured last night."

Legoshi's blood ran cold the only one missing here was tem.

Jack's question:

"Who was it?", led to the devastating answer: "Tem, the alpaca."

Legoshi stood up almost immediately tears filled with dread "No, no, no! You're joking, right? Tem's not dead!", was met with stunned silence. Tears streamed down his face. The teacher confirmed Tem's death, found in Lecture Hall 2. Legoshi panicked, gasping for breath. Jack immediately hugged him, offering comfort completely ignoring their classmates' stares. Legoshi's sobs lessened in Jack's embrace.

Later, in the cafeteria, Legoshi sat hunched over, untouched food before him. The usual chatter was replaced by whispers and pointed stares. Jack noticed, but held back, sensing that any words would likely cause more pain. The rest of 701 silently agreed, letting Legoshi grieve.

The silence at their table was heavy, a protective blanket woven from unspoken concern. Jack, looking down, said quietly, "Hey Legoshi… it's almost time for drama club…"

Legoshi forced a smile, a weak, unconvincing imitation of his cheerful self. "Don't worry, Jack… I'll be okay…" He knew it was a lie, but the words offered a small comfort to Jack. Seeing Jack relax slightly, Legoshi felt a surge of relief. He hugged Jack again, murmuring, "Thank you for what you did earlier, Jack…"

Jack hugged back. "No problem. You should get going now you might be late." Legoshi nodded, a 'knot' of fear tightening in his stomach as he headed to drama club. He braced himself for the judgmental stares, the whispers. He’d been closest to Tem now that Tem was gone he would probably be the prime suspect.

He entered the club expecting glares from the herbivores, but Els approached him instead. "Legoshi! Are you okay?"

Legoshi’s mouth was shut, unable to utter the lie that choked him. Els continued, "Legoshi, rumors spread fast here! I heard you were crying about Tem during a lecture. Are you okay?"

Legoshi was shocked she knew, but could only manage a small, shaky nod. "Y-yeah… I'm okay."

Els and the others clearly saw through his pretense, but chose not to press him. Dom spoke, his voice gentle, "Hey Legoshi, don't worry. We don't think it was you… We know you wouldn't eat Tem. He always covered for you, and knowing you, you wouldn't even open your mouth properly while talking, so as not to scare us herbivores with your fangs…"

Legoshi smiled a little and thanked dom

Legoshi suddenly remembered Tem's love letter and resolved to deliver it to Els.

Eventually He and the others continued their rehearsal, striving to maintain a semblance of normalcy while grappling with Tem's recent death. Meanwhile, Louis, the red deer, remained a silent observer, his gaze fixed on Legoshi's every move.

After practice, Legoshi went to Tem's locker. He retrieved the letter, but not before attracting the attention of Bill and Sanu.

"H-hey Legoshi, th-this is Tem's locker!" Bill exclaimed, his finger pointing accusingly. "What were you doing opening your dead friend's locker?!"

Legoshi stammered, "I-I just took the book I lent him. He told me it was in his locker…"

Bill and Sanu recognized the lie, but their disbelief that Legoshi could be capable of harming anyone ultimately led them to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Sanu said, "Legoshi, I don't suspect you of anything, but you'd be finished if a herbivore saw what you were doing! Look, just be more careful. You need to be more self-conscious about the fact that you're a carnivore."

Legoshi replied, a slight frown etching itself onto his face, "I know. I'm pretty used to being suspected of doing something wrong. It's nothing new... Anyways, I have important business to attend to. Please excuse me."

Sanu allowed him to leave, but Bill remained skeptical.

"Hey chief, do you think Legoshi…?" he questioned.

Sanu responded, "No, he probably didn't do it. That book part was definitely a lie, but Legoshi… he's way too gentle to just eat someone like Tem. And without Tem, he would probably have no one else to vouch for him other than his dorm mates. He had no reason to eat Tem."

Bill countered, "But carnivores don't need a reason to eat! He could have acted on instinct and—"

Sanu interrupted, "Bill, are you trying to get Legoshi in trouble? Legoshi always acts like this. Besides, he's probably hurting more than everyone in the drama club right now. Tem… accepted him first, and now he's gone. Just let Legoshi be for now, okay, Bill?"

Bill nodded, his gaze cast downward, his suspicion of Legoshi lingering.

Legoshi walked down the hall,

|Tem… I'll remove all your regrets today it has to be today||

he thought to himself

-Meanwhile-

The lemur asked Els. "How are you feeling, Els? Have you calmed down?"

"Yeah, thanks. Club's over, so I'm feeling all right… but I don't know what to do if he acts the same way tomorrow…"

The lemur reassured her, "Calm down. We both know Legoshi wouldn't do that. He's way too soft…"

Els slightly nodded "I know!.. I'm just a little scared of all of the carnivores right now.. I just want to be safe.."

The lemur chuckled

"Well. See you tomorrow, Els! If you're feeling scared, feel free to come to my room. My prosimian roommates are all fun to talk to!"

As they parted ways, Els realized she had left her watch at the rehearsal hall. She returned to retrieve it. Suddenly, a light flickered on, revealing Legoshi.

"Hey… you didn't even turn on the lights," he said.

Els, startled, turned around. "W-why are you here, Legoshi…"

Legoshi replied, "I… needed to be alone with you, so I came here after you went to look for your watch…"

Els responded nervously, "D-don't shine the light on me… please stay away…"

Legoshi, his voice laced with worry, asked, "H-huh? Wh-why did I do something to make you mad?"

Els, her voice trembling, said, "Legoshi… I heard from Bill you opened Tem's locker! You've been acting weird all day… I'm sorry to say this, but… I'm scared of you, Legoshi!"

She took out a pair of scissors, pointing them at him. Legoshi's heart sank, the weight of her distrust heavy upon him.

Els, her voice rising in panic, blurted out, "Y-you pretend to be a nice guy, and when you get hungry you'll just… treat us like food! How dare you! How dare you! Me and Tem are more than just—"

Legoshi's quick action to disarm her cut her off, and she shrieked.

|He's… way too strong. He's… a monster|

Els thought, fear gripping her.

|This is it… it's over For me /

She closed her eyes, bracing for the worst.

|Please… make it quick|

she silently pleaded.

But she didn't feel claws or fangs tearing through her flesh instead she heard Legoshi say, "This is… for you," as he pressed an envelope into her hands.

Els, still shaken, cautiously opened her eyes. She had expected violence, but instead, she found a letter. It was Tem's love letter.

After a moment, they sat down on a nearby bench. Els, her voice barely a whisper, asked, "Y-you came just to give this to me…?"

Legoshi nodded slowly. "Tem… never got the chance to give it to you… Every day I saw him, the letter was back in his locker… I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything about this…"

Els replied, "N-no, it's okay… I appreciate this. And that's probably why you went to his locker then…?"

Legoshi nodded, then said, "Well… I better get going now… bye Els."

As Legoshi started to leave, Els, overcome with guilt, called out, "Wait!"

He stopped.

"I-I said some bad things about you earlier… and just now too. I'm sorry! I'll take it all back! Please forgive me!"

Legoshi shook his head. "No," he said.

Els, confused and misunderstood legoshi asked, "Wh-what? Why?"

Legoshi explained, "No, I forgive you, but you don't have to take it back… Besides, I'd feel bad if Tem's first love was revealed after he died…"

Els exclaimed, "B-but it's so unfair to you!"

Legoshi responded, "It's okay… it wouldn't make a difference anyways… I'm too big for a normal gray wolf that's never devoured herbivore meat… Their opinions on me won't change, especially after Tem's death… Besides, they could think I just blackmailed you into saying that…"

Els let out a silent "oh…"

Legoshi continued, "I'll be fine. I've always lived like this… feared and hated. That's been the story of my life since I was a pup."

Els frowned as Legoshi left, the weight of her guilt and his quiet suffering heavy on her heart.

|He… must be hurting the most out of all of us… |

she thought.

Legoshi hadn't slept well that night his tension palpable to Jack, who noticed his friend's distress. The next morning, Legoshi awoke alone. leaving earlier than usual, was heading to Tem's memorial.

He got there with Tem's favorite drink. He knelt and thought to himself,

|Tem.. I did it. I gave it to her.. I told her,|

while looking up a single tear fell from his eye as he tried to hold it in.

Just then, all the girls started cheering as Louis, the red deer, walked by.

"Look it's Louis!"
"The star of Adler?"
"Handsome on stage and in real life!"

Legoshi heard the comments and thought of how perfect Louis was. He just so happened to stare for too long.

"You're staring" Louis paused
"is rudeness something that's inherent in wolves? Anyways, you're the pup in the art department aren't you? I've got a task for you. Come on," Louis said.

Legoshi said, "o-okay."

Louis brings Legoshi to his office, and Legoshi sees that Zoe is also there. As soon as they entered, Louis told Legoshi, "Have his costume fitted by tomorrow's rehearsal."

Legoshi looked confused, and Louis clarified, "Zoe is Tem's replacement. The play is on the 26th. Don't you remember?"

Legoshi nodded and said, "y-yeah I remember."

Louis then started, "How ironic to see you here Odie the water spirit."

Zoe asked, "What?"

And Louis said, "We're rehearsing. Give me Odie's lines."

Zoe said, "o-oh right.. sorry I haven't learned them yet."

Louis then walked up to Zoe and grabbed his mouth. "What is it? Open wide.. Now now.. don't tell me you went and ate that script! That is all that goats like you are good for, isn't it? Eating paper! This isn't the place to go around showing off, you know."

Just then, Kai barged in. "Louis! Zoe doesn't deserve to be Tem's replacement! I was runner up at the audition so-"

Louis cut him off. "Could you knock!?"

Louis then let Zoe go, telling him to memorize the script.

Kai then targeted Legoshi. "What are you doing here? Don't you just work on the stage crew?"

Legoshi agreed and was about to leave, but Louis stopped him and told Legoshi to stay.

Louis continued, "Kai, you and Legoshi need to get along. You two will be working together at the art department. We made a decision during yesterday's meeting... You're off the actors team."

Kai glared at Louis, and then Louis continued, stating the many different mistakes Kai has made up to that point in two years—not exactly a good legacy for an actor.

Louis continued but was interrupted when Kai lost it and tried to attack Louis. Legoshi stepped in, blocking Kai's punch with his palm. "Actor's safety first. That's the job of the stagehands, right? Kai.. he's the star."

Louis was staring at the two, stunned.

Kai replied, "Who the heck do you think you ar-" He stopped when Legoshi glared at him, remembering what Legoshi had done to Bill. He backed off.

"Oh uh.. I'll let it go at least this time," Kai paused. "Must be nice being rich. Nothing ever harms you!"

As Kai walked out, he yelled, "What are you looking at?" to the members of the dancing team who were eavesdropping before leaving.

Louis laughed "Huh. Showing your fangs as a means to actually avoid a fight.. how intriguing. I figured you were as quiet as a tree, but I guess you are a wolf after all."

After Louis commented this, Legoshi turned to leave, but then Louis grabbed him by his tail.

"Excellent. You seem like you are going to fit right in.. listen, we'll sneak into the theatre later tonight and rehearse the scene with Zoe."

Legoshi turned to look back, surprised. "What? What if we were to get caught?"

Louis replied immediately, "That's why you're going to be the lookout. What's wrong? You gonna turn it down and put on some kind of good guy act?"

Legoshi said, "n-no I won't.. i just don't want to get caught. I-if someone sees a gray wolf like me at night outside of his dorm they might think that I.. devoured Tem."

Louis scoffed. "You're so timid even for a wolf. Are you sure you aren't just a giant dog? It would Make sense you are a canine after all."

Legoshi's ears dropped. "I-i just don't want to get caught the drama club might get suspended and I could have a record.. but I-i won't turn it down.. you're my senior after all.."

Louis said, "Good. You better be there."

Legoshi nodded

Night fell, and Legoshi sat vigilantly by the entrance, silently hoping Zoe and Louis would hurry. He knew that if he got caught, not only would he be punished, but the drama club would be suspended; his cover-up was crucial.

He spotted a grasshopper, gently circling it with a finger. "Hey little guy… what are you doing here?" he murmured, a small smile playing on his lips. The grasshopper departed moments later. "Bye," Legoshi whispered, waving.

Then, he smelled something – a herbivore. Panic seized him.

|What is a herbivore doing out here at this time?!|

He mentally rehearsed escape routes, then bolted towards the scent.

Before he knew it, he held the herbivore close – a dwarf rabbit. Then He heard a mumbled, "Just… eat me already."

Legoshi recoiled. And let go of the rabbit "W-wait! I-I won't eat you! I'm… a lookout for the drama club. They're practicing... In secret Please don't tell anyone!"

The rabbit stared, then exclaimed, "Hey! Wait… you're that wolf! The 'teenage Miyagi'! Legoshi, right?"

He nodded frantically. "Yes but Please, don't tell anyone!"

The rabbit sighed. "Okay… you're a bit odd. I guess the 'gentle giant' rumors are true. Thanks for… not eating me, I guess," she said before darting off. Legoshi waved, then realized,

|Wait, i didn't even ask for her name!|

"Legoshi!"

Zoe, worry etched on her face, ran towards him. "Legoshi, I need your help!"

"What's wrong?"

Zoe explained breathlessly, "It was dark I almost fell off the stage, but Louis saved me!"

Louis interjected, "I only did it so I wouldn't hear your whining."

Legoshi knew this was a lie but then Legoshi smelled blood. "L-Louis, I smell blood! You're bleeding, and a lot!"

"N-never mind that! Help me up!"

Panicked, Legoshi tried to rip the hollow sleeve to make a makeshift bandage, accidentally tearing his uniform in the process. He wrapped the torn fabric around Louis's bleeding leg and struggled to carry him his height made it difficult, further complicated by the fact that he only had the use of his right arm. He hoped Zoe wouldn't panic and call for help.

As they walked, Louis saw Legoshi's numerous scars under the dim light. "Legoshi, what are these?!"

"They're… scars. I have more, but it doesn't matter now. I should take you to the infirmary!"

"Don't! Just… carry me to my dorm!"

"B-but you're hurt! And.. Others might see my scars…"

Louis insisted, "Then take me to your dorm!"

Legoshi protested, "B-but that's a carnivore dorm! They'll smell your blood!"

They stopped. "Louis, where should we go?!"

"The rooftop," Louis suggested. "Only herbivores are usually there."

"Isn't it locked?"

"I have a key. There's a shed there it's where the gardening club is."

Legoshi carefully climbed the stairs, avoiding contact with anyone.

On the rooftop, Louis sighed, "Thanks, Legoshi. And.. Don't worry about my leg it's just a small cut from some loose wood."

Legoshi looked worried. "Sorry, Louis…"

Louis chuckled. "Why are you apologizing? If anything, I should apologize for treating you like shit. And for not appreciating you."

Legoshi was shocked. "L-Louis, you don't have to apologize! You're my senior!"

Louis sighed, "Legoshi, if you keep acting like this, you'll get pushed around. I don't have the right to treat you like shit when you've been so kind to me."

Legoshi chuckled "im not kind to just you specifically Louis.. not just you"

After a a short chat Legoshi said, "Louis, you should sleep on the bed I'll sleep on the floor. And don't even tell me to sleep on the bed You need to rest your foot on something soft bedsides wolves can sleep comfortably even without beds"

"What? You're okay with sleeping on the floor? Why don't you return to your dorm Instead?"

"I can't leave you here.." Legoshi replied

Louis chuckled "Fine, you can stay but get your hoodie first so you won't have to hide in the morning. And Don't let anyone see your scars."

"I know.. I wasn't planning to show them to anyone either"

Legoshi quickly returned to his dorm, relieved to find everyone asleep except for Jack, who was secretly awake and concerned he decided to not ask legoshi anything for now knowing that legoshi probably had his reasons but when he took a small peek he saw legoshi shirtless and he blushed closing his eyes again trying his best to not make a sound

Legoshi grabbed his spare hoodie and uniform, returning to the rooftop. He found Louis already asleep and smiled before settling on the floor exhausted from the panic and carrying Louis with one arm

Louis wasn't heavy but keeping his arm in the same position for too long definitely hurt.

-19 hours later-

Louis looked at the cute wolf curled up on the floor and tapped him. "Hey Legoshi, wake up," he said.

The wolf groaned, clearly exhausted from the previous night's events.

"Legoshi, wake up now, or I'll tell everyone you attacked me. It's a pretty good excuse for a broken leg, don't you think?"

Legoshi's eyes widened, and he shot up. "N-no, don't do that!" A single tear of fear escaped, unbeknownst to Legoshi.

Louis calmed him. "Legoshi, calm down. I was only joking. Come on, why are you crying?" Louis wiped the tear from Legoshi's face.

Legoshi was a little embarrassed but finally noticed, "Louis, you're standing?!"

Louis chuckled. "Yes, I am. I told you I'd be alright. The bleeding was just from a cut."

Legoshi sighed in relief.

Louis said, "Anyways, hurry up. Your Labrador friend is frantically looking for you. Do you even know what time it is?"

Legoshi answered, "I-I don't know what time it is, and why is Jack looking for me?"

Louis said, "You dumb wolf, it's 4 PM already!"

Legoshi's jaw dropped "What?! 4 PM already?!"

Louis said, "Yes It's 4 PM. Everyone's worried about you, especially your Labrador friend. His face looked pale, like he'd seen something he shouldn't have."

Legoshi bolted up. "Wh-where's Jack right now?"

Louis said, "Back at your dorm. Apparently, now go hurry up he might even be crying right now."

Legoshi ran frantically he didn't want to worry Jack. He didn't want Jack to cry.

As he ran through the halls, everyone looked at him surprised. They'd all heard that the 'gentle giant' had gone missing, but here he was, running as if he was scared of something.

Legoshi barged into 701 and almost shouted, "Jack!" while gasping for air, seeing the surprised expressions on Durham, Collot, Voss, and Miguno's faces. Jack's reaction was different—a little angry and crying.

Jack lunged at Legoshi. "Where did you go?!" Tears streamed down his face, and Legoshi's heart sank. He immediately hugged Jack tightly.

"I-I just did something for the drama club"

Legoshi said trying to calm jack down

"Liar I thought you ran away because of what happened to tem! Don't ever do that again! I was so worried about you!" Jack said, hugging Legoshi tighter.
Jack continued "I..I thought you were gonna leave me again.."

Legoshi whispered, "I'm… sorry, Jack."

Jack said, in a slightly angry but sad and worried voice, "You should be!" before falling asleep from exhaustion he'd been searching for Legoshi all over the school.

Legoshi asked Collot to carry Jack to his bed

He couldn't because his arm was sore from holding louis in one position for ten minutes straight last night

Voss jumped onto Legoshi's shoulder and playfully tugged at his ear.

"So, Legoshi? Where did you disappear to? Don’t tell me you actually ate someone! We can all smell deer and blood on you!"

Legoshi raised his hand defensively, his heart racing. "N-no! Of course not! I swear, it was for the drama club! My hoodie and uniform just got torn, so I couldn't come down..."

Miguno chimed in, he frowned "Liar! Jack said he saw you changing last night, but you still left the dorm!"

Legoshi's panic rose like a tide. "J-Jack was awake?" He paused, a wave of realization washing over him.

"I-I swear I didn't eat anyone! I just..." His mind raced, but he couldn't conjure another excuse.

Collot pressed his arms across his chest, scrutinizing Legoshi. "Legoshi, be honest with us—did you eat a deer or not?"

Legoshi stammered, "N-no! I promise I didn't!"

Voss leaned in, his eyes narrowing. "Then what's with that smell, huh?"

Durham’s voice was laced with concern. "Legoshi... don’t tell me you really did eat a deer..."

Defeated, Legoshi sighed, "F-fine! I’ll tell you, but you can’t tell anyone else, okay?"

Miguno frowned, suspicion etched on his face. "So you really did eat a deer..."

Legoshi quickly interjected, "No! Not at all! Louis asked me to be a lookout because he was sneaking into the theater at night to practice lines with one of our actors. But then he fell off the stage and his leg started bleeding! He couldn’t walk, so I had to carry him to the rooftop to keep it a secret! I used my clothes to stop the bleeding, and I went back to the rooftop to make sure nothing happened to Louis! I really didn’t eat anyone!"

Collot raised an eyebrow. "Legoshi, if that’s the case, why were you panicking so much? You seriously looked like you’d just devoured someone!"

Legoshi's ears drooped, and he replied, "S-sorry! I’m just not good at expressing myself..."

Miguno nodded, understanding dawning on him. "Makes sense... So, you want us to keep this a secret?"

Legoshi nodded vigorously. "Y-yeah!"

In unison, Voss and Miguno grinned, extending their palms. "Pay up!"

"Wh-what?" Legoshi stuttered, bewildered.

"Come on, Legoshi! Me and Voss aren’t stupid. Jack told us you’re rich, and we’re kind of low on money right now. If you want us to keep that secret, then it won’t be free."

Legoshi’s heart raced again. "F-fine! Is 2,000 yen good for you two?"

Miguno teased, "Oh, come on, Voss. Let’s just spill the beans about what Louis and Legoshi did last nig—"

He was cut off by Legoshi’s frantic response. "Okay, okay, okay! Fine! How about 5,000?"

"Deal!" Miguno and Voss smirked, victorious.

Collot and Durham chimed in, "Not fair, Legoshi! What about us?"

Legoshi's shoulders slumped. "F-fine! You guys too..."

The four of them smirked, successfully scamming Legoshi out of 20,000 yen. In perfect harmony, they said, "All right, Legoshi, our lips are sealed!"

Letting out a sigh of relief, Legoshi suddenly realized he was already an hour late for the drama club. "G-guys, wait! I have to go now! I'm late for drama club!"

They chuckled, waving him off smiling while looking at the money they had gotten from legoshi

as he dashed to the drama club. He opened the door, breathless. "Everyone! S-sorry I'm late!"

Sanu approached him, concern etched on his face, and Legoshi visibly flinched at his proximity.

"Legoshi, where have you been? We were worried about you! Just recently, we heard you were frantically running around the halls, looking scared of something!"

Legoshi’s tail stiffened, and his body froze.

|I didn’t know I looked "scared"| He thought to himself

Bill tapped his shoulder, trying to bring him back to reality. "Come on, Legoshi! Get it together—"

He was cut off as Legoshi reflexively almost punched him but managed to stop just before making contact.

Bill stared at him, startled. "Legoshi, what is wrong with you? Do you have some kind of vendetta against me?! I thought we made up already from the hoodie incident!"

Legoshi backed away, his voice shaky. "S-sorry, bill I-I wasn’t thinking straight again!"

Just then, a chuckle echoed from the other side of the room—it was Louis, watching the two with amusement.

"Still sleepy, you dumb wolf? Mind you, you’ve been sleeping for 19 hours."

Bill looked at Louis, confusion written all over his face, which mirrored the expressions of the other drama club members.

Louis quickly covered for Legoshi, continuing with a confident smile, "I was getting Legoshi to help me move some stuff, but he got injured in the process and started bleeding a lot. So, I took care of him. He just happened to sleep for 19 hours from 9 PM to 4 PM. He only came now since he checked up on his Labrador friend."

The other carnivores stared in disbelief, their jaws dropping in unison.

|Since when did Louis care about a carnivore's well-being?!|

Legoshi let out a silent sigh, calming himself down. He secretly mouthed a "thank you" to Louis, who merely smiled back at him.

Sanu resumed speaking, "I see... You could have just told us that, Legoshi. What’s wrong? Why did you look so worried?"

Legoshi hesitated, then replied, "I-I was panicking, and I didn’t think you would believe me... because of how Louis treats carnivores."

Louis feigned offense. "I don’t treat them that bad!"

The other carnivores exchanged blank looks, silently conveying their thoughts: |But He’s been treating us the worst..|

Louis sighed, slightly defeated. "Okay... maybe a little bad."

Els chuckled, shaking her head. "Louis, you’re acting pretty weird today..."

Chapter Text

-practice-

Louis starts off moving at normal speed but then starts to slow down, still recovering from his leg injury. The slight limp was almost imperceptible at first, but as the rehearsal progressed, it became increasingly noticeable, a subtle hitch in his otherwise fluid movements.

Sanu, saw this and noticed the change, He stopped the rehearsal, his voice cutting through the practiced movements and the murmur of conversation.

"Scene!, Act 1, Scene 5 is good to go. Let's take 5!"

he announced, his gaze settling on Louis with a concerned expression. The sudden halt in the energy of the rehearsal created a pocket of quiet, drawing attention to Louis's slight stumble as he moved to the side. Sanu approached him, his concern evident.

"You're moving a bit slow, Louis. Is something wrong? You seem… strained."

Louis, attempting to mask his discomfort, offered a dismissive wave of his hand. A flicker of pain momentarily crossed his face before he regained his composure.

"No need to whisper, I'm perfectly fine. All that matters is that the new students see a strong performance. This club is crucial. We need to appeal to them and show them that this club is vital. I can't be complaining about my body right now, right guys?"

He paused, taking a deep breath, a slight grimace playing on his lips. He straightened his shoulders, forcing a confident posture.

"Give it your all! An herbivore is playing as Adler here, you carnivores should use that as motivation! Don't hold back we'll portray the symbolism of that on stage this time. It's more crucial than ever."

A bead of sweat trickled down his temple, unnoticed by the others, as he tried to project an image of unwavering strength.

Legoshi looked at Louis a little worried but had to go and meet up with the rest of the backstage crew

"The president cut the rehearsal short?" Dom asked,
breaking through Legosi's inner turmoil. He nodded in confirmation his response barely a murmur.

Kai's voice, sharp with frustration, cut through the quiet.

"Damn it! I was supposed to have a part in this show, but now I'm on sewing duty!"

Dom, sensing his distress, offered a gentle hand, his voice soothing and reassuring.

"Oh Kai… you seem to be good at the task though!"

Kai, surprised by the unexpected compliment, looked up, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

"Oh, uh… you think?"

Dom's smile widened.

"Yeah!"

Kai's initial frustration began to melt away, replaced by a hesitant smile.

"Seriously?"

Their shared laughter, a brief moment of levity, filled the air before Legosi's quiet voice intruded once more.

"Is this… this is Tem's…"

The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.

Kibi's voice, laced with a growing unease, followed.

"What should we do…? It feels strange, keeping all of this here."

Kai's voice echoed his concern.

"It's a little freaky, keeping it around here, don't you think?"

but legoshi spaced out he was lost thinking of what had
happened to tem it was supposedly the..

"biggest taboo in the world"

Dom's voice, sharp and insistent, cut through the quiet, calling out Legosi's name repeatedly. The sounds seemed to bounce off the walls, finally penetrating Legosi's preoccupation. Dom gently tapped Legosi's shoulder, his voice laced with concern.

"Legoshi! Were you listening?"

Legoshi's startled reaction revealed the depth of his distraction. He panicked, stammering a response.

"Yes… uh… no… I'm sorry…"

Dom sighed.

"Wow… you were spacing out again. Anyways, I was asking if you could pick up some flowers from the gardening club. I wanted to use them to decorate the auditorium and door with roses, you know, to go with the final scene. do you mind helping me out with that?"

Legoshi's apprehension was evident in his hesitant response.

"The gardening club? Isn't that the one run by herbivores? Is… is it okay for me to go there?"

legoshi was terrible at talking with herbivores

Kibi, understanding his hesitation, stepped in.

"That's exactly why you should go! You need to improve your communication skills and… no offense, but you're 'you.' You rarely ever talk to other herbivores, excluding us…"

His words were both supportive and kind of offensive.

Legoshi's ears drooped slightly, but he nodded in agreement.

"Fine. But on one condition…"

......

legoshi and kibi were at the front of the door and kibi asked "did you really need me to come with you?"

legoshi responded shyly "well.. they'd be scared if a giant wolf just shows up at their door demanding flowers.."

kibi said "gosh legoshi you're way too cautious.. oh the flowers smell great!"

but just then legoshi smelled something.. something familiar it was the rabbit the dwarf rabbit from that night

he was about to get away but kibi opened the door and legoshi froze

kibi walked in and said "hey legoshi?.. legoshi! wake up"

legoshi realized that kibi was trying to pull him and he went out with kibi

the rabbit asked "can I help you?"

he started panicking thinking of ways to escape but kibi said it first

"oh no! I forgot about an errand shoot I gotta go back right now!"

|wha-| legoshi thought

he whispers to legoshi "hey legoshi you could do this right?.. thanks a lot!"

the rabbit cut in "uh excuse me are you guys here to pick up flowers for the welcome ceremony or.."

legoshi struggled"uh.. yeah it's just-"

he got cut of by kibi

"this.. wolf will take care of it see ya!"
as he slammed the door shut "HEY!" but kibi was long gone leaving legoshi alone with the rabbit

he panicked he had no way to escape just then the rabbit said "those rumors always spread so quickly.. he probably got scared of me aren't you as well?"

legoshi turned around and said "wh-why should I be scared of you.. I'm a wolf and you're a rabbit..."

the rabbit said "oh you haven't heard? well let's just say... rumors" she paused and then said "hey wait you're that wolf from last night aren't you? legoshi right? I'm haru"

legoshi lied "n-no I'm not legoshi I'm just another wolf!"

haru said "oh come on do you really think I'm that stupid? that's a bit rude"

legoshi looked down his ears dropped and he said "I'm sorry.."

haru said "it's fine and don't worry I haven't told anyone about it besides you were nice enough to NOT eat me so that was the least I could do"

legoshi chuckled a little and scratched the back of his neck still looking down

"thanks.." he mumbled and then continued "also yeah I came here to pick up some roses they said they were gonna use it for the entrance and door of the auditorium and also use it for the final scene"

haru nodded "I see.. okay so you're part of the drama club I can help but I'll need something in return"

legoshi said "o-oh if it's money you want sure I have some-" he got cut off

"no I don't want money.. I want you to help me out here.. but first tuck your tail in I can't reach it! I don't want it knocking over my precious plants"

legoshi stuttered but quickly complied tucking his tail under his hoodie and into his suspenders

haru asked "hey legoshi why do you always wear a hoodie? it's pretty hot out here you know why don't you take it off for a while?"

legoshi said "I.. I can't"

"why?" haru asked

"because.. I- because.."

"because what? tell me or I'm not giving you roses whether you help me or not!"

legoshi panicked and said "f-fine it's because I don't have a left arm"

haru looked at the wolf with a confused expression on her face "but your hand is just in your pocket isn't it? It right there You have a left arm!"

legoshi said "no it's not.. I just stuck it to my pocket to make it look like It was 'just in my pocket' I filled it with some stuffing too to make it look more believable.."

he then did the same as before he clutched the sleeve squeezing it

haru looked a little down and said "oh okay.. then wouldn't it be hard for you to help around here? never mind I'll just give you the roses

legoshi raised his right hand up in defense "n-no! its alright I can still help I wouldn't wanna take roses without doing something in return"

haru looked at the wolf and sighed "I guess I won't be able to stop you either way.. fine help me out with moving some pots.."

-half an hour later-

"phew! that's the last of it thanks legoshi you just saved me a few hours of my time!"

legoshi nodded smiling getting a little more comfortable with haru. haru took legoshi to the shed and asked "I'd feel bad if the only thing I gave you in return were roses I have some food here what would like to eat?"

legoshi panicked and said "n-no it's alright I'm not hungry I actually just at-" he got cut off by the sounds his stomach was making

haru chuckled "are you sure?"

legoshi looked down ears dropping embarrassed and blushing

"m-maybe some carrot soup"

haru asked "are you sure you want carrot soup? do you not want anything else?"

legoshi said "w-well you're a rabbit so I'm pretty sure you have more carrot foods

haru looked offended "hey rabbits don't just eat carrots! where did you even learn that?" She paused
"Anyways I have some egg sandwiches here I heard that you liked them? Are those okay? they came from one of my 'friends' you see"

legoshi's eyes lit up "y-yeah that would be great!"

haru chuckled "here they're a bit cold though it's been almost 3 hours since they gave it to me.."

legoshi said "that's fine I haven't eaten in like almost 21 hours!"

haru asked "21? what? why?"

legoshi said "well.. its really embarrassing but I kind of.. slept for 19 hours.."

haru burst out in laughter "what? no way so you're telling me you were missing because you slept for 19 hours? where did you even sleep?"

legoshi then realized he was in the very shed he slept in last night "oh uh.. I kind of.. slept here.."

haru asked "huh? you slept here..? wait so that's why it smelled like wolf!"

legoshi looked at her and asked "you can smell my scent?"

haru said "well not a lot of it but I smelled wolf earlier when I arrived I was a bit late so I arrived here at around 4:45.."

legoshi realized that he dodged a bullet he would've been caught if Louis hadn't woken him up.. he then sighed in relief

after legoshi finished eating haru prepares the roses and says "here legoshi are these enough? I actually have more so you could ask for some extra"

legoshi shook his head "no this is great thank you haru uh... senpai?"

haru asked "hey what's with the 'senpai' that makes me kind of uncomfortable"

legoshi replied "w-well I'm in my second year and you're on your third so I have to call you that.."

haru said "ew no don't call me senpai I just think its weird if you keep calling me that I'll take these roses back and tell everyone you attacked me "

"n-no please don't do that! I already look scary enough! I won't call you senpai anymore I promise!" legoshi replied frantically

haru chuckled "okay good here take the roses and get back to the drama club it's been pretty long and they might think something's happened to you"

legoshi nods and as he leaves he waves goodbye "bye bye thank you haru-chan"

haru looked at legoshi jaw completely open tilting her head in a little annoyance

"what did you just call me?!"

but legoshi already ran away and escaped chuckling carrying the roses down jumping 4 steps at a time and he was met with kibi

"hey legoshi!"

legoshi turned smiling "hey kibi!"

kibi looked at legoshi confused "legoshi what happened.. don't tell me..?"

legoshi said "what? what's wrong"

kibi said "don't tell me you had sex with haru..?"

legoshi looked at kibi blushed and said "what? no! I didn't have sex with haru what's wrong with you?"

kibi said "I see.. well that's a relief you were jumping down 4 steps at a time so I thought something bad happened"

legoshi asked confused

"something bad like what?"

kibi said "legoshi! apparently it's a pretty well known rumor among the herbivores! the talk around school is that she's really promiscuous and has been with a lot of guys basically she's a slut.. she's trouble so stay away disappointing right? I mean she looked so innocent! but I guess she wouldn't seduce a wolf.. it's great that you were able to get the roses "

Legoshi frowned a little

"there may be a lot of rumors out there but I think.. she's a good person you shouldn't talk about her like that.. I know how she feels too maybe she just has her reasons.."

legoshi said while walking away looking down thinking

||a slut huh.. I hope.. she's okay||

kibi looked at legoshi confused and mumbled "what a weirdo.. he's so soft yet so strong.."

Legoshi and Kibi returned to the others, handing the roses to Dom. "It went well," Legoshi said, a little breathlessly.

"Oh! the roses thanks legoshi!" Dom said and continued "club's ending soon me and fudge will stay here for a bit we still have some stuff to do you see.."

Legoshi responded with a simple "okay" and left

He sat outside on a bench as the sun dipped below the horizon, club was over, He stared at his hand, lost in thought.

||So… she’s known around school as a 'slut' Gosh, people can be so narrow-minded. I’m not one to talk, though. I’m not exactly experienced with girls. Truth is, I’ve.. never actually had a girlfriend. If anything, the only person I’ve ever really liked… more than a friend… is a guy. Jack, my best friend. But I’m sure our friendship would go south if he found out. So… I guess I just… have to give up on it huh..||

He frowned, a few tears escaping. Back in 701, he caught Jack’s eye. Jack immediately rushed over, concern etched on his face.

"Legoshi? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Jack asked gently, wiping away the tears.

Legoshi stammered, "I-I’m… I’m okay, Jack. There was probably just some dust in my eye."

Jack looked at him skeptically. "Legoshi, you were crying. And… your face when you came in… you looked so… sad..? Come on, Legoshi, tell me! It’s me, Jack, your best buddy. You’ve been really down lately, and you haven't been talking to me... Do you… hate me, Legoshi?"

Legoshi’s eyes widened. It was the opposite he loved Jack, but couldn't bring himself to say it.

"N-no, Jack! It’s not that! It’s just… I… I can’t tell you!"

Jack's brow furrowed. "What are you hiding from me, Legoshi? Are you getting bullied? Is someone bothering you? Why… why are you keeping secrets from me?"

More tears welled up in Legoshi's eyes. "I-I promise I’m not hiding anything i-its.. J-Jack. It’s just… if I tell you, you’ll hate me for the rest of your life!"

Jack recoiled, hurt evident in his voice. "Legoshi, you know you can trust me, right? I’m your best friend! I won’t hate you, no matter what! Just tell me… what’s going on?" Jack’s own eyes started to fill with tears.

The rest of 701 watched, silent. Legoshi felt his heart shatter. He was so close, yet so far from the love of his life. But He couldn't tell Jack, he knew it would mean the end of everything.

Legoshi sobbed, "Jack, please don’t cry! I don’t want you to cry! I promise, I really don’t hate you! It’s just… if I tell you now… we won't be friends anymore.. Just this once… could you please.. trust me Jack? I need you.."

Jack looked at Legoshi's tear-streaked face. He didn't want Legoshi to cry either Legoshi had been through enough.

"Fine… I’ll trust you, Legoshi. You promise you’ll tell me someday?"

"Promise," Legoshi said firmly.

After things calmed down, they chatted a bit, Jack even scolding Legoshi playfully for leaving while he was asleep. They eventually fell asleep, all except Legoshi, who cried himself to sleep. He had to tell Jack someday, but he knew it would mean the end of the happy life he'd been dreaming of. But He didn't know that the feeling was mutual.

Collot tried to wake Legoshi, but Legoshi was lost in thought, refusing to get out of bed. Collot enlisted Durham and Miguno’s help, finally managing to drag him out.

Legoshi groaned, "You guys really didn't have to do that…"

Collot, Durham, and Miguno said almost in unison, "You wouldn't have woken up otherwise…"

Voss jumped from Collot's shoulder onto Legoshi's head, playfully tugging his ears. "Wake up properly! You aren't even standing straight!"

Voss then continued "well.. not like you ever stand straight in the first place.."

Legoshi gently picked up Voss, holding him in his hand. "Hey, Voss, how about I take you up on that offer… you know, about throwing you out the window?"

Voss panicked, squirming and jumping off. "No, no, no! The deal's off! I'm not risking my life, thank you very much!"

The others chuckled. Jack watched Legoshi, lost in thought, and then he felt a hug- It was Legoshi.

"Morning, Jack…"

Jack blushed, surprised. "L-Legoshi?!"

Legoshi released the hug, frowning slightly, thinking Jack wasn't comfortable.

But Jack was just sad that the hug ended, so he hugged Legoshi back.

"M-morning, Legoshi."

The rest of the 701 boys smirked knowingly. "So, you guys are dating after all," Collot grinned mischievously.

Legoshi and Jack quickly broke apart, but they hated the fact that they had to stop.

"We aren't dating, Collot!" Jack said, his heart aching. Legoshi felt the same pang of hurt. They were in sync.

Voss piped up, "Just look at you two, blushing and hugging. Don't worry, we won't judge. You can kiss right in front of us if you want!"

Legoshi and Jack were flustered and silent. Legoshi showered and changed quickly, avoiding their questions.

Then He and Jack headed to class early trying to escape the playful teasing.

Legoshi and Jack entered the classroom, met by a wave of shocked faces. Legoshi's teacher, the Siberian tiger, looked particularly surprised. Legoshi, flustered, instantly retreated further into his hoodie, effectively hiding from the curious stares. Jack, ever perceptive, squeezed Legoshi's hand reassuringly, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"Legoshi, it's okay,"

he murmured, his voice low and calming.

"They were just worried about you."

Legoshi looked up at Jack. The blush that bloomed across his cheeks was so intense, it practically glowed.

||Oh my god, that smile! It's too cute! Way too fucking cute!||

He burrowed deeper into his hoodie, hoping to hide the tell-tale crimson tide. As they settled into their seats, the tiger's voice boomed across the room.

"Legoshi! Stand up!"

Legoshi flinched, springing to his feet. "Y-yes?" he stammered.

"Where were you yesterday? Why did you cut classes?!" The tiger's glare could curdle milk. Legoshi opened his mouth to explain, but the words caught in his throat. He sputtered, "I...I uh...i-i just..."

Before Legoshi could further incriminate himself with a string of incoherent mumbles, Jack interjected, standing up with a confident air that belied his slight tremor. "Actually," he announced, a playful glint in his eye,

"Legoshi here was injured yesterday. Lost a considerable amount of blood. Apparently, he woke up in the middle of the gardening club, completely knocked out! He's lucky he didn't get turned into fertilizer."

[ I wonder where that came from •-• ]

The tiger raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh? And how am I supposed to know you're not just covering for your best friend?"

Suddenly, the 701 boys,sprang to their feet, a united front of support. "Yeah, Jack's right!" they chorused. Then, a shy fox piped up, "I-I saw him running through the halls yesterday. He looked...pale. Very pale. So I don’t think Legoshi’s lying."

Some other students who had also seen him running testified for legoshi some herbivores did as well

Legoshi, however, was pale for a completely different reason. He was pale because Louis had told him that Jack's been crying all day worrying about Legoshi. The image of Jack's tear-streaked face was far more terrifying than any tiger's glare.

The tiger, convinced by the sheer volume of unexpected witnesses, let the matter drop. The class proceeded relatively smoothly, punctuated only by the occasional, glance the tiger threw at Legoshi – a glance that seemed to say:

"I'm still suspicious, but I'm too lazy to investigate further."

The whole incident left Legoshi a blushing, slightly traumatized mess, but at least he’d avoided a "misbehavior Note" And Jack's smile? Well, that was a whole other level of cute.

As class ended, Legoshi immediately went to the others in the drama club. They were all preparing, as today the drama club was to receive the award of honor.

"All of you on this stage overcame the differences and challenges among species and therefore have earned a prestigious prize. Your contributions helped Cherryton thrive and prosper, which is why we have gathered here today so I can present the Cherryton Honor Award to you all," Gon announced to the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of students sitting before him.

The audience applauded.

Gon said to Louis, "I expect another successful year ahead from the drama club."

"Of course, sir," Louis replied before beginning his speech.

"Coexistence and co-prosperity... our drama club will continue to demonstrate its glory on this stage!"

The awarding ceremony concluded, and they headed to the drama club as the others practiced.

Kai scoffed, "Coexistence? What a joke!"

Legoshi said, "Hey, keep it down, will you?"

Kai replied, "He kicked me off the actors' team! What do I care who hears!" He paused, standing up. "I'm not as bitter as I was before, though…"

"Glad to hear it," Legoshi replied.

Then Kai asked, "Hey, I've been wondering, have you ever thought about joining the actors' team?"

"I don't know… never, I guess—oh wait, those lights need a little adjusting."

"Well, then you must have been surprised when the advisor scouted you."

"What?"

"You can only join this club if they scout you. It's exclusive to those they consider worthy of representing the drama club."

"okay… so What do they judge you on?"

Kai chuckled. "Come on, don't tell me you joined the drama club without knowing any of this."

Legoshi scratched his neck, looking down. "I kind of did…"

Kai chuckled and continued, "For example, uh… let's take Sheila from the dancing team. At age fourteen, that cheetah was scouted while she worked part-time as a dominatrix at a BDSM club to make ends meet.

Mina, the giraffe, can't look at her own body because she has trypophobia.

Moro, the rhino, thinks she can see her guardian angel when it's really just her own horn in her line of sight. And… in case you're wondering about me, I'm a mongoose who was abandoned at birth and raised by a family of hyenas. The list goes on and on. The drama club is a mixture of unusual characters only those with unique circumstances can join. It operates with the general theme of exposing life for what it really is. So, Legoshi… what's your secret?"

Legoshi looked puzzled. "Well, I don't know any secrets that I've revealed. I have two that I haven't revealed, but then again, I don't know how much information they have on me…"

Kai said, "Really?! You have two secrets? At least tell me one, please… I won't tell anyone."

Legoshi accidentally blurted out, "W-well you could say I'm Miyagi's son."

Legoshi immediately realized what he'd said and covered his mouth shaking his head trying to deny what he just said

He looked at Kai's shocked expression. Kai suddenly shouted, "YOU'RE MIYAGI'S SON?!"

Legoshi panicked. Kai had said it aloud and shouted, so Legoshi tried to cover Kai's mouth. "Kai, you told me you wouldn't tell anyone!" Legoshi whispered.

"S-sorry," Kai apologized.

Legoshi turned around to see everyone who had been practicing frozen, looking at him with equally shocked expressions. His ears and tail drooped, knowing he wouldn't be able to get away without being bombarded with hundreds of questions again.

Legoshi sighed, the air leaving his lungs in a slow, shuddering release. He closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact. It came as a wave the entire drama club, a sea of faces and questions, engulfing him. He sat huddled in the corner, a silent plea etched onto his features. Louis, decided to step in.

"Can't you see he doesn't want to talk?" Louis' voice cut through the clamor. Saving legoshi  "Get back to practicing! The play's tomorrow!"

The club members, especially the girls, frowned, their enthusiasm momentarily dampened. Legosi slowly rose, offering Louis a grateful nod. Louis returned a small, reassuring smile and a quiet, "No problem."

After practice, a wave of dizziness washed over Legosi. He retreated to the wolf room, the quiet solitude a stark contrast to the earlier chaos. His thoughts, however, remained anything but quiet, drifting inevitably towards Haru.

|That was the first time a small animal had ever spoken to me. She didn't care what I looked like she just accepted me just like.. tem she acted like I was a normal gray wolf... Haru, Louis, Jack, everyone in the drama club and 701 they all accepted me... This feeling… this urge to move forward, to keep going… it's happiness, isn't it? I want to see them again. I need to protect them, at all costs I want... To see them smile I want to see jack smile| He thought to himself

His tail wagged, catching the attention of the other gray wolves. Legoshi sat quietly, the fake moonlight feeling brighter than usual. He was smiling. He had more friends than he ever expected when he came to Cherryton.

The night passed with Legoshi and the boys of 701 chatting. Tomorrow was Louis's first performance.

The performance went… well, mostly. Legoshi panicked when Louis collapsed he nearly had a panic attack but regained control.

|Calm down|

he thought.

|Louis is okay. It's just his leg. He's not dead. Calm down!|

As Louis was taken to the infirmary, it was time for the curtain call. Legoshi still had to fix the lights.

After the curtain call, Legoshi rushed to the infirmary, finding Louis unconscious. The play had ended around 6 PM it was now 8 PM after Two hours, later Louis woke, his head spinning.

Everyone rushed to his side, but Louis waved them off. "I remember! Wait.. What about the audience?"

Sanu reassured him, "Don't worry, you collapsed after the curtain closed. They didn't see anything."

Louis sighed in relief.

"Anyway" Bill began, "it's 8 PM. The medical team says you broke your left leg. That means you can't perform tomorrow."

Sanu said, "Bill, please…"

"What? What good is hiding the truth, especially from Louis?"

"Yes, but—"

Louis, tired of the pity, blurted out "So, one broken leg and I'm helpless?"

Sanu stammered, "Oh… uh, no! Please, we just—"

Louis thought for a moment. "Bill, you'll replace me tomorrow. You'll play Adler."

Bill was stunned. "H-huh? Wait, are you sure?"

-Practice-

Bill boasted about being chosen, while Sanu worried, "I'm counting on you, Bill. We'll rehearse all night if we have to."

Bill laughed. "What's to worry about? I know the lines and staging. If I were you, I'd be more concerned about…" He glanced at Legoshi, whose ears and tail drooped.

Kai placed a box near Legoshi. "Why are you so down? I'm the one who wants to be in the play but I cant." As He walked away.

Bill approached Legoshi. "You'll be fine. Even if you mess up, it's a minor role."

Legoshi said, "Then why don't we eliminate it?"

Bill shook him gently. "Legoshi, have some enthusiasm!"

Legoshi knew this was the worst-case scenario he had to take Bill's role.

-Stage Fight-

"You handled the lights, so you should know the staging," Bill said encouragingly. "Let's try it."

Legoshi was caught off guard when Bill lunged at him. He parried, but swung too hard, breaking Bill's wooden sword and leaving his arm numb.

Sanu rushed to Bill. "Bill, are you okay!?"

"Legoshi," Sanu said, "hold back a bit!"

Legoshi dropped his sword. "I-I'm sorry. I was caught off guard."

Bill cut him off. "What the hell, Legoshi? Do You have something against me?!"

Sanu asked, "Bill, can you still hold a wooden sword?"

Bill confirmed, "Y-yeah, I can. That was just… Legoshi, don't worry, I'm oka—" He stopped, looking at Legoshi. He saw the horror in Legoshi's eyes, fixed on his own hand.

"I… hit it too hard," he mumbled.

Sanu was worried Legoshi looked like he was about to have a panic attack.

"Legoshi, don't worry! Bill's fine, you see? We should continue practicing, just… hold back a bit next time," he reassured him.

Legoshi did his best to compose himself.

Sanu fetched an extra prop sword, and they resumed practice. This time, Legoshi managed to restrain himself, though he still reflexively dodged occasionally.

Practice ended at 11 PM, well past curfew, but they had special permission for "club activities"

Entering 701, Legoshi felt exhausted, not from exertion, but from holding back. He was surprised to find Jack and the others still awake.

Jack approached, playfully pouting. "Hey, where did you disappear to this time? You didn't tell me anything, and you barely talked to me today!"

Legoshi blushed as Jack drew near. "I-I'm going to be acting on stage tomorrow… Since Louis hurt his leg, Bill took his spot, but someone had to fill in for Bill… so I was chosen."

Jack looked excited. "Hey, that's great! Maybe you inherited your dad's acting skills. You should be more excited, Legoshi!"

Legoshi's ears drooped. "I know… but there will be so many people there… looking at me, and so many new students. And.. Shouldn't I be with the audience? I just transferred here a few weeks ago!"

Jack chuckled. "Well, you joined the drama club, so you can't really be in the audience especially now that you have a role."

Durham interrupted, "Hey, Legoshi, aren't you forgetting us? Why are you only talking to Jack?"

Legoshi and Jack blushed, realizing they'd completely ignored the rest of 701.

Voss said, "So you're dating after all—"

"Voss, I'll throw you out the window!"

"I-I mean, you're not dating after all. You two are just friends."

'Just friends.' That statement pierced Legoshi and Jack's hearts. The "friend zone," you could call it.

|Friends...|  Legoshi thought

|Friends...|  Jack thought

|That's right.. we're just.. friends|

The two immediately retreated to their beds, clearly hurt by the comment.

This was a sign for the rest of 701 they knew that jack and legoshi were more than just "friends"

-morning-

Morning arrived, and Jack's voice jolted Legoshi awake. "Legoshi, wake up! Don't tell me I have to wake you up every morning?"

Legoshi sprang up, anxious to avoid upsetting Jack. "I-I'm awake! I'll get ready now. You wouldn't want to be late, right, Jack?"

Jack nodded, urging him to hurry.

Legoshi showered, emerging only in a towel. Jack's blush was immediate as he took in Legoshi's form. He quickly turned, "L-Legoshi, put your clothes on now!"

Legoshi, noticing Jack's reaction, blushed deeply.

|Does he like my body…?| he wondered.

|I love you, Jack… I really do.. I hope someday you'll love me too…|

The thought lingered as he dressed.

legoshi and jack went on with their normal schedule from 1st to 3rd period, lunchtime, 4th to 6th period and finally legoshi left for the drama club

Jack wished legoshi good luck there were still 2 hours before the preformance so legoshi still had time to prepare

1 hour and 50 minutes..

1 hour and 40 minutes..

1 hour and 30 minutes..

1 hour and 20 minutes..

1 hour and 10 minutes..

1 hour...

50 minutes....

40 minutes.....

thirty minutes.

30 minutes left, and Dom showed Legoshi his costume.

"Hey Legoshi, here's your costume. I knew how much you wanted to conceal yourself, so… I added a few last-minute changes to hide as much of your body as possible, though I do think it's a bit excessive if you only wanted to hide the fact that you don't have a left arm.."

Legoshi's eyes lit up another burden lifted off his shoulders. He put it on, and it fit well

"Thank you, Dom! This is great!"

Dom smiled and said, "You're welcome, and oh yeah, Fudge helped a little too."

Legoshi looked at Fudge, confused, since Fudge usually acted rather cold to Legoshi, but he still thanked him nonetheless.

Just then, Bill walked in, and Legoshi smelled something… He tracked the scent, and it led to Bill.

"Legoshi, me and Louis were talking behind your back. You don't mind… right?"

Legoshi got closer. "O-okay, maybe you do mind, but we still gotta make this performance a good one, okay...?"

Bill continued as Legoshi got closer. "H-hey… this is weird, even for you…"

Legoshi came closer to Bill, towering over him. "Bill, what…" He got cut off as Bill panicked. "Oh! Wait! a few minutes before the performance, right? I'm gonna go to the bathroom then!"

Legoshi quickly excused himself as well and followed.

Dom reminded the two, "Get back in ten minutes there's 25 minutes left!"

Legoshi chased Bill until they came to a sudden stop.

Bill said, trying to calm Legoshi down, "Whoa, why'd you follow me to the restroom? You in love with me? Why don't you take it slow and give me a love letter first?"

Legoshi looked at Bill, worried, and asked, "I noticed when you entered… Bill, what do you have?"

Bill sighed. "I guess nothing passes through a wolf's nose… What? You want some too?"

Bill said before pulling out a vial of red liquid.

Legoshi asked in concern, hoping it wasn't what he thinks it is…

"Wh-what is that…?"

Bill said joyfully, but also in a cold tone, "It's rabbit's blood."

Legoshi's eyes widened. "Bill… why…?"

Bill tried to reassure him, misunderstanding what Legoshi meant. "O-oh, th-this blood isn't from another student. There was an old tiger who gave it to me he told me to use it when I needed it…"

Legoshi growled he glared at Bill, preparing to attack him.

Bill was scared out of his wits because he knew damn well how strong Legoshi was. "L-Legoshi, wait! Stop!"

But it was too late Legoshi was already throwing a punch directly at Bill's face at full force, but then he remembered what Gosha said

•Legoshi… remember, don't attack anyone. You're strong now… only use your strength to defend yourself or to protect others… don't ever use it to harm anyone I trained you so you could protect yourself and other people not to harm them..•

Legoshi stopped his punch, shaking his head, much to Bill's surprise.

Instead, Legoshi snatched the vial of blood and crushed it. The action was so fast that Bill barely reacted.

"Legoshi NO!" But it was too late the vial of blood was already broken, and it spilled to the floor.

Legoshi glared at Bill and said, "We should talk about this with Louis and Sanu later… we still have a play to finish. Let's… do our best."

As he was walking back to the others, he came back to his senses and realized what he just did.

|Why did I just… do that?|

He and Bill entered at around the same time the tension between them was noticed by Dom, but he chose not to mention it.

-the preformance-

Bill and Ellen were on stage performing, but Bill… he was sweating buckets, panicking, and he struggled even more because he thought of that vial of blood..

He remembered what Legoshi did the piled-up panic and anger started to boil over, and it finally broke when Legoshi entered the stage.

Legoshi noticed that Bill was growling, glaring at him, and Legoshi knew that there was something wrong.

Legoshi was about to deliver his first line, but Bill couldn't take it anymore he exploded on Legoshi.

Bill dashed angrily, his fangs out, threatening to maybe even break his Adler mask just from his maw opening.

Legoshi quickly retreated, and the audience gasped—Bill was out of control.

Bill continued his relentless assault as Legoshi tried to get through to him, but to no avail. Legoshi had his prop sword, and Bill had his claws, but that was all Legoshi needed. He parried every attack Bill threw at him, dodging some, only using the prop sword so as not to hurt Bill, but bill continued, finally landing a hit on Legoshi three more large claw marks on his stomach. Blood was spilling out, but worse of all, his costume got torn everyone saw them… Legoshi's scars they were revealed to every single student present.

Sanu said "stop them!"

Sheila froze "i-i can't! they're way too strong for me to do anything!"

A photographer from the PR department immediately took a photo with Legoshi bleeding in it. Just then, Bill lunged, but not at Legoshi, but to the one who took the photo. Legoshi reacted quickly, jumping in between and parrying Bill's claws using his prop sword, but then, it broke. the prop sword couldn't keep up with this much pressure, so it completely shattered

After recovering from Legoshi parrying him, he lunged back at him, but it was too late Legoshi was mad, he was furious, growling louder. "Bill… you can hurt me as much as you want… but don't drag anyone else into this!" He shouted at Bill, but Bill refused to reply he was still attacking he had completely lost control.

Legoshi finally had enough of this and took on a fighting stance. As soon as Bill lunged onto Legoshi, Legoshi swatted Bill's claws away with his hand and proceeded to kick Bill in the stomach as hard as he could, launching Bill back to the stage, unknowingly damaging some support.

Legoshi prepared for Bill to come back, but Bill remained motionless... he passed out. Legoshi sighed in relief and turned to look at the photographer and other herbivores and asked,

"Hey! Are you guys okay?!"

The other herbivores were shaken from what just happened, but they managed to reply with a weak nod and said, "Y-yeah, w-we're okay… thanks.."

Suddenly, Legoshi noticed a creaking sound, something like the scratching of metal between each other, and he looked up, realizing it was one of the support beams threatening to fall over.

Just then, Sanu came out from the side of the stage waving. "Hey, Legoshi, is everything alright?! You shouldn't be standing look at your stomach!"

Legoshi saw that Sanu was directly under where the support beam was falling, and he instinctively moved. "SANU!"

He ran over there as fast as he could he managed to push Sanu out of the way before Sanu realized it Legoshi had already pushed him. He asked, questioning Legoshi, "Legoshi, what-"

He stopped
realizing that the support beam was falling right where he used to stand and where Legoshi was standing now.

Sanu shouted, "LEGOSHI, GET AWAY FRO—"

But the support beam already crashed, seemingly falling directly on Legoshi. As the dust cleared, everyone in the auditorium looked in horror as a pool of blood seeped from where Legoshi was standing moments ago.

A loud voice came from the audience. "LEGOSHI!"

It was Jack and the rest of 701, with faces of dread they'd come to see how Legoshi would do, but now Legoshi was…

Tears streamed down Jack's face as he ran through the auditorium, going all the way to the stage, kneeling down at the blood pool it was the second time Jack had seen Legoshi lose so much blood.

Jack searched frantically but he couldn't see Legoshi at all.

The rest of the students were just looking, speechless, stunned by what had just happened.

Jack knelt down, crying. "Legoshi… not again! You're... You were going to tell me something, weren't you?! What was it? Tell me, Legoshi!"

He cried, not noticing the looming figure behind him. "Jack…" the figure said in a slightly broken voice

Everyone gasped it was Legoshi, barely standing and barely conscious. Sanu signaled for Sheila to get help immediately.

Legoshi was standing there

Jack turned around. "L-Legoshi…?"

Jack's tears flowed down faster. "Legoshi, you're… you're hurt! Don't stand! You need help!"

But he was cut off by Legoshi hugging him, legoshi tried to say something in a weak, shaking voice before passing out.

"Jack i.."

Jack let go of Legoshi, knowing that hugging him any longer could hurt Legoshi even more.

Sheila shouted, "Sanu! I've called for help they're coming!"

Meanwhile, Louis, who was watching everything unfold, felt so guilty he didn't even go there to go and see Legoshi he just stood there with guilt he couldn't even muster up the courage to show that his leg was broken to everyone present

Dom, Els and the rest of the drama club just stood there looking in horror as they saw legoshi's scars and the three new ones that were caused by bill

and Bill...

He woke up.

Chapter Text

Very rushed art took 20 minutes T-T

1 day...

2 days...

3 days...

Legoshi still hadn’t woken up.

4 days...

5 days...

6 days...

Still unconscious.

7 days…

The 8th day.

May 3rd 2017

The hospital room was quiet, except for the constant beeping of the heart monitor and the rhythmic hum of filtered air. Jack sat beside the bed, his golden fur slightly dull from exhaustion, his posture slouched from sleepless nights and unanswered prayers.

“Legoshi…” he whispered, voice cracking. “It’s been eight days. Wake up already, please…”

Tears stung his eyes again. He hated this. Hated how familiar it felt how the image of his best friend lying motionless reminded him too much of that day eleven years ago, when Legoshi nearly faded away in that same stillness.

|i.. I probably shouldn't have  asked headmaster Gon to..|

He clenched his paws in his lap, trying not to break down.

Then—

A twitch.

Legoshi’s finger moved. Subtle. Small.

“L-Legoshi?” Jack bolted upright, eyes wide.

Silence. The finger stilled.

Jack’s heart sank again. Maybe it was just a muscle spasm. Maybe he imagined it. He only had two days left before he had to return to school. He didn't want to leave not like this.

Then—another twitch.

This time, undeniable.

A hand flexed. A leg shifted.

Then again. And Again.

Jack stood, breath caught in his throat.

Legoshi’s snout curled into a silent grimace. His chest heaved, and his hand gripped the bedsheet tightly.

Jack’s eyes lit up. A glimmer of hope sparked where despair had rooted. He turned as the door opened.

The nurse stepped inside, startled to find Jack practically glowing with anxious energy.

“Oh, hello. You must be visiting. Do you know him?”

“Yes—I’m his best friend!” Jack beamed, tail wagging lightly. “Look—he’s moving! Can you check on him? What does that mean?”

The nurse hurried to Legoshi’s side, glancing over the machines and then down at his twitching limbs.

“He’s dreaming. Possibly a nightmare. But this is good—it means his mind is active. He may be waking up soon.”

“R-Really?!” Jack’s voice cracked.

She nodded. “What’s your name?”

“Oh, my name is Jac—”

He was cut off by a sudden jolt.

Legoshi shot upright, eyes wild with panic. “JACK!”

The name exploded from him like a gunshot. His chest rose and fell rapidly as his gaze darted around the room, confused and frightened, until it locked onto the Labrador standing at his bedside.

“Jack…” he said again, more quietly.

“Legoshi…” Jack whispered, stunned.

Without hesitation, Legoshi reached out and pulled him into a tight, desperate hug. Jack grunted slightly from the force but didn’t resist. After eight days of stillness, he didn’t care how tight the hug was.

But Legoshi suddenly winced, gasping in pain, and released him while clutching his side.

“ow!”

“Careful!” the nurse warned, gently easing him back down. “You’ve been unconscious for over a week! According to testimony you were crushed under a falling support beam, you lost a lot of blood!"

“I—I feel it,” Legoshi muttered. “In my chest.”

“I’ll go get the doctor,” the nurse said calmly. “Stay still, alright?”

---

A few minutes later, a tall panther in a white coat entered. Dr. Yamada adjusted his glasses and stepped to Legoshi’s bedside with quiet authority.

“Welcome back,” he said, checking the clipboard. “Legoshi, right? Let’s take a look.”

He pulled on a pair of gloves and began a cautious exam.

“Breathe in for me.”

Legoshi inhaled—sharply. He winced, his ears flattening.

“Pain?”

Legoshi nodded. “Left side...”

“Hmm.” Dr. Yamada gently palpated the ribs, stopping when Legoshi tensed and sucked in a breath.

“Clean crack. Possibly two,” he muttered, pulling over a scanner. The lights dimmed slightly as a projected skeletal image of Legoshi’s ribcage appeared on the screen. “Let’s confirm…”

The doctor studied the image. “Hairline fractures, no internal damage. Lucky. But judging by the swelling, you’ve been in pain even while unconscious. Wolves usually heal fast especially you but that doesn’t mean you’re invincible.”

Legoshi looked away, the guilt sinking in again. “I didn’t want to fight…”

“dont worry we know what happened” Dr. Yamada made a note on his tablet. “Still no heavy activity for three weeks. No running, no sparring, and definitely no more hugging people like you’re made of steel.”

Jack gave a small, awkward laugh beside him.

“Understood,” Legoshi said softly.

The nurse returned with a wrapped compression binder.

“We’ll fit you with this to stabilize your chest. You’ll need to wear it most of the time. It may limit movement, but it’ll prevent further damage.”

“I can wrap it myself,” Legoshi offered, his voice still hoarse.

The nurse nodded, stepping aside. Legoshi moved slowly, wincing as he secured the band across his chest.

Jack watched silently, proud and worried all at once.

“You scared me, you know,” he said quietly. “It was just like back then…”

Legoshi paused mid-wrap and looked at him. Tears welled in his eyes “I know... I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to say that. Just… don’t do it again,” Jack said, his voice almost breaking.

Legoshi nodded. “I’ll try.”

---

The room was still. Quiet. The hum of machines had faded into the background. Jack sat in the corner, eyes on his best friend, who was now resting upright—awake, breathing, but clearly burdened by thoughts.

Legoshi broke the silence.

“…Did Grandpa visit?”

Jack looked up.

“No,” he said after a beat. “He didn’t.”

Legoshi’s ears drooped slightly. “Why not? I thought he’d be the first one here…”

Jack hesitated, then leaned forward, folding his paws together.

“He wanted to come. Every day. But he couldn’t. Not safely, though when I told him he paid for the bills.."

Legoshi looked confused

Jack explained gently. “You’re immune to his venom. He knows that. But the rest of us aren’t. He was afraid that if he saw you like that hooked up to machines, unconscious, not responding his emotions might overwhelm him.”

Legoshi’s brows lowered. “And if he got too emotional…”

“…His venom would spike. Saliva, skin, breath. If he lost control, it wouldn’t just be dangerous to the staff—it could poison half the floor.”

Legoshi looked down, processing it. “He was afraid of hurting people.”

Jack nodded. “Yeah. You know how he gets. All that power, and all that fear of it.”

“…Even now, he still carries that,” Legoshi murmured. “He’s still scared of being a monster."

Jack looked at him with quiet sympathy. “Sound familiar?”

Legoshi huffed softly, a tired smile playing on his lips. “I guess it runs in the family.”

There was a pause.

“Is he okay?” Legoshi asked suddenly. “I mean Has he been sleeping?”

Jack nodded. “He’s been worried sick. Refused to eat at first. Now he just sits near the phone every day, waiting for updates. But he wouldn’t let himself get in a car. Said he couldn’t take the risk.”

Legoshi closed his eyes.

“…Tell him I’m awake,” he said. “Tell him I’m okay.”

“I will.”

“…And Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you call him? Not video. Just… voice. I want to hear him.”

Jack smiled softly. “You got it.”

He took out his phone and began to dial. As it rang, Legoshi leaned back, eyes closed not from pain, but to steady the trembling in his chest.

The ringtone crackled softly through the hospital room, echoing like distant thunder in the stillness.

Jack held the phone gently, his thumb brushing against the side as he turned to Legoshi. “It’s ringing.”

Legoshi nodded, sitting up just enough, careful not to strain his chest. His ears flicked with nervous energy he hadn’t even realized he was carrying.

Then—

A click.

A breath.

And then the familiar, rough-edged voice of a Komodo dragon, coated with worry.

“Jack? Is he—? Did something happen?”

“No, no—he’s okay. He’s awake.” Jack smiled. “Grandpa Gosha… I’m putting him on now.”

There was a pause. A stunned silence.

“…He’s…? He’s awake?” Gosha’s voice cracked—just slightly.

Jack carefully handed the phone to Legoshi.

The wolf held it with his hand bringing it to his ear like something fragile.

“…Grandpa?” His voice was barely more than a breath.

There was silence.

Then

“Legoshi.”

The word hit like a tidal wave.

Gosha’s voice trembled, cracking with relief, disbelief, and emotion all tangled into one. “Oh, thank rex… I didn’t know if I’d ever hear you again…”

“I’m okay,” Legoshi said quietly. “I woke up a little while ago. Jack’s here. He says you haven’t been sleeping.”

“I couldn’t,” Gosha admitted, his voice raw. “I kept imagining you on that bed and I couldn’t be there. Not even to hold your hand. I was scared I’d hurt someone. That I’d panic and… you know how I get, Legoshi.”

“I know,” Legoshi said gently. “But you wouldn’t have hurt me.”

“That’s not what I’m afraid of.” Gosha’s voice lowered. “You I could’ve touched And Held... But if I poisoned a nurse, a doctor your friend Jack if I lost control again, after everything…”

Legoshi’s grip on the phone tightened slightly. “You didn’t lose control. You made a choice. A hard one.”

There was a silence on the line, full of unspoken emotion.

“…I wanted to be there,” Gosha finally whispered. “But I thought staying away was the safest thing I could do for everyone else.”

“I understand,” Legoshi said. “But next time, you don’t have to wait. I’ll be okay. I want you there.”

Another silence. Then another sound barely audible

“I’m so proud of you, Legoshi. You’re stronger than I ever was.”

 Gosha continued

"I was scared that you'd grow up to be afraid of others calling you a monster just like me but.."

Legoshi smiled, his throat tightening. “I learned from the best, Grandpa.”

On the other end of the line, Gosha made a choked sound that was half-laugh, half-sob. “You sound tired.”

“I am. But… I’m glad I woke up to hear your voice.”

“You’ll get stronger soon,” Gosha said gently. “And when you’re discharged, I’ll be there. I’ll even bring dumplings, like I used to.”

"Could you let me have a taste of your 'venom' too?" Legoshi teased, voice cracking slightly with emotion.

“marmalade? Of course.”

Legoshi laughed. A real, quiet, heartfelt laugh.

“I love you, Grandpa.”

“I love you too, Legoshi. More than I know how to say.”

The call ended softly, like a whisper between two souls that didn’t need volume to be heard.

Legoshi lowered the phone slowly, smiling through the tears in his eyes. Jack watched from the chair, his own eyes glistening.

“Feel better?” Jack asked.

“…Yeah,” Legoshi said. “A lot better.”

|Because of you jack..|

 he wanted to say but he couldn't 

The day continued with legoshi and jack chatting jack left once to get food and occasional laughter could be heard from Legoshi's room and at night they slept

-morning- 

The morning sun filtered through the hospital window, painting the white walls in soft gold. Jack stirred in the visitor chair, fur a bit ruffled from sleeping upright, tail curled around him like a blanket.

Legoshi was already awake, quietly sipping from a fresh cup of water. His chest binder was tight but comforting, a steady reminder of why he needed to take things slow.

Then jack woke up

Legoshi immediately asked "jack why didn't you go back to the school you didn't have to stay here that looks so uncomfortable..."

"I didn't want to leave you legoshi"

|Because I love you..|

Jack yawned, stretched, then blinked at him. “You’re up early you're usually not a morning person..”

“I didn’t really sleep,” Legoshi admitted. 

 "Oh.."

“Not too well”

Jack got up, stretching again, then walked over. “Nerves?”

Legoshi nodded. “A little. First day up and moving.”

“Then let’s start slow.”

Not long after, a nurse arrived and wheeled in a mobile walker designed for larger carnivores—thick frame, reinforced base. Legoshi looked at it and sighed.

“Really? A walker? How am I supposed to support myself? I only have one arm"

"Don't worry I'll help you just be careful not to put all of your weight on me"

"Wait I have to do this the whole time?"

“Just for today,” she said gently. “You’ve been unconscious for over a week. Even a wolf can lose muscle tone in that time. We’ll go one lap around the hall. Your friend can walk with you.”

Jack gave him a thumbs up. “I’ll race you.”

" Hey that's not fair jack..” Legoshi muttered, managing a smile as he slowly pushed himself out of bed.

Each step was shaky, his legs stiff and reluctant. Jack walked beside him, not too close just enough to catch him if he stumbled. It was humiliating, moving so slowly, but every time he glanced over at Jack, the Labrador just smiled like it was no big deal.

|Jack I...|

“Ten more steps,” the nurse said kindly.

“…Feels like ten miles,” Legoshi grunted.

“Think of it like a training arc,” Jack offered. “You know. The part before the cool comeback fight.”

Legoshi gave a short huff of a laugh. “im not gonna fight again you know that. Also if it were a training arc then where's the montage music?"

They reached the end of the hall, then turned slowly and made their way back. By the time he collapsed into bed again, Legoshi was sweating and winded, but a strange warmth settled in his chest.

Progress.

Jack handed him a towel, then sat back down.

“You did great” he said while trying to be positive 

|i..|

Legoshi nodded, still catching his breath. “Thanks for staying with me.”

Jack’s smile faded just a little. “I wish I could stay longer… but I have to head back to school tomorrow.”

Legoshi’s ears lowered. “Oh.”

“You’ll be okay,” Jack added quickly. “You’ve got the nurses. And Grandpa Gosha might visit soon, right?”

Legoshi nodded. “Yeah. But… it’s quiet when you’re not here.”

Jack stood and ruffled the fur between his ears. “You’ll be back at school before you know it. And I’ll save your favorite seat in the dorm lounge.”

Legoshi smiled faintly, but there was sadness in his eyes. “It won’t be the same.”

“No,” Jack said. “But it won’t be forever either.”

|Love you...|

|I love you legoshi...|

They both thought as they talked 

...

The days passed slowly, but each one brought improvement. From walker to cane, from shuffle to slow, steady strides. The swelling in Legoshi’s ribs had faded, and he was finally able to take deeper breaths without wincing.

On the ninth day of recovery, Dr. Yamada returned.

He reviewed the scans silently, tail flicking with quiet thought. Then he turned to Legoshi with a faint smile.

“Well,” he said. “You’re a stubborn one.”

Legoshi asked “i-is that a good thing?”

“In this case? Yes. Your ribs have healed ahead of schedule. Still not fully hardened, but the fractures are knitting well. You're cleared to return to school.”

Legoshi straightened. “really?”

“With restrictions,” Dr. Yamada warned. “No heavy lifting. No sparring. If someone even mentions lifting something heavy walk away, you're allowed to run but dont push yourself”

Legoshi nodded. “Understood.”

“hey legoshi I mean it. Don’t try to carry four stacks of books just to impress someone besides you only have one arm you should really get a prosthetic"

Legoshi replied "W-well I do have a prosthetic it was hard to find one for.. my size and it was too heavy.. I kept losing balance and it felt so uncomfortable so I don't want to wear it.."

"I see that makes sense but still!- For now don't do anything that could be dangerous I heard from your best friend's testimony you.. like to throw yourself into danger when protecting others"

Legoshi blinked. “Why would I—”

He then remembered how worried jack was about him 

“…Right. I won't do that anymore..”

Dr. Yamada handed him a discharge summary. “You’ll need to wear the binder another week. And I’ve written a letter for your school nurse.”

Just then, the knock on the door came.

“Come in,” the nurse called.

And gosha stepped in

Tall, cloaked in a dark coat, green scales gleaming softly in the afternoon light. He was wearing gloves, a mask, and had even covered his claws, taking every precaution. But his eyes warm, wet, and trembling 

Legoshi’s breath hitched.

“Grandpa…”

Gosha stepped in slowly, careful, as if afraid the floor might crack under his feet. He stared at Legoshi like he was a dream made real.

Gosha spoke “You really are awake…” His voice broke. “They told me. But seeing you…”

Legoshi didn’t wait. He stood, ignoring the ache in his side, and moved forward.

Gosha stepped back on instinct but Legoshi caught his sleeve.

“You don’t have to worry,” Legoshi said quietly. “You won't hurt me grandpa... And I know you’d never try.”

Gosha stared at him for a moment… then dropped to his knees and pulled him into a careful, trembling hug.

The two stayed like that for a long time, Komodo dragon and wolf, the weight of days and fears finally melting away.

The two settled down and were given some alone time The light in Legoshi’s hospital room was dimmed now, casting long shadows as the sun began to set. Gosha sat beside his grandson’s bed again, arms folded quietly, waiting patiently. Legoshi had been staring at the ceiling for a while, clearly debating with himself.

Then he finally broke the silence. “Grandpa… can I tell you about what happened?"

Gosha nodded, giving him space.

“It was during the play,” Legoshi began. “Bill and Ellen were onstage, acting out the scene. But Bill he wasn’t okay. I could see it in his eyes. He was sweating, trembling… like he was on edge.”

He looked down at his claws, flexing them slightly. “I think someone gave him a vial of blood so he would feel calmer during the play. He never said it, but I could smell it. And when I caught him with It I shattered it.. And I guess… when he saw me enter the stage, it just pushed him over.”

Gosha’s jaw tightened, but he remained silent.

“Bill snapped. I don’t know if it was frustration or anger or both, but the moment I walked on, he exploded. Charged at me with his fangs bared. Not part of the act. Just raw aggression.”

Legoshi shook his head. “I-i didn’t fight back! I-i promise grandpa! I had the prop sword nothing sharp and I only used that. I didn’t want to hurt him, I just kept parrying, dodging, trying to talk him down.”

He lifted his hospital gown slightly and glanced at the bandaged wounds across his stomach.

“But then he landed a hit. Clawed me across the stomach. Tore through the costume and.. everyone saw them. My scars.”

Gosha’s eyes narrowed. “The ones from…?”

Legoshi nodded. “Yeah. Every scar. And three new ones, Every mistake. All out there in front of the school.”

He sighed deeply.

“Sanu called out. Sheila froze. A photographer even snapped a photo while I was bleeding. And Bill… he wasn’t done. He lunged at the photographer. I barely had time to block him.”

“That’s when the prop sword broke?” Gosha asked gently.

“Yeah. Snapped in two. Bill lunged again. He wasn’t listening to anything. I had no choice.” Legoshi clenched his fists. “I warned him. I told him he could hurt me all he wanted and that he shouldn't be dragging anyone else into it but Then he lunged at me again and I kicked him.”

Gosha raised a brow. “A real kick?”

“Yeah. Sent him flying across the stage. I didn’t mean to hit that hard... but I guess the stage support was already weak. Something cracked when he landed. I didn’t notice at the time, though, because I thought it was over.”

He swallowed. “Then I heard Sanu. He walked out onto the stage. Right under the beam that had been damaged…”

Gosha’s pupils shrank slightly.

“I saw it starting to fall. I didn’t think I just ran. I pushed Sanu out of the way and took the hit myself.. last I could remember was that I tried to turn and punch it away but then it hit me I only managed to cushion the impact and the blood.."

He looked up at Gosha now. “That’s all I remember until waking up and seeing Jack again.”

The room was quiet. For a long moment, Gosha didn’t say anything.

Then, softly, he leaned forward and placed a careful, gloved claw over Legoshi’s hand.

“You were hurt badly,” Gosha said, voice heavy with feeling. “And yet you never gave in to anger. You only used your strength when it was to protect someone else. You didn’t even retaliate when someone attacked you in front of a crowd.”

Legoshi’s ears flattened a little, unsure what to say.

But then Gosha smiled.

“I’m proud of you, Legoshi. More than I’ve ever been. Not just for surviving but for choosing the harder path. For thinking of others first, even when you were the one bleeding. That’s great legoshi you don't have to worry now they won't be scared of you now. you know what that means right?”

Legoshi looked down, lips tight, but his eyes shimmered.

“…Thanks, Grandpa... I love you"

They sat in silence again but it was warmer now. Calmer.

-next morning-

The car pulled up in front of the familiar iron gate of Cherryton Academy. The campus was quiet it was still early, with most students either in class or scattered around.

Gosha stepped out first, carefully adjusting his gloves before walking to the passenger side. He opened the door gently. “Ready, Legoshi?”

Inside, Legoshi nodded, slowly swinging his legs out. He was dressed in a loose hoodie over a shirt and joggers—nothing too tight over his still-healing torso. As he tried to stand, a dull ache flared across his midsection, and he winced.

Gosha was already by his side, offering his arm. “You okay?”

Legoshi leaned into him a little. “Yeah… just sore. But I’m okay.”

“Do you want help getting to your dorm?”

Legoshi hesitated, then gave a sheepish smile. “Actually… yeah. If it’s not too much trouble.”

Gosha chuckled. “Of course not. Come on, let’s get you back home.”

They walked slowly through the campus, a few heads turning as the tall wolf walked beside the even taller Komodo dragon. Most students kept a safe distance—they knew Gosha’s reputation. His venom wasn’t a joke, especially when his emotions ran high. But Gosha kept himself calm and composed, focusing only on Legoshi.

As they entered the dorm building, Legoshi’s ears twitched—he heard movement upstairs.

They reached Room 701. Gosha turned to him.

“You want me to knock?”

Legoshi grinned a little. “Nah. I’ve got it.”

He gently pushed the door open.

Jack was inside, sitting on his bed The golden lab turned around at the sound of the door and froze.

“L-Legoshi?!”

The door had barely been open for more than a few minutes when a series of loud footsteps echoed down the hall.

“Yo Jack! Did you see—wait, LEGOSHI?!”

Miguno was the first one in, almost tripping over his own paws as he stopped in the doorway. His eyes went wide.

“You’re really here, man?!”

Legoshi blinked in surprise, then smiled. “Hey, Miguno…”

Before he could say more, Durham, Collot, and Voss came flooding in behind him.

“Dude, what the hell!” Durham shouted, his voice a mix of disbelief and joy. “You nearly gave us all heart attacks!”

“We thought you were gonna be out for months,” Collot added

Voss was quiet for once, just staring before saying, “You look like crap… but I’m glad you’re okay.”

Legoshi chuckled weakly. “That’s fair.”

Miguno moved to sit across from him, “No joke, it’s been weird without you here. Jack’s been gloomy Voss kept rearranging his bed for no reason, and I swear Durham almost cried once.”

“Liar,” Durham shot back, but he grinned.

Legoshi then asked "w-wait shouldn't you guys be in class right now?"

Jack glanced at Legoshi and whispered, “Told you they missed you.”

Legoshi sighed understanding what jack meant

Collot leaned against the bunk. “So… you gonna tell us why that happened on stage?”

Legoshi nodded slowly. “Yeah… but not today. It’s a long story, and I’d rather sit through a thousand boring lectures than relive it all at once.”

The room chuckled lightly.

“Fair,” Collot said. “You’re back. That’s enough for now.”

Miguno raised an imaginary glass. “To Legoshi, the toughest, dumbest wolf we know.”

They all lifted whatever they were holding chips, soda cans, even a shoe from Voss and cheered quietly.

Jack looked around the room with a soft smile. “701’s whole again.”

Legoshi leaned back in his bed, his body still aching, but his heart full. He felt it deep down this was just like home.

|Jack I missed you..|

The rest of the day came off as normal 701 just stayed there the whole day and at night they finally slept and legoshi- he was smiling 

-the next morning-

"Legoshi you're not gonna go to class today?" Jack asked

Legoshi groaned "nah.. I'm still tired and I really need to rest besides grandpa said that headmaster Gon gave me permission I have to go to his office tomorrow though.."

Jack smiled "oh okay.. don't worry I don't think headmaster Gon would scold you"

Legoshi looked shocked "eh?! H-how did you know I was worried about that!"

Jack chuckled "we've been friends for years now legoshi how would I not know"

Legoshi chuckled a little too and sighed "you're right.."

 jack was walking to class then suddenly one of the other carnivores who saw legoshi walking with gosha announced 

“THE GENTLE GIANT'S BACK!”

A few students turned.

“What?!”

“No way—is that real?!”

He nodded proudly. “He’s back in his dorm I saw him yesterday! Still recovering, but he’s awake. And walking!”

The hallway exploded with chatter. Phones were pulled out, messages sent. It spread like wildfire 

the tall gray wolf who nearly died on stage protecting students had come back.

In the cafeteria, the chatter had reached a boiling point.

“Did you hear? That huge gray wolf? The one from the performance?”

“Yeah, I heard he was in the hospital for over a week. He saved someone, right?”

“Two people! Someone said he stopped a tiger and saved that photographer from the PR department and that Sanu, too from the drama club!"

“He’s like… a hero, right?”

A girl at the corner table lowered her voice, eyes wide. “I heard someone call him the 'teenage miyagi' because he looks so much like him!"

One of her friends giggled. "Really? I should have watched the play!"

A group of herbivore girls huddled near a classroom door, whispering.

“I saw him yesterday! Walking through campus with a- get this- Komodo dragon!”

“No way.”

“I swear! He was tall, scaly, and kinda terrifying. But he had his arm around Legoshi like family.”

“Yeah. Gosh, that’s kinda sweet though. Like… scary sweet.”

Inside one of the second-year lecture rooms, the buzz was almost overwhelming. Everyone was whispering. Some were talking about the scars they saw during the play.

“I still remember it… when his shirt tore. He was covered in old scars.”

“And he didn’t even fight back until the very end.”

“He was trying to protect that tiger even though he attacked attacked him!”

That’s when their teacher, a Siberian tiger with sharp blue eyes, raised his voice over the noise.

“Alright! Calm down—focus!”

The murmurs dropped, but not completely. The tiger looked around and sighed.

“I get it. It’s a big deal. Legoshi’s return is something worth talking about. Just remember—being strong doesn’t mean showing off. It means protecting others when it counts.”

He paused, then gave a rare, sincere smile.

“And that wolf’s got strength. Be happy he’s back but don’t go turning it into a circus, understood?”

The students nodded.

-meanwhile-

Legoshi lay on his bed, holding a book Jack had brought him. He could hear the soft murmurs outside the dorm, even from here.

Jack peeked in, holding a bag of snacks.

“So… the school’s going nuts,” he said, sitting down. “They’re calling you a hero! someone even called you a ‘mysterious gray guardian.’”

Legoshi blinked. “Seriously?”

Jack smirked. “Yep. You’re officially Cherryton’s local legend.”

Legoshi sighed and frowned “I just wanted to help.. this is too much attention.."

Jack laughed. “Too bad. You’re the school’s favorite wolf now.”

...

Legoshi lay in his bed again, staring at the ceiling. The hum of the dorm filled the silence, but his mind had drifted back to the auditorium.

To Bill.

The last time he saw him, he’d kicked him hard enough to knock him out cold. And then… the support beam.

He frowned, then turned to Jack, who was organizing some of his books nearby.

“Hey Jack… what happened to Bill?”

Jack stiffened.

There was a pause.

Jack sighed. “…He was suspended. For a week.”

|only for a week because I..|

Legoshi blinked. “Just that?”

|was I wrong? Did he really not want to forgive bill? So then... I did something that legoshi wouldn't have wanted me to do..|

Jack thought and had to lie to legoshi 

“He didn’t hurt anyone else besides you,” Jack explained carefully. “And… well, they said he wasn’t in control. they're calling it an episode. Something about long-term aggression… psychological pressure... I dunno.”

"I mean it was a carnivore vs carnivore fight so..."

Legoshi stayed quiet.

Jack hesitated before adding, “A lot of people are treating him like trash now. Avoiding him in the halls. Whispers. Some students said he shouldn’t be allowed back. But…”

He looked at Legoshi.

“Bill wants to apologize. He really does.”

Legoshi’s ears drooped. His stomach sank.

“…This was my fault,” he muttered.

Jack’s eyes widened. “What? No! He attacked you!”

“But I’m the one who smashed the the blood vial remember what I told you last night?” Legoshi murmured. “If I hadn’t done that, maybe he wouldn’t have snapped during the performance. Maybe .. he’d still be in control...”

Jack opened his mouth, but said nothing.

The next few days, Legoshi remained quiet. Even when students praised him, when teachers smiled when he got back to class and was greeted happily by the other students, when his friends tried to cheer him up even when Gon had told him that people were nominating him as a beastar 

he couldn’t shake the weight in his chest.

Every time someone insulted Bill behind his back, Legoshi’s ears twitched.

Eventually… he couldn’t take it anymore.

Legoshi entered the rehearsal hall again for the first time.

He wasn’t there to act. Just to help clean, organize, do whatever didn’t require heavy movement.

Dom noticed him first. “Legoshi! You’re back!”

The room went quiet as the tall gray wolf limped in with a light broom in hand.

Moro and mina murmured excitedly.

“Did you see those scars? I heard he got them protecting herbivores years ago.”

They weren't entirely wrong but legoshi got those scars from one attack not multiple

As Legoshi swept the corner quietly, a group on the side muttered while looking toward the back.

Ellen spoke “Ugh. I can’t believe he showed up today.”

“You mean Bill? The psycho who clawed Legoshi?”

“He’s lucky the school didn’t kick him out.”

Legoshi’s ears twitched again. He turned toward them. “That’s enough.”

They fell silent. One of them blinked. “But… he attacked you.”

“I know,” Legoshi said. “But it’s not that simple.”

Just then, Louis stepped out from behind a curtain, his leg in a brace.

He approached with a guilty expression. “Legoshi…”

Legoshi turned.

“I didn’t even go check on you that night. I just stood there… after everything you did. I was ashamed of showing the audience my broken leg.. I left you there for reputation I'm sorry..”

Legoshi was surprised that Louis apologized he appreciated it but didn’t say much more.

That’s when the tension in the room shifted Bill had just walked in, holding a prop box, keeping his head low.

The herbivores’ eyes sharpened again.

Legoshi looked over. “Bill.”

Bill flinched. He clearly hadn’t expected Legoshi to speak.

“I need to talk to you,” Legoshi said gently.

Outside the two carnivores stood face-to-face.

“I don’t need pity,” Bill said immediately. “I get it. You look good if you ‘forgive’ me in front of everyone. Makes you more of a hero, right?”

| stop what the fuck am I doing |

Legoshi looked hurt. “No. That’s not why I’m doing this.”

| fuck.. why the hell are you looking at me like that legoshi? Why are you so.. |

Bill scowled. “Then what? You want me to bow and scrape for mercy?”

|shut up! I need to apologize right here right now  what the hell am I doing?! |

Legoshi stepped closer. “I want to say I’m sorry.”

That shut Bill up.

Legoshi continued, quieter this time. “I’m the one who shattered that blood vial. I thought I was doing the right thing… but maybe I made it worse. Maybe I pushed you..”

Bill stared at him, slack-jawed.

“You… you’re apologizing to me?”

Legoshi nodded. “You weren’t okay. You snapped. But I should’ve noticed earlier. I should’ve helped you before it got that far...”

| stop it legoshi why are you blaming yourself? |

Bill took a shaky breath. His voice cracked. “I… I really lost it, man. I didn’t want to… I didn’t mean to… I hurt you badly.."

Legoshi placed a hand gently on his shoulder. “You’re still responsible for what happened. But I don’t hate you, Bill.”

“…You should.”

“I don’t.”

The conversation was tough for legoshi he kept feeling anxious sometimes panicking when bill slowed down while answering but luckily it went well

For the first time in days, Bill looked him in the eye. No growl. No mask.

Just truth.

“…Thanks.”

Chapter Text

Bill sat there on the edge of the stage, arms crossed, tail flicking behind him in frustration. Legoshi stood nearby, watching him with a calm expression.

“You’re weird, you know that?” Bill muttered, not meeting his eyes. “You get torn up because of me, and then you try to help me to look good in front of the others.”

Legoshi offered a small, tired smile. “I’m not trying to make you look good. I’m just trying to be honest.”

Bill snorted. “Honest? You think saying it’s your fault is honest? I lost it up there, Legoshi. You could’ve died.”

"The support beam was my fault I hit you too hard.."

"But I still attacked you legoshi"

Legoshi sat down beside him slowly, careful not to strain his body. “Yeah. But if I hadn’t smashed that blood vial… if I hadn’t pushed you like that… maybe you would’ve held it together.”

There was a long pause. Bill’s eyes flicked over to Legoshi, uncertain.

“there you go again with that 'if I hadn't smashed that blood vial' talk…You’re really something, man.”

Legoshi looked over. “What do you mean?”

Bill grunted. “You apologize to the guy who went ballistic on you. Who practically tried to tear your throat out..”

Legoshi replied “I just see someone who was under pressure. And I get it now. I was too.” 

He lowered his head.

“We’re both carnivores trying to play by different rules in a world that doesn’t trust us.”

Bill blinked at him, then looked away quickly. His voice was quieter now.

“...I wanted to impress everyone. I wanted to be the lead, to show I was more than just some.. tiger.”

“You still can,” Legoshi said.

“Not if everyone’s scared of me.”

“Then we show them you're not the guy they think you are.”

Bill glanced over at him again. His usual cocky smirk threatened to break through but didn’t fully make it. “And you’re gonna help me with that?”

“Only if you’ll let me.”

Another pause. Then, finally, Bill gave a dry laugh and shook his head.

“You’re such a sap, Legoshi.”

“Maybe,” Legoshi replied, smiling slightly. “But I think we both need a sap around right now.”

Bill rolled his eyes but stood up, offering a paw.

“Fine. Just don’t go getting yourself hurt for my sake again, got it?”

Legoshi took the paw and stood slowly, steadying himself.

“No promises.” legoshi paused

"We should go back inside.. bill"

"Yeah.. let's go"

Legoshi and Bill entered together, talking in low voices and even laughing about something. Their easy camaraderie was like a stone tossed into a still pond.. 

 ripples of silence spread instantly through the room.

Kai threw down a prop he was holding. “Are you serious right now?” he snapped. “What the hell is this? Some kind of peace parade?”

Tao narrowed his eyes. “legoshi Did you two forget that Bill almost killed you in front of all of us?”

Els looked torn, ears twitching. “Legoshi… I know you’re kind, but isn’t this a little much?”

Sheila folded her arms. “This is disgusting. Bill goes feral, wrecks the whole performance, and now he’s best buds with the guy he hospitalized?”

Zoe muttered, “Maybe he’s just pretending. Wolves can be calculating…”

Mina whispered to Ellen, “I don’t feel safe with them back in here, together. It’s like we’re ignoring everything.”

"I don't think any of us feel safe" Ellen replied

Dolph shook his head. “If we let this slide, what’s next? We just smile and forget it all?”

Moro took a step back. “What if he loses it again? What if next time it’s one of us?”

A loud click of dress shoes echoed through the room. Louis stepped forward, eyes locked on Legoshi. 

“You’re too forgiving, Legoshi. That’s your problem. Bill attacked you, endangered the audience and you think walking in here with him fixes things?”

Legoshi lowered his gaze. “I’m not saying it fixes anything. I just think... we both made mistakes. I want to take responsibility too.”

Bill bristled beside him. “I didn’t ask him to do this, alright? He’s doing it because he wants to. I already know none of you trust me, so don’t act surprised.”

Kai scoffed. “You’re damn right we don’t trust you.”

Tao added, “Legoshi nearly died because you couldn’t control yourself!”

"But I'm the one who broke the support.." legoshi frowned 

Dom stepped forward slowly, expression unreadable. “Okay, I’ll admit... it’s hard to see this. It feels sudden. But if Legoshi’s standing by him, maybe we should at least listen before we throw stones.”

Sheila barked, “Easy for you to say! You weren’t under the beam when it collapsed!”

Louis growled under his breath. “This is about more than just forgiveness. This is about keeping order. Trust. Safety.”

Dom held up a wing. “I get it. I’m not saying let’s throw a welcome party. I’m saying... maybe we figure out why Legoshi would even try this. He’s not stupid.”

A long pause stretched across the room. Glares were exchanged. Bill looked like he was about to snap again. But Legoshi quietly stepped forward.

“I don’t expect you to accept it. Not right away. But I’m not going to hide either. If you need to blame someone... blame me too.”

There was no applause. No welcoming embrace. Just a thick, simmering silence as the rest of the club looked on, still wary.

But for now, Legoshi and Bill stood their ground side by side, in the drama club

Legoshi shifted uncomfortably after the tense exchange in the drama club. His ears drooped and his tail hung low. He turned to Sanu, his voice quiet but resolute.

"I... I think we’ll go somewhere else for now. I can't do much right now anyway, and… it’s obvious people are still uncomfortable with Bill."

Sanu frowned. "You’re not wrong. Just don’t avoid the club forever, Legoshi... You’ve both got stuff to work out. But sure.. go cool off."

Legoshi gave a grateful nod and motioned for Bill to follow. Bill, still a bit awkward, followed behind.

After a moment of silence, Bill asked, "So where are we even going? Back to the dorms?"

Legoshi shook his head with a faint smile. "Nah. Somewhere soothing. You'll see."

They walked together up the stairs walking through every floor until they reached the rooftop- the gardening club. The smell of fresh soil and blooming flowers wafted through the air.

Bill blinked. "This place?"

Legoshi nodded. "Yeah. It’s calming. I come here sometimes to think."

Inside, Haru was tending to a row of flowers a tiny watering can in hand She looked up, ears twitching as she saw them enter. Her eyes landed on Bill, and her expression immediately tightened.

"Legoshi," she said cautiously. "What’s he doing here?"

Legoshi approached slowly. "Haru, this is Bill. Bill, meet Haru. She’s the head of the gardening club."

Bill raised a paw awkwardly. "Uh. Hey."

Haru’s eyes narrowed. "I know who he is. The whole school does. Are you really sure about this?"

"I am," Legoshi replied firmly. "He’s... not what people think. We’re working things out. He wants to change."

Bill added, "I know I messed up. I’m not asking for people to forget that. Just... maybe don’t treat me like I’m gonna snap again."

Haru studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "Fine. But if you scare my plants, we’re going to have a problem."

Bill chuckled nervously. "Noted."

They walked among the rows of greenery. Haru showed them the new seedlings she'd planted The tension slowly eased.

"So," Haru said, pausing by a pot of daffodils. "You two are like... drama club brothers now or something?"

"Not brothers," Legoshi replied with a smile. "But we’ve been through a lot."

"Yeah," Bill muttered. "Too much."

Haru looked at them both and smirked. "Well, if this is your idea of healing, watering plants and being awkward, you’re doing great."

They all laughed awkwardly, but genuinely. And for the first time in a while, things felt... normal.

It was quiet, the air warm and earthy. And for now, that was enough.

As the sun dipped lower casting warm amber light over the soil and leaves, Haru wiped her hands and glanced at the clock.

“You two can’t stay forever,” she said, stepping toward them. “I’ve still got work to do here”

Legoshi stood and gave a soft nod. “Right. Thanks for letting us stay, Haru.”

Bill stretched his arms out and yawned. “Yeah. Thanks, bunny girl. Your garden’s more relaxing than I thought.”

Haru raised an eyebrow at the nickname but didn’t argue. “Just don’t trample anything next time.”

As they stepped outside, the calmness of the greenhouse faded behind them. The cool air of the hallway was a little harsher less forgiving.

They walked side by side, silent for a while until Bill spoke up. “Hey… uh, can I come with you to your dorm?”

Legoshi turned his head slightly. “e-eh? A-are you sure?”

Bill gave a short laugh. “The guys in your dorm are probably gonna glare at me like I murdered someone... Well I almost did..”

Legoshi’s ears lowered. “They probably will…”

Bill shrugged. “well... My own dorm isn’t exactly thrilled about me either. Some of them basically  hate me You’re the only guy who’s treated me normal lately.”

Legoshi hesitated, his claws flexing slightly. “It might be awkward. They’re protective. And they still remember what happened.”

“I know,” Bill said, glancing at the floor. “But I’d rather be around you than sit in my room pretending I don’t hear whispers outside the door.”

Legoshi slowed his pace. After a moment, he nodded. “Okay. But… let me do the talking.”

They reached 701, and the moment the door creaked open, the atmosphere tensed.

Collot, Voss, Durham, and Miguno were seated in their usual places. Conversations halted. All eyes turned toward the door.

And all eyes locked on Bill.

Collot’s tail twitched. Durham stood slightly. Miguno narrowed his eyes.

“What’s he doing here?” Voss asked, tone cold.

Bill stopped just inside the doorway, his shoulders visibly tightening.

Legoshi stepped in front of him. “He’s with me,” he said simply.

None of them said anything right away. The silence was heavy. Judgmental. Like the tension could snap at any second.

Legoshi glanced back at Bill, who looked unusually small despite his size. This was going to be a long night.

The silence dragged.

Bill stood in the doorway, stiff as a board, eyes darting between the roommates.

Collot finally stood, arms crossed. “You’ve got some nerve showing up here”

“Collot…” Legoshi started, but he was cut off.

“No! We were worried sick about Legoshi for days. And now he brings you back like nothing happened?” Collot jabbed a finger toward Bill, his voice laced with anger.

Miguno stood too, scowling. “Do you even get what you did? You broke down and almost tore him apart in front of everyone!”

Bill flinched but didn’t speak. He was clearly restraining himself, fangs gritted behind a clenched jaw.

Voss sat on the bed’s edge, ears lowered. “We’re not trying to gang up on you, but… what are you thinking right now, legoshi You scared a lot of people.. and now you're back with the guy that tried to kill you and many others”

Durham stayed quiet, arms folded as he leaned against the wall, eyes flicking between Legoshi and Bill.

That’s when Jack stepped forward. He hadn’t spoken yet. He looked between Legoshi, then Bill, then back to Legoshi again.

“…Legoshi,” Jack said softly, ears drooping. “Why are you doing this? I know you like to forgive people but he nearly killed you... just.. just like before..”

Tears welled up in Jack's eyes 

Legoshi met Jack’s eyes his heart broke but he tried to remain as calm as possible 

“He didn’t want to. I was the one who provoked him. I smashed the blood vial. I was reckless. If anyone’s to blame it’s both of us...”

"Stop saying that legoshi! He...he still tried to kill you.."

Bill looked down. His mouth opened, then closed.

Jack looked over at Bill again, his voice cracking just a bit. “Do you even care that he could have never woken up?!”

Bill raised his head slowly. “Yeah. I care. I cared every second he was out I was guilty you know that.. I stayed out of sight because I knew everyone hated me. But I’ve had a lot of time to think. And… yeah I’m... sorry.”

Silence again.

Bill’s tail flicked once. “I don’t expect any of you to like me. But Legoshi doesn’t deserve to be hated for trying to fix something I broke.”

The room was quiet again only the sound of quiet breathing and shifting paws.

Jack looked at Legoshi. “You trust him that much?”

Legoshi nodded once. “I do.”

Jack looked back at Bill, unsure. His voice was barely above a whisper. “…I’ll try.”

Voss sighed. “Doesn’t mean we’re cool.”

Collot grunted. “He better not lay a paw on anything.”

Miguno growled under his breath but sat back down.

Finally, Durham uncrossed his arms. “This doesn’t make us friends. But if Legoshi says he’s okay... I’ll let it go. For now.”

Bill exhaled slowly. “That’s... fair.”

Jack stepped forward and looked Bill in the eye. “You better not try and kill legoshi again"

“I won’t,” Bill said. “I swear.”

...

The silence didn’t last forever.

After a while, Collot gave a long sigh and slapped a deck of cards on the floor “Sitting here awkwardly’s not gonna fix anything. Let’s just… play.”

Durham shrugged. “Yeah. Beats growling at each other all night.”

Voss perked up slightly. “Finally, something normal again.”

The boys slowly gathered around the table. Legoshi took a spot near the edge. Bill hovered awkwardly until Collot grunted and motioned toward the spot next to him.

Miguno dealt the cards. “Alright. No biting, no cheating.”

They chuckled. Even Bill gave a small, relieved laugh.

The game started quietly, the first few hands filled with hesitant energy. But slowly, it warmed up. Jokes returned. Groans at bad hands. Laughter at bad plays.

At one point, Voss threw down his cards and groaned. “Ugh, again?! I swear the cards hate me!”

Bill chuckled. “Maybe they just know you're too small you have no brains.”

There was a pause… then Durham snorted. Voss burst out laughing.

Durham grinned “Okay, okay, that was actually a good one.”

Then Miguno looked up at Bill more seriously. “Y’know… maybe Legoshi’s right. Maybe you just snapped under pressure.. I mean, everyone hits a wall sometime, right?”

Bill blinked, not expecting that. “Yeah… it was a lot. And I handled it badly. Real badly... And I.. revealed one of his secrets"

The rest frowned but tried to keep the happy mood they had

Jack, sitting across from them, gave a small nod. “Still doesn’t make it okay… but I can tell you’re trying.”

He looked over at Legoshi, then back at Bill. “I just don’t want him to get hurt again.”

Legoshi offered Jack a small, understanding smile. “I know I won't risk my life anymore jack.. at least I'll try.."

"You have to promise me!"

"I can't.. I'm sorry jack"

"Legoshi please.. I don't want you to get hurt anymore what if.. what if.. you.."

"Jack.. I can't promise not risking my life.. but I promise I'll never die.. for you"

Jack's heart started beating faster  

|For... Me..?|

Bill jokingly said "hey you two lovebirds can we uh.. talk?"

...

The three of them fell into a quieter conversation on legoshi's bed it was relatively big because well.. it was Legoshi's 

The others continued playing cards, their laughter and voices filling the room again still cautious, but lighter.

Jack lowered his voice slightly. “So... what now?”

Bill glanced toward the others “I don’t know. One step at a time, I guess.”

Legoshi nodded. “That’s how healing works. It’s never all at once.”

Jack smiled faintly. “You two really are weird.”

Bill smirked. “Takes one to know one, jack”

Jack rolled his eyes, but his ears twitched he was trying not to smile.

And for the first time in a long while bill.. he had friends 

Chapter Text

As the night wore on and another round of cards ended, Bill leaned back with a stretch and a tired sigh.

“Ugh… I should probably head out. The dorm mother’s gonna throw a fit if I’m not back before lights-out.”

He stood slowly, then glanced around the room. The others looked up from their cards.

Collot gave a lazy grin. “Don’t let her bite your head off”

Durham chuckled. “See you, man.”

Voss while on collot's shoulder lifted a paw in a casual wave. “Later, Bill.”

Miguno gave him a short nod. “Yeah, night.”

Even Jack looked up from his cards, eyes soft. “Get some rest.”

Bill blinked for a second, surprised by the lack of malice in their voices. “Uh… yeah. Thanks.”

He glanced at Legoshi. The wolf was already watching him.

“Let me know how it goes tomorrow,” Legoshi said gently.

Bill gave him a nod. “You too.”

He slipped out the door.

The hallway was quiet. Moonlight poured in from the high windows, painting the floor in silver streaks. As Bill padded down the corridor, his tail swayed slowly behind him.

They were… nice

Too nice.

|They’re just like him| 

he thought picturing Legoshi’s calm, understanding face.

 |Even after everything… they still let me in the dorm and even we played..| 

he chuckled

 |I wish this is how things went around here in cherryton just all fun and games.. no hate|

Bill frowned, his steps growing slower as he approached his own dorm.

He stopped in front of the door, staring at it like it might grow teeth. With a sigh, he pushed it open.

Inside, his dorm mates glanced up and immediately looked away again

Bill ignored it. He didn’t say a word. He just trudged to his bed, pulled the blanket over himself, and lay there in silence.

The coldness in the room seeped in deeper than any breeze. It wasn’t just chilly it was isolating.

But even then…

Bill stared up at the ceiling.

|I’ve got Legoshi now|

he thought

| I can talk to him tomorrow. It’ll be fine.. he's probably experienced this too hasn't he. being feared by both carnivores and herbivores? Heh.. I guess maybe he doesn't want me to experience it too..|

And for the first time in a while, sleep came to him without sadness he was happy 

The next day arrived.

Jack nudged Legoshi awake, poking him in the side. "Legoface, get up already!"

Legoshi groaned, rubbing his eyes as the rest of the 701 boys got dressed. They all left the dorm together, walking in a line toward their classroom. Legoshi trailed near the back, quiet.

As soon as he stepped into class, he heard whispers.

Praise. Admiration. It filled the air.

Legoshi stared down at his desk, barely reacting. It felt fake. He felt nothing. This wasn’t how he wanted things to be.

Because all these people praising him? They hated Bill.

They feared him. Distrusted him. Saw him as unstable.

And Legoshi knew it.

He sat through first, second, and third period, distracted and quiet. His mind kept drifting to Bill. 

Was he okay? Was he sitting alone in his class? Did anyone talk to him?

These questions ran through his mind

At lunch, Legoshi picked at his food. Jack noticed but didn’t press.

Fourth, fifth, sixth period—he barely absorbed anything. As soon as the final bell rang, he walked straight to the drama club.

The room was mostly empty when he arrived. He sat quietly in the corner, waiting.

Minutes passed. He checked the door.

Nothing.

More time passed.

And then, finally, Bill walked in.

Legoshi stood up, silently walking beside him. As expected, murmurs followed immediately:

"Why is he here?" 

"Bill should be ashamed of himself."

 "How dare he show his face like nothing happened." 

"He’s smiling? Seriously? Does he not feel guilty at all?"

"He shouldn't even be on the actor’s team."

"He shouldn't even be at Cherryton."

"Freak"

The voices grew louder, sharper. Bill’s head lowered, but he tried to keep walking.

Legoshi’s breathing became shallow. The sounds around him began to blur into the sound of mocking laughter from his childhood bullies taunting him, classmates whispering lies about him, adults staring at him with suspicion other kids running away from him. it was everything he'd hated hearing 

He clenched his fists.

Then he snapped.

"ENOUGH!" Legoshi shouted, his voice echoing through the drama club. Everyone froze.

"I know what you’re all thinking! You think Bill’s a monster. That he should be gone. That he doesn’t belong here. Just like you all used to think about me!"

There was stunned silence.

Someone finally muttered, "But he could be dangerous—"

Another added, "He’s not stable. You saw what he did. H-he went berserk!"

"How can you defend that? You almost died!"

"What if next time it’s someone else who doesn’t get lucky like you did?"

"You're putting all of us at risk!"

"He needs to be expelled, not coddled!"

Legoshi took a step forward, breathing hard, teeth grit. His hands trembled.

"Just stop it already! You think this is easy for me?! You think I want to fight with everyone again?! All I’ve ever wanted was peace! For us to actually understand each other instead of ripping each other apart over species, instincts, fear, you all were afraid of me too! Remember the first time I came? you all looked at me like I was some kind of monster! and now you're doing it to bi-"

Bill stepped beside him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Legoshi..." Bill said quietly.

Legoshi flinched.

"It's okay, man. You don’t need to do this for me... You’ve already done enough."

Legoshi turned to him, eyes still wide with emotion.

"I want to do this... Because someone needs to! And you shouldn’t have to do it alone... At least not like I did"

The room was tense. Everyone stared at them some confused, others angry, a few clearly shaken.

But no one spoke.

Not yet.

And the silence was louder than any shout that had come before.

The stunned silence in the drama club lingered long after Legoshi’s outburst. None of them had ever heard him raise his voice before certainly not like that. The gentle gray wolf they all knew had cracked.

Whispers stirred.

"Did... Did Legoshi just yell?"

"I've never seen him like that. Not even when tem.."

"He really lost it."

Dom took a step forward, raising his long neck to look at everyone. "Guys... Maybe we should try bearing with him. He’s probably carrying more than we realize. And let’s be honest, none of us know what he went through."

Mina frowned, crossing her arms. "Still, he’s defending Bill. Bill of all people."

"I don’t trust that tiger," murmured Dolph.

"Yeah, but Legoshi does," Dom said, softer now. "And maybe that means something. At least enough for us to wait and see."

Legoshi stood off to the side now, his arm pressed tightly over his chest, breathing shallow. His eyes kept flickering toward Louis, who hadn’t said a word since then. Louis’s expression was unreadable tight, controlled.

Legoshi felt a weight in his chest again. He couldn’t face him. Not now.

Like the day before, he quietly walked over to Sanu. "Can me and bill uh... leave early again...?"

Sanu didn’t even hesitate. "Yeah, go ahead. Get some air."

Bill followed without a word.

They went to the gardening club 

The warm, earthy scent of soil greeted them as they stepped in. Haru looked up from a set of planters where she was tending to a line of bright orange calendulas.

"You two again?" she said, her tone a little lighter this time. But her eyes still scanned Bill cautiously.

Legoshi offered her a tired smile. "Rough day."

Haru leaned against the edge of a pot. "You two always have a rough day"

Bill rubbed the back of his neck. "I’m not here to make trouble. Just needed somewhere that didn’t smell like judgment."

Haru sighed, then smiled just faintly. "Well, plants don’t judge. Not unless you forget to water them."

They sat on the edge of the garden bed, watching bees buzz between flowers Haru chatted with them for a while—mostly small talk. Classes. Club work. She didn't ask about drama club, and Legoshi was grateful for it.

Eventually, the sun started dipping low.

"You know you two can’t hide out here forever," Haru said gently. "People are still going to talk."

"Yeah," Legoshi said, standing. "But for now, this is enough."

They said goodbye, Haru giving Bill a curt nod and Legoshi a small wave.

Back at Room 701, the familiar sounds of laughter and card shuffling greeted them. The mood was noticeably lighter than before.

"Back already?" Jack asked, though his tone was more relieved than sarcastic.

"Yeah," Legoshi said quietly, stepping inside with Bill behind him. "We just needed to cool off."

No one protested. No glares. Just silent understanding.

Things weren't fixed. Not yet. But they were healing.

Together...

The game circled around once more, and Voss threw down his cards with a groan. “Okay, I swear these cards are cursed. Who shuffled this mess?”

“Not me,” Durham said, hands raised. “Blame Jack. He cuts the deck like he’s performing surgery.”

Jack chuckled as he sipped his drink “Precision matters.”

Bill let out a surprised laugh. “You guys are way more chaotic than I remember.”

Miguno leaned in with a grin. “That’s ‘cause you were always too busy looking down and at legoshi to notice.”

“True,” Collot added, stretching his arms behind his head. “Now you’re finally talking like a dorm mate. And not a depressed carnivore like legoshi when he first came in”

"I-i what?!" Legoshi questioned

The others chuckled 

Bill scratched the back of his neck, a faint smile forming. “Guess I missed this more than I thought.”

Legoshi leaned against the wall, knees pulled up. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

Bill nodded. “I mean… it’s weird. I never thought I’d be sitting here, laughing with you guys. the friends of the guy I almost killed of all people”

“We didn’t either,” Durham admitted. “But people change. Even tigers, apparently.”

"for now you can be part of 701, even if you act a little violent sometimes,” Voss said, tossing a tiny cushion at him.

Bill caught it with a grin. “Gee, thanks. Warms my heart.”

“You’re welcome,” Voss said smugly.

The room quieted a little as the mood softened. Jack looked between the others, then at Bill. “Just… if anything ever feels off again, talk to us, alright?”

Miguno nodded. “Yeah. We might not be good with emotional stuff, but we can at least sit with you. Or yell with you. Whatever works.”

“I appreciate that,” Bill said, voice a little rougher. “Seriously.”

“Now shut up and play,” Collot said, already dealing the next hand.

As the cards were passed out, Bill nudged Legoshi with his elbow. “You’re kind of amazing, you know that?”

Legoshi blinked. “Huh?”

Bill smirked. “Getting all these guys to basically forgive me without breaking a sweat.”

Legoshi gave a quiet laugh. “It wasn’t easy. But… I think they always had a good heart.”

“Just needed the right wolf to open it up, huh?” Bill said.

Legoshi didn’t reply, but the faintest smile played at the corner of his lips.

"Well.. Jack's amazing he would have probably persuaded them too all on his own even if I wasn't here.."

"You're so in love with that Labrador legoshi it's way too obvious!" Bill whispered this time much to Legoshi's relief

"I-is it really that obvious...?" Legoshi said as his ears dropped

"Of course it is every time jack compliments you, you blush!"

"I-i.. d-dont tell him! Please! H-he might hate me.."

"Don't worry I won't but tell me when you do 'it' already"

"H-huh.. wait WHAT?! B-bill!"

"Just saying" bill said as he shrugged with a smirk making legoshi blush

After a few games Bill stood near the doorway, rubbing the back of his neck. “I should probably head back,” he muttered. “If the dorm mother finds out I’m not in my room again, she’ll have my tail mounted.”

Durham raised an eyebrow but grinned. “You act like she doesn’t already hate you.”

The room chuckled.

“Hey,” Bill said, shifting his weight. “Seriously... thanks for letting me hang around. I know... I’m not the easiest guy to trust right now.”

Voss, perched on his bed with his ears flicking thoughtfully, offered a small nod. “You’re not... ehh but legoshi trusts you so.."

Miguno gave a casual wave. “Yeah yeah, go before we get yelled at too. But you better come back.”

Legoshi walked Bill to the door and gave a small smile. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Bill replied, stepping into the hallway. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

---

-Saturday 8:30 am-

The dorm lights flicked on gently as morning sun leaked through the curtains. The sounds of shuffling blankets and yawns filled the air.

“Legoface,” Jack muttered, tugging off his sleep mask. “It’s already 8:30. Don’t tell me you're still dreaming about flowers.”

Legoshi blinked awake. “Huh... I was dreaming about egg sandwiches”

Miguno stretched, tail flicking lazily. “Day off, boys. No classes. Just good vibes and weird dreams.”

There was a knock at the dorm door. Durham peeked through the peephole and grinned. “Look who’s here.”

Bill stepped inside, hands in his pockets, wearing a sheepish grin. “Hope I’m not crashing anything.”

“You better not be empty-pawed,” Miguno joked.

“Brought some soy jerky and iced barley tea,” Bill announced.

Jack laughed. “hey free food!"

They circled up in the middle of the room, sipping and snacking. The conversation drifted between club rumors, class gossip, and half-baked conspiracy theories about herbivore teachers.

After a while, Legoshi looked at Bill. “You know... last time, only Jack and I went into the city. Maybe we should all go today.”

“Whoa, field trip?” Durham asked, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah,” Voss said, We could use some air.”

Jack looked around. “We’ll probably have to check out by noon if we want to be back before curfew.”

Bill’s ears perked. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

Legoshi nodded. “Together this time"

The sun was warm on their backs as the six of them strolled down the path from campus, a weekend buzz in the air. The road curved toward the train station, and Bill glanced over at Legoshi.

“Hey… I just realized,” Bill muttered, scratching his chin. “I didn’t bring any money. I’ll sit out the good stuff.”

Legoshi shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay take whatever you want."

“Huh?” Bill blinked at him.

“I mean it. A while back… I saved a herbivore. It was my sixth birthday.. But they were super grateful and compensated me though that's the time when I lost my arm and got these scars.."

Jack frowned a little 

Legoshi said calmly. “It ended up being way more than I expected. Enough to live comfortably, honestly.”

Bill gawked. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope,” jack continued "oh-and also he's miyagi's son that's why he looks so much like him"

Bill nearly tripped over his own feet. “WHAT?! Miyagi?! As in— the movie star?!"

The group erupted in laughter.

“Yup,” said Collot, patting Bill’s shoulder. “I had the same face when I found out. Thought he was joking at first.”

Bill looked at Legoshi like he had grown wings. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?!”

Legoshi rubbed the back of his head. “Didn’t think it was that important... He left me before I was even a pup"

“Not important?! Dude, that’s like finding out your friend is secretly royalty! Even if he left or not you still have his blood!"

“Guess that makes Jack the butler,” Durham snorted.

“Or the watchdog,” Voss added slyly.

Jack sighed dramatically. “I prefer loyal companion.”

The group continued walking, the mood light and full of energy. Even Bill, who once felt the weight of the whole school’s hate, was laughing freely now.

The morning air was crisp, and the sun had just peeked over the skyline as the boys of Dorm 701 stepped off the train platform. Bill stretched his arms over his head with a loud yawn.

Bill: “Man… the city smells different. I missed this.”

Voss, looked around in awe, ears twitching at every sound. He tugged lightly on Legoshi’s hoodie.

Voss: “Hey, hey. Legoshi… Can I ride on your shoulders? You know, to get a better view? It’s like walking in a forest of legs down here.”

Legoshi blinked, flustered. “O-oh, uh… s-sure,” he muttered, crouching slightly.

Voss scrambled up expertly and perched on Legoshi’s shoulders, grinning wide.

Miguno: “Hah! The mighty steed awakens.”

Durham: “Hope you brought reins, Voss.”

Collot: “Don’t encourage him or he’ll demand snacks mid-ride.”

Jack, smiling, adjusted his bag. “okay okay that's enough we're going to Fossilroot”

 Fossilroot Plaza — A glass-domed mall, shaped like a curled leaf

Voss: “Whoa… that waterfall is real?!”

Durham: “I heard they purify the water through soil columns under the floor. Classic eco-architecture.”

Jack: “Let’s check out Grobnar & Grove"

Store #1: Grobnar & Grove 

Inside, everything from satchels to bracelets were woven from wild-grown fibers. Legoshi picked up a moss-green scarf.

Legoshi: “Bill… uh.. this color suits you. It’s earthy.”

Bill: “You sure? I mean… I’m not exactly a ‘moss’ guy.”

Legoshi: “You’re grounded enough.”

Collot: “Did he just call you humble? Mark the date.”

Bill laughed, clearly touched, and accepted the scarf.

Store #2: Chirrspin Audio 

Miguno was geeking out over retro-records. “Check this out—Howlin’ Hertz! Classic carnivore rock. Completely instrumental, no offensive lyrics!”

Durham: “Do they have Blueberries in Reverb? That one’s herbivore fusion jazz.”

Voss: “I'm buying tiny earbuds and no one can stop me.”

Restaurant Stop: The Whistle Fern

Jack: “What are you getting, Legoshi?”

Legoshi: “Grilled reed hearts. Smells calming.”

Bill: “You sure this place is okay for… y’know, me?”

Collot: “You’re not gonna combust from eating flowers, Bill.”

Legoshi: “I’ll cover it.”

Bill: “You keep saying that. You rich or something?”

Jack: “Didn’t we tell you? Legoshi saved a herbivore and was compensated"

Bill: chokes on his water “oh-uh yeah forgot about that"

Miguno: “how did you already forget abou- you know what never mind..”

Durham: “ he was probably distracted”

Voss: “He’s quiet, but his wallet speaks volumes.”

Jack: "when you put it like that it sounds like we're using legoshi"

Legoshi: "it's fine you're my friends so.."

Store #3: Tailwind Treads 

While everyone tried on various sandals and toe-hugging slippers:

Bill: “Okay, but Legoshi—you really don’t have to buy me stuff.”

Legoshi: “I want to. You’re… my friend.”

Bill: “...Damn. That feels good to hear.”

Collot: “Awww.”

Durham: “Don’t cry or the sandals’ll get soggy.”

Store #4: Muzzle & Moss 

Jack: “They say the Nightshade Lavender spray helps with anxiety.”

Legoshi: “Mmm… I think I need that..”

Bill: “You smell like a grassy dream. I mean that in a cool way.”

Voss: “You know, you two are weird in sync today.”

Collot: “I like it. Feels… peaceful.”

....

Rest Stop: Rooftop Lounge

They all sat under the sun on the mall's top floor where vines grew from the benches and the floor was soft moss tiles.

Voss hopped off Legoshi’s shoulders and sprawled out.

Voss: “Whew. So many legs. I liked the view better up top.”

Jack: “You want to get lunch before the crowd hits again?”

Miguno: “Let’s check out that bakery place—Thistlecrumbs!”

Collot: “I heard they have dandelion wraps and chestnut dumplings.”

Restaurant #2: Thistlecrumbs

The group enjoyed their carefully-prepared root wraps, oat bars, and fruit dumplings. Bill tried a ginger-honey drink.

Bill: “Okay. This… is actually amazing.”

Legoshi: “You just needed good company.”

-7 hours later-

As the sky dimmed into hues of violet and pale indigo, Jack glanced down at his pocket watch.

Jack: “Guys… it’s getting kinda late.”

Durham: “Whoa. When did the sun start setting?”

Collot: “Probably around the time Voss spent twenty minutes trying to pick between leaf-print socks.”

Voss: “They were reversible! Don’t judge me!”

Miguno: “Alright alright, we better head back before the last train”

They all started walking, navigating the wide paths of Fossilroot and crossing a few side streets.

Jack: “Uh… are you sure this is the way to the station?”

Voss, holding up his old phone with a cracked screen, squinted. “Zoozle Maps says turn left on wait, no… ‘Rootleberry Crescent?’ That’s not even on this map anymore.”

Miguno: “I told you, that app hasn’t been updated since 5 years ago”

Legoshi: “Let me try calling someone—”

Collot: “No signal here. That’s a bad sign.”

They ended up turning corner after corner, the lights of the city fading behind them. After several wrong turns, they found themselves in a narrow, dim alleyway, garbage bins lining the walls, the scent of mildew and rust thick in the air.

"Lost are we?"

They all turned to see a frail-looking herbivore slumped on the ground in layers of mismatched coats. One eye was clouded over, and he extended a trembling hand toward them.

“Pick a finger. Seventy-thousand yen each. Your choice.”

Legoshi: “...What?”

“These fingers. Mine. I'm selling 'em. Good meat. Carnivore-quality. You boys are hungry, aren’t you?”

The alley fell silent.

Legoshi stepped back in horror, breath catching.

Legoshi: “You’re… selling your own fingers?”

The herbivore grinned, eyes glinting.

“Business is business.”

And then…

Bill took a step forward, slowly, his voice low.

Bill: “...Legoshi. What if… we just took one? Just one. You said we were hungry…”

Legoshi’s heart plummeted. He turned to Bill slowly, his face twisting not just in a frown, but in deep, shaking disbelief.

Legoshi: “...Bill?”

His voice cracked. “Are you… are you serious right now?”

Bill, teeth slightly bared, was salivating without realizing it.

Bill: “I mean, it’s… it’s not that bad, right? He’s offering. He’s offering.”

Jack: “Bill, no! That’s—this is sick!”

Durham: “Snap out of it, man!”

Voss: “You’re better than this! Don’t do it!”

Collot: “This isn’t who you are!”

Bill's breathing grew shallow as he stared at the old man's hand. His instincts clawed at his throat, the scent of fresh meat real meat was overpowering.

But then… his eyes flicked back to Legoshi.

Legoshi stood there like a stone, mouth slightly open, trembling. His ears were drooped and his tail low. He looked… hurt. Betrayed.

Bill’s thoughts raced.

|If I do this… what would Legoshi think of me?|

|Would 701 still welcome me? Would they still smile at me? What would I do if..|

His jaw clenched. The saliva in his mouth now felt like poison.

And then, without a word, Legoshi turned

and ran.

Bill: “Wait! Legoshi—!”

But Legoshi couldn’t hear. He was sprinting through the alley, heart pounding, vision blurring. The stench of flesh and rot swirled around his head like poison.

Legoshi’s thoughts screamed

|Bill… why? i trusted you… i trusted you…|

He stumbled to a stop near a dumpster outside the alley, dropped to his knees, and vomited. The acid in his throat burned, the taste unbearable.

And then… his world tilted.

The overwhelming scent of raw flesh still clung to his nostrils, and his body gave in.

He collapsed against the wall.

The last thing he saw was the silhouette of a bear no.. a panda? Legoshi wasn't sure

"Hey you poor wolf.. I'm glad you collapsed in the alley.."

Then.. Everything went black.

Darkness.

A ringing in his ears. A dull, throbbing ache behind his eyes. His mouth felt… dry. Something cold pressed against his skin.

Legoshi's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Blurry ceiling. Gray light.

He blinked again. This wasn’t a hospital. The air smelled like disinfectant, dry bamboo, and… something herbal.

He tried to move.

Clink.

His right wrist was chained. Firmly. His legs too — metal chains locked to the floor beneath the cold tile. He shifted his head and felt a sharp pull at his neck.

Collar.

Muzzle.

Chains.

Panic surged.

His breathing became erratic. The tightness of the muzzle made it worse. His ears pressed back and he tugged at the restraints — his claws clicking against the cuffs, chest rising and falling in rapid waves.

And then he noticed something else.

His right hand.

Thicker. Tighter. Wrapped in some kind of reinforced mesh-like material. Modified.

|What… what is this?|

His heart raced.

Across the room, seated comfortably in a tiny sofa with a cup of tea, sat a panda. Thickly built. Calm. Unbothered.

Legoshi muffled something behind his muzzle.

“Mmmghf?!”

The panda exhaled slowly and set his teacup down.

???: “morning kid how are you feeling?"

Legoshi stirred slowly, the chill of a concrete floor biting into his back as his eyes fluttered open. The dim light above flickered once, revealing unfamiliar surroundings—gray walls, rusted chains, and the thick, metallic scent of disinfectant mixed with something more primal.

His right arm was cuffed and chained to a thick metal ring in the floor. His legs were shackled, cold steel biting into his ankles. His left side… he blinked, feeling the strange, familiar emptiness—there was no left arm. There hadn’t been for eleven years.

A thick, padded muzzle strapped tightly over his mouth made breathing slightly labored, and another chain secured around his neck tugged if he shifted too far.

Panic surged again.

He yanked against the restraints instinctively, the rattle of chains filling the silence. His breathing quickened, chest rising and falling in uneven bursts he couldn't  care less about doctor Yamada's advice. Where was he? What happened after the alley?

A low voice spoke, steady but not unkind.

“You done panicking, or should I give you a minute?”

Legoshi jerked his head toward the source. Across the small room, lounging calmly on a worn, miniature leather sofa, sat a burly panda with tired eyes and an unreadable expression. One leg crossed over the other, arms folded, the panda watched him like a vet watching a cornered animal.

“I’m Gouhin,”

the panda said.

"You don’t need to know more than that. Now tell me what were you doing passed out in a back alley with vomit on your fur?”

Legoshi's heart pounded. He shook his head, trying to speak, but the muzzle muffled everything into pitiful groans.

Gouhin sighed and stood up. He approached slowly, undoing the muzzle’s latch with practiced ease.

“Try again.”

Legoshi inhaled shakily, the air cold in his throat. “I-I wasn’t… I didn’t eat anything!” he said. “I just—I smelled it. I got sick!”

“You expect me to believe a seven-foot-tall gray wolf passed out from the smell of meat?” Gouhin narrowed his eyes. “You look like you could rip through bone.”

Legoshi looked down, ashamed.. he knew that he could and said “I’ve never eaten meat...”

 "That’s not normal. What aren’t you telling me?”

He hesitated. The words refused to form. He felt like that same terrified pup from eleven years ago. His voice shook. “It’s… It’s because I’m not just a wolf.”

Gouhin raised a brow.

“I’m… twenty-five percent Komodo dragon,” Legoshi whispered.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

“Komodo,” Gouhin repeated. “As in… venomous. apex predator, cold-blooded nightmare.. how the hell did that even happen?"

Legoshi’s ears twitched. He looked up, a spark of something defiance? sadness? in his eyes. “Don’t say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Gouhin raised an eyebrow.

“My grandfather is a Komodo dragon. His name’s Gosha,” Legoshi said, voice steadier now despite the weight in his chest. “He raised me after my mom… after she passed. He’s the kindest soul I know. He’s clumsy, a little dramatic… but he used to put on puppet shows for me when I was a kid. He cried when I lost my arm.”

The name gosha got a little reaction from gouhin

He glanced away, his gaze distant now. “He’s not a monster. And I’m not either.”

Gouhin stared at him for a long moment, arms crossed again. Then, he let out a quiet grunt. “Didn’t say you were a monster. I said Komodos are dangerous—and that’s just biological fact. Doesn’t mean you have to be dangerous.”

Legoshi’s ears lowered slightly, but he nodded. “I know what I am. But I’ve spent my whole life trying to not become what people expect a carnivore or well.. a Komodo dragon to be.”

“Hmm.” Gouhin walked back to the sofa and sat down heavily "you're still too big even for a Komodo wolf hybrid"

Legoshi glanced at the chains still binding him. “Is that why you have me locked up?”

“Kid, I didn’t know what you were doing You passed out in an alley surrounded by the scent of meat. I don’t take chances. You want those chains off? Keep being honest.”

Legoshi exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little.

“I meant what I said. I didn’t eat anything! I just… I saw someone I trust someone I really trust lose himself. I got scared. And the smell hit me hard. It reminded me of being a pup again… of being surrounded, blamed, hated, just for existing.”

For a moment, Gouhin didn’t respond. Then he nodded, slowly.

“Alright,” he said. “Let’s talk more. You’ve clearly been carrying this a long time and I'd be blind to not see all of these scars.. but damn it kid you've been through a lot"

Gouhin’s office was dim but clean lined with old books, herbal jars, and punching bags riddled with claw marks. The panda sat back on his sofa again, arms crossed, staring at Legoshi who now sat on a small sofa across the table from gouhin still cuffed but now calmer

Gouhin’s gaze lingered on the stump. “That arm. You weren’t born without it, were you?”

Legoshi hesitated. “No. I lost it when I was six.”

Gouhin raised an eyebrow. “Six?”

Legoshi nodded, the memory pulling a shadow across his face. “A Dall sheep—middle-aged, I remember was being attacked. I was out with my mom and grandpa She was just walking home, and a rogue Komodo dragon jumped her in the alley. I didn’t think. I just ran in.”

“You ran at a full Komodo?” Gouhin asked, incredulous.

“I bit him first,” Legoshi said, almost bitterly. “Then he bit back… harder. Took my arm from the elbow down.”

Gouhin whistled low.

“She got away,” Legoshi continued. “She survived. And afterward… she and her family tried to thank us. Compensation money. A lot of it.”

Gouhin leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly. “So that’s why you’ve got a wallet thicker than a phone book. It wasn’t for junk food. though I'm assuming that's not even close to how much you were given"

“I don’t spend it on much,” Legoshi murmured. “Feels weird using it. Like… blood money I'd only use it for my friends.."

There was a pause. The weight of old pain filled the silence.

“Tell me the rest,” Gouhin said eventually. “What happened before I found you?”

Legoshi took a breath. “We were just in the city. me and my friends Jack, Bill, Collot, Durham, Voss, Miguno. We were out too late. Got lost. Zoozle Maps was outdated, I think.”

"I'm assuming they're from the same school? at cherryton? Dorm mates?"

He swallowed before nodding “We wandered into an alley. There was a guy… a homeless looking guy. He said something weird.. he offered to sell us his fingers. Seventy thousand per finger.”

Gouhin blinked. “What the hell… another one of those.."

“I thought it was a joke at first. But then I turned and saw Bill. He was smiling.”

The wolf’s voice began to crack, his claws digging lightly into his knee. “He asked if I’d… take one. Like he was serious. I didn’t know what to say. I asked him if he was joking. He asked again.”

He looked up, eyes wet but furious. “I trusted him.”

Gouhin’s jaw clenched slightly.

“The others tried to stop him. Jack, especially. But Bill… he started salivating. I could see it he was slipping. He wanted it.”

Legoshi’s voice broke now, raw. “I ran. I didn’t wait to see what happened next. I ran until I couldn’t smell the meat anymore, until I felt like I could breathe. But I couldn’t. I threw up. Then I passed out.”

Gouhin let out a long exhale. “You’ve been through... something someone your age shouldn't experience”

Legoshi shook his head, his ears low. “I thought I could trust him.”

There was another pause.

Gouhin stood and moved to a nearby cabinet. He pulled out a file and flipped it open.

“No signs of withdrawal symptoms,” he muttered, scanning a chart. “You’re clean.”

He looked back down at Legoshi, tone serious. “I don’t know what kind of emotional bond you’ve got with that tiger, but you better decide soon if you want to salvage it or sever it. Because this?” He gestured to the chains. “You might not have eaten anything, but you came way too close.”

Legoshi didn’t speak, just stared ahead, heart pounding again.

“You said you’ve spent your life trying not to be what they expect. Then prove it. Get up. Let’s see if you’re actually worth the trouble I went through hauling your heavy ass back here.”

The wolf slowly pushed himself upright, his chains clinking. Something fierce flickered behind his eyes now—not anger, not fear, but resolve.

“Good,” Gouhin muttered. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

Two days later.

“You’re clean,” Gouhin finally said, wiping his paws on a towel. “No symptoms. No cravings. Not even latent aggression. You’re just… tired.”

Legoshi stood in the corner of the room, silent.

He had barely slept. Barely eaten. His left sleeve hung limp, his mind blank. But one thought screamed louder than the rest.

What about them?

Jack. Dorm 701. Voss. Durham. Collot. Miguno.

Bill.

His ears flicked back.

“Can I go?” Legoshi asked.

Gouhin raised a brow, but nodded. “Yeah. I’d stay another day if I were you. But if you're clear-headed and steady…”

Legoshi didn’t even wait. Gouhin handed him directions to the nearest station. He bolted out the door, only pausing long enough to check his wallet—his cash was mostly untouched. Gouhin hadn’t taken much

Signal came back as soon as he left the clinic

His phone vibrated nonstop.

> Jack (219 messages)

> 701 (103 messages)

Terror surged in his stomach.

>“Legoshi please answer.”

>“Did something happen?”

>“We called the security office.”

>“Please—anything. Just say you’re alive.”

>"Legoshi if something were to happen to you I don't know what I would do"

>"Legoshi tell me are you okay??"

Legoshi typed with shaking fingers.

> "I’m okay. I’m coming back I’m sorry."

He didn't care that his shirt was torn, stained with dust and old blood from his 2 day stay with gouhin He didn’t care that people stared at the tall, gray wolf wearing a hoodie sprinting like his soul was on fire 

He only cared about getting back.

As he arrived at cherryton's entrance he ran ever faster completely ignoring doctor Yamada's instructions which surprised most students he was mostly seen as a blur from the herbivores and the other carnivores looking there could barely keep up

and then.. there. He stopped looking at the dorm's number - 701

|Jack.. please be okay|

The door swung open.

Heavy footsteps, ragged breathing, and the smell of dirt and dried sweat filled the entrance.

Legoshi stood there, chest heaving, fur matted and clothes crumpled. His legs trembled from the run, he hadn't realized it but he forgot to remove the metal cuff on his right hand it was just there come to think of it gouhin never unlocked it he just removed it from the chain it was a mess

Inside, Jack was collapsed against the wall, shoulders shaking as he cried. Durham and Miguno were by his side, stunned into silence. Collot paced nervously. Voss sat curled up on a beanbag, ears flat, hugging his tail.

And Bill — Bill sat slouched at the far end of the room, hands buried in his lap, guilt written across every inch of his face. His ears twitched at the sound of the door but he couldn’t bring himself to look up.

Jack looked up. His eyes went wide. His breathing hitched.

“L-Legoshi…?” he choked out, as if afraid it was a hallucination.

Legoshi stepped inside, trembling. “Jack…”

Jack bolted to him, throwing his arms around Legoshi before the wolf could even take another step. “You idiot! You—! You were gone! For two days! I thought you were dead! I thought y-you... I-i th-thought you.!" 

Jack couldn't continue as the rest of what he said we're just mumbles struggling to find the words through his tears

Legoshi hugged him back just as tight. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I'm really really sorry… I didn’t mean to worry you jack.. I promise I'm okay...”

Miguno exhaled in disbelief. “Holy shit. It’s really him.”

Voss gasped and scurried over, clinging to Legoshi’s pant leg. “Don’t ever do that again, dummy!”

Durham rubbed his snout. “Dude… you look like crap”

Collot gave a quiet, grateful chuckle.

But Bill still hadn’t moved.

Legoshi’s gaze drifted to the corner of the room. “Bill…”

The tiger finally looked up — eyes bloodshot, guilt radiating off him in waves.

“I thought you weren’t coming back,” Bill said hoarsely. “After what I said. I don’t blame you.”

Jack stepped back, looking between the two, tension still tight in his shoulders.

“You asked me to help you buy a finger,” Legoshi said quietly.

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Bill’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t know what I was thinking… I… I wasn’t going to actually—! I just—! It was the smell, and I—!”

Legoshi stepped forward. “Bill… I thought you were my friend.”

“I am!” Bill snapped, then immediately flinched at his own voice. “I mean… I am. I swear I am. I just I lost control, and when you ran I I realized what I’d done and I panicked. You looked at me like I wasn’t even me anymore.”

“You weren’t,” Jack said, voice hard and low.

Bill closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Legoshi didn’t say anything at first. Then he lowered his gaze. “Back in that alley… when I passed out, it wasn’t just from the smell. It was because of what you asked me. I felt like everything I’d been fighting for meant nothing. Like maybe everyone was right to fear us maybe.. we were monsters”

bill's guilt consumed him “Legoshi, I didn’t mean to make you feel like—”

“I know,” Legoshi interrupted. “I know. But it still hurt.”

The silence returned, broken only by Jack’s occasional sniffling.

Then Legoshi walked closer. “I’m not scarred. I’m not broken. But I need to trust that my friends won’t drag me into darkness either.”

Bill finally broke. He stood up, eyes filled with shame, and walked toward Legoshi. Then, slowly  genuinely  he bowed. Deep.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “For everything. I’ll never say anything about that again! I don’t care how hungry or stupid or… desperate I get. I won’t risk losing any of you. Especially you... if it weren't for you I'd probably have no one to talk to.. I'd be alone again”

Legoshi blinked in surprise… then nodded. “I believe you.”

Bill let out a shaky breath, relieved.

The others looked on, a quiet unity forming once more.

Jack finally laughed a wet, broken little laugh. “You’re such a pain, Legoshi…”

Legoshi smiled. “I missed you jack.. I really did.."

Durham clapped a paw on his back. “So… wanna tell us where the hell you’ve been?”

Legoshi nodded. “Yeah… it’s a long story.”

The rain outside tapped gently against the dorm windows. The warm glow of the overhead lights bathed the room in soft amber as the room settled from the chaos of Legoshi’s return.

Everyone sat scattered — Jack on the bed beside Legoshi, the others circled around on the floor tension still lingering like dust in the air.

Legoshi held a steaming cup of tea in his right hand — the hand wrapped in reinforced synthetic mesh. He was quiet for a moment, eyes distant, ears slightly lowered.

“I wasn’t gone because I wanted to be,” he started. “After I ran off… I got sick. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened, about what Bill said. I ended up in some alley… I passed out.”

Everyone was silent.

“I woke up chained to the floor,” 

he continued, tone flat, not bitter just exhausted.

 “My legs, my neck, and… my right arm. And I was muzzled.”

Jack’s ears flicked back. “What?!”

Legoshi nodded. “It wasn’t a hospital. It was some underground clinic. Turns out it belonged to someone named Gouhin. A panda."

Voss hugged his knees, eyes wide. “You were kidnapped?!”

“I don’t think he meant it like that,”

 Legoshi said slowly. 

“He thought I was a threat. I mean look at me.. He also said I smelled like meat, and I was passed out with vomit on me. He wasn’t taking any chances.”

Bill’s ears pressed flat, tail twitching nervously.

“he punched me sometimes,” Legoshi added. “To see if I’d react violently. To see if I’d snap.”

Jack stood up so fast his his pillow fell off his bed with a worried face “What?! He hit you?!”

Legoshi didn’t flinch. “It wasn’t out of cruelty. He was making sure I wasn’t some predator losing control. He watched how I reacted to pain. Fear. Hunger. Said I passed..”

Miguno grimaced. “That explains the blood.”

Jack sat down again, eyes locked on Legoshi’s right arm. “And the hand…?”

Legoshi flexed his fingers slightly. “He said it was ‘too strong.’ I guess my Komodo side has been developing differently. So he cuffed it. it. Said it’s like a muzzle for my hand. I could probably take it off now though.."

There was a heavy silence in the room.

Jack swallowed hard, voice shaking. “You went through all of that… alone?”

Legoshi finally looked up. “It wasn’t all bad. He was rough, yeah, but… fair. He believed me when I told him I never ate meat. He even cleared me, in two days Said I didn’t show any signs of withdrawal. No cravings. No denial. Just… trauma.”

Everyone seemed to breathe out at once relief and heartbreak mixed together.

Then Legoshi turned toward Bill.

“And it all started because you asked me for money to buy a finger.”

Bill froze.

Jack turned to glare at him.

“I trusted you,” 

Legoshi said, not with anger, but disappointment. 

“We all trusted you. I thought I lost a piece of myself that night not because of Gouhin. Because of you.”

Bill opened his mouth, but no words came. He looked down, fists clenched tight.

“I didn’t know it’d go that far,” he said, almost whispering. “I just… I thought I could handle it. I didn’t think you’d run like that. Or that it’d hurt you that bad.”

“You didn’t think,” Durham muttered.

Collot sighed. “Man… this is messed up.”

Bill slowly stood up, shaking. “I was stupid. I know that now. But hearing all this what that panda did to you.. the chains, the punches, the tests that’s on me, too... it's all my fault”

Legoshi didn’t respond immediately. Then he nodded. “I’m not asking for anything. Just… don’t make me regret coming back.”

Bill looked like he’d been punched himself. His eyes glistened, but he didn’t cry.

“I won’t,” he promised. “I swear.”

Voss tugged on Legoshi’s sleeve. “Do you… feel okay now?”

Legoshi smiled faintly. “I don’t know. But I feel better with you guys.”

Jack leaned his head against Legoshi’s shoulder. “Don’t ever disappear like that again, okay? I'm just glad that you didn't die.. the whole school's worried sick about you too.."

Legoshi looked down at him, his voice soft. “i won't die I've already promised you that jack.."

And for a moment, despite all the tension Even after bill had almost betrayed them again even if legoshi was hurt even if it would take time to rebuild that trust.. 701 and  were still whole

Chapter Text

Bill’s eyes blinked open slowly, vision still blurred and spinning. The acrid scent of dust and blood filled the air. He tried to move but a dull ache spread across his ribs and head.

He sat up slowly, wincing. The cold hardwood beneath him brought back flashes Legoshi’s furious eyes, the shattered prop sword, the scream of creaking metal, the pool of blood-

|The blood.|

Bill’s ears twitched.

He whipped his head toward center stage.

His gaze landed on the cracked floorboards and the shattered props scattered around. Then, the pool of dark red caught his eye.

His breath caught in his throat.

“Legoshi…”

The name escaped his lips like a whisper, barely audible.

Bill pushed himself up on trembling limbs. The faces of the others swirled into focus Dom, Sheila, Els, Louis, tao aoba basically everyone looked at him and Jack each etched with a mix of horror, disbelief, and anger.

Jack was kneeling, his hands pressed against the stage where Legoshi had been moments before. Tears streamed down his face, shoulders shaking.

Bill took a hesitant step forward. “I… I didn’t mean for this… I didn’t want to—”

Jack’s head snapped up, eyes blazing. “You didn’t mean to? You didn’t mean to tear him open, to mutilate him in front of everyone? To drag us all into your chaos?”

Bill flinched, guilt crashing down like a tidal wave. “I just wanted to prove myself and do great on the stage I-!"

“You were scared,” Jack echoed bitterly, voice breaking. “But he was protecting us all. even you. And you nearly killed him.”

Bill sank to his knees, hands clutching the splintered floor. “Why… why did he protect me? Why didn’t he fight back?”

No one answered.

Dom’s voice came quietly but firmly. “We don’t know what you thought you were doing, Bill. But this? This wasn’t strength. It was a nightmare.”

Bill’s claws dug into the stage. “I’m sorry,” he whispered brokenly, tears mixing with sweat. “I’m so sorry…”

Louis looked away, unable to meet Bill’s eyes. The others just stood in silence.

Jack rose, wiping his tears but still trembling. “get away from me! Stay here you freak"

Jack turned sharply and rushed off after the medics carrying Legoshi.

And still, all he could hear was Jack’s voice cracked and shaking repeating one word over and over as they lifted Legoshi off the ground.

“Please… please… not again…”

He turned around realizing that the audience.. they had already left

Bill remained alone, surrounded by the ruins of the stage and his shattered pride.

He whispered to himself, “ what did I just do..?”

"I.. failed"

Bill stumbled through the corridors, breath coming in ragged gasps. He didn’t know who Jack was just that he was someone important to Legoshi, someone close. If Legoshi trusted him, then Bill had to find him. Had to try to explain, to say sorry.

“Jack!” Bill called out as he finally saw a Labrador standing alone near the schoolyard. “Please, wait! I need to talk to you.”

The Labrador turned sharply, eyes flashing with anger. “you..”

Bill’s throat tightened. “I’m… I’m Bill, from the drama club. Look, about what happened—”

“Don’t.” Jack’s voice was cold and hard. “You don’t get to say anything. You nearly tore Legoshi apart on stage. You attacked him in front of everyone!”

Bill swallowed hard, words catching in his throat. “I wasn’t thinking. I panicked—I didn’t know what I was doing.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed, voice rising. “Panic? You think that’s an excuse? You’re dangerous, You hurt him badly. And now you want forgiveness? You don’t even know him, do you?”

Bill shook his head, the guilt crushing him. “No, I don’t. But I want to make it right. I’m.. I'm sorry I really lost control! I-!"

Jack’s lips curled into a bitter sneer. “Sorry doesn’t fix this. You’re a threat. Stay away.”

Bill’s hands trembled. “I don’t deserve it… but I just wish I could take it all back.”

Jack turned and walked away without another word.

Bill dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by guilt and helplessness, alone with his mistakes.

|panicking. Because I wanted something that never should’ve mattered so much to me.|

|Rexdammit.|

|I fucked it all. I fucked it all.|

|The whole play. The audience. The club. Legoshi.|

|He’s probably in a hospital bed right now wondering why he didn’t let me bleed on that stage like I fucking deserved|

|And Jack…|

|That Labrador looked at me like I was fucking filth. And he’s right.|

|I am.|

Bill pushed open the door to his dorm, the old wooden hinges creaking faintly. The warm scent of musk and fur clung to the room like a blanket. Familiar. Unchanging.

“They don’t know…” he thought with a shaky exhale. “Thank rex.”

Zerin was lounging by the window, his long clouded leopard tail flicking lazily as he scanned a comic. Mael sat upside-down on his bed, headphones over his ears, mouthing lyrics. Rojin and Kaun were bickering over a board game, while Toval, ever the calm lion, was sprawled on the couch, watching it all with a sleepy grin.

“Yo, Bill. You look like crap,” Rojin snorted without looking up.

Bill gave a forced chuckle. “Heh. Just tired.”

“You miss dinner?” Mael lifted one headphone off. “We saved you a bowl of grain curry.”

Bill’s stomach twisted. “Yeah. Cool. Thanks. You know that I hate that!"

As they carried on talking and throwing dice, Bill slumped onto his bed. For the first time that day, he felt like he could breathe. They didn’t know. They weren’t looking at him like Jack had. Or like Legoshi had before

“I still got them,” he thought. “They’re still here. I can figure this out. Maybe even Tao… Aoba... Maybe they’ll hear me out too…”

But the door slammed open again.

Toval, the laid-back lion, had gotten up to greet him.

It was Zerin who noticed first. 

“Yo, Nicholas You okay?”

Nicholas didn’t respond. His ears were pinned flat, and his usually cocky smirk had vanished. He was holding his phone, paw frozen over the screen.

He slowly turned it around. A grainy video was playing the drama club’s performance, but the part everyone was whispering about now.

Bill. Snarling. Grabbing Legoshi. Claws extended. Screams.

“No—” Bill’s breath hitched. Every muscle in his body locked.

“…the hell is this?” Mael muttered.

Zerin stood up. “Wait. That’s you, Bill?”

Rojin didn’t even look at him. His gaze was cold, unreadable.

Toval’s relaxed posture stiffened as the others started to gather around. “Did you actually attack someone on stage? In front of the whole school?”

Bill opened his mouth—but no sound came out.

Kaun’s voice was low and tense. “You almost killed him, didn’t you?”

Bill’s mind screamed for something to say. Anything.

|Just because I wanted that blood. Just because I lost it—because Legoshi stopped me from doing one fucking thing! I—I almost fucking killed him. I fucked everything up!|

He didn’t say it aloud. It just echoed in his head like a death knell.

Zerin’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were just aggressive in fights. But that.. what the fuck, Bill?”

“I didn’t know what I was doing,” Bill finally muttered, eyes glued to the floor.

“Oh, that’s reassuring,” Rojin snapped. “You didn’t know you were mutilating a classmate?”

“No—I mean—I—” he looked up. Faces he used to joke with, spar with, eat with every day... now they just stared. Some confused. Some furious.

Mael exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “What the hell, man…”

Toval crossed his arms. “So this is real? You went rabid over stage blood?”

Bill stood there, silent, shaking under his fur.

|I fucked up. I ruined everything. They’re all gonna see me like that now—like I’m a rexdamn monster. Why the fuck did I do it?|

His eyes stung.

But no one said anything more.

Just seven felines, standing in shared silence. A predator's den colder than it had ever felt.

Bill stayed rooted to the spot. The air felt like it had dropped ten degrees, fur rising slightly from the weight of all the eyes on him. The casual hum of the dorm — the music, the joking, the low chatter — had been snuffed out like a candle.

No one moved.

|Say something. Say anything.|

But Bill’s mouth was dry. His throat was locked. There was nothing he could say that would fix this.

Kaun was the first to look away. He stepped back, slowly, and sank onto his bed without a word. Mael followed a second later, tugging his headphones back over his ears — but no music played.

Bill finally sat, knees heavy. He dragged a hand over his face.

|I fucked it all. I fucked it all because I wanted blood. Because I panicked. Because I was fucking weak. Because I couldn’t stand someone being in my way—|

“Why?”

The voice came from Zerin.

Bill flinched.

The clouded leopard stood with arms crossed, brows furrowed. “I just wanna know… why’d you snap like that? Legoshi wasn’t hurting you. It was a play.”

“I—” Bill paused. He tried to pull something together, something that didn’t sound like a lame excuse. But the truth buzzed in his skull like a hornet swarm.

"I had rabbits blood and legoshi he.. threw it away"

“…I saw the blood. And something just… flipped. I wasn’t even thinking. I just.. fuck, I wanted it. I wanted it bad.”

He clenched his fists.

“…and then Legoshi stopped me, and I—I don’t even know what I was doing anymore. I just lost it.”

Toval finally spoke again, but quieter this time. “ you probably could've bit him ”

“Almost,” Bill whispered. “I think. I  don’t even remember if I actually sunk my fangs. That’s the worst part.”

Kaun snorted bitterly. “Dude. That’s not ‘losing control.’ That’s psychotic.”

Bill stared at the floor.

|I am. I fucking am. That’s what I looked like to them. I know that already|

Zerin slowly stepped back, rubbing his temples.

“Look, I don’t know, man. I always knew you were kinda full of yourself. But this? This is a whole new fucking level.”

The room went quiet again.

Bill’s chest tightened. He was being crushed by the weight of their judgment a hundred times worse than Jack’s fury, worse than Legoshi’s bleeding face, worse than any cold stare in the drama club.

Because these were his guys.

His friends..

And now?

Even Mael, the laid-back bobcat who used to sneak under his pillow, wasn’t meeting his eyes.

Toval finally broke the silence.

“Maybe you need to go tell the school counselor or something. Like seriously. Before this gets even worse.”

Bill let out a shaky laugh, bitter and hollow.

“Yeah. Sure. Go get the psycho some therapy before he finishes the fucking job.”

Zerin frowned. “No one’s saying that.”

“No?” Bill stood suddenly. “’Cause it sure feels like it. Like I’m one step away from mauling someone else.”

He looked around the room  six pairs of feline eyes, all tense. All watching. No one reached out.

Bill’s shoulders slumped.

“I’m gonna go… get some air.”

No one stopped him.

The door clicked shut behind him.

A tense silence lingered like smoke in the room, heavy and acrid. Zerin stood by the window, arms crossed tight over his chest. Kaun sat at the edge of his bed, tail twitching rhythmically against the frame. Mael had finally hit play on his headphones, but the sound was barely audible — more for comfort than distraction. Toval lay back on his mattress, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Nicholas was the only one still standing in the center of the room, eyes on the floor.

No one said anything for a while.

Then Mael finally muttered, “So that’s what that buzzing’s been about in the halls.”

“I didn’t think it was our Bill,” said Kaun. “He’s an asshole, yeah, but not that kind.”

“Guess we didn’t know him that well,” Zerin said quietly. “Not really.”

Nicholas huffed. “He’s not just some psycho. You saw how wrecked he was. I think he’s genuinely scared of himself right now.”

“Scared or not,” Toval cut in, “he still tried to rip into a guy in front of the whole school. That’s not something you just walk back from. And not just that he revealed one of their secrets that wolf doesn't have a left arm"

“Yeah,” Kaun agreed, voice heavier than usual. “I mean, that Legoshi dude’s a total loner, but still. What the hell did he do to deserve that?”

Nicholas looked toward the door, then back to the others. “Bill said he just lost it. That it was the blood. Maybe it triggered something.”

“Maybe,” Zerin muttered. “But it’s not like the rest of us don’t get those urges sometimes. You don’t see me snapping someone’s neck on stage.”

Kaun snorted. “Yeah. All he had to do was make it through one scene without trying to kill a classmate. Real high bar.”

“But…” Mael pulled off his headphones and let them fall around his neck. “Did you see his face? When we all looked at him? He looked like he was about to puke.”

They all fell quiet again, the weight of Mael’s observation hanging in the air.

Zerin stepped away from the window. “You think we were too harsh?”

Kaun looked conflicted. “I dunno. Maybe? But… what were we supposed to say? ‘It’s okay you tried to maul a guy’?”

Nicholas slowly lowered himself onto his bed, still staring at the floor. “It’s not okay. But I don’t think he was okay, either.”

Toval closed his eyes. “That’s the scary part.”

They sat in silence, the muffled sounds of the academy nightlife trickling in from outside. In the distance, the drama building’s lights flickered off.

Finally, Zerin muttered, “We should keep an eye on him. Just in case.”

“You mean in case he loses it again?” Kaun asked, raising a brow.

Zerin shook his head. “No. In case he doesn’t come back.”

Zerin continued "we also shouldn't talk to him for now"

Mael frowned "but doesn't he need us right now?"

Nicholas replied "I really don't want to say this but if he could go crazy on stage then what's stopping him from attacking us too.."

That thought settled over them like a stormcloud.

For the first time, none of them could find anything to joke about.

Bill’s eyes cracked open to the faint hum of early morning outside the dorm window. Pale sunlight filtered through the curtains, spilling across the floor and onto the side of his bed. His body ached like he’d been chewed up and spit out. The weight in his chest hadn’t lifted  if anything, it’d gotten heavier overnight.

He sat up slowly, head pounding with the same thoughts that had plagued him all night.

|I fucked up. I really fucked up.|

His dormmates were already stirring. Mael was brushing his mane in the mirror, humming a lazy tune. Toval lounged on his bunk, scrolling through his phone. Nilas leaned back in a chair, tossing a rubber ball into the air, catching it again and again.

Kaun was the one who noticed first. “Yo. Sleeping Beast finally woke up.”

Zerin turned from where he was adjusting his uniform tie. “Morning, Bill. Kinda.”

Bill grunted and dragged himself upright, fur sticking up in odd angles. He didn’t make eye contact with any of them — not yet.

There was a beat of silence before Mael said, voice lower than usual, “Gon wants to see you.”

Bill blinked. “What?”

“The headmaster,” Zerin clarified. “One of the staff came by early. Said you need to be in his office immediately after breakfast.”

“Y’know,” Toval muttered, “in that super-not-suspicious ‘don’t be late’ tone.”

Bill’s mouth felt dry. “What… what did they say?”

“Just that it’s urgent.” Kaun eyed him cautiously. “Didn’t say why. But I think we all know.”

Nicholas caught the ball one last time and stood, gaze locked on Bill. “Better not keep him waiting.”

Bill slowly nodded, heart sinking further. He slid out of bed, claws digging slightly into the floor as he stood.

Every part of him screamed that he wasn’t ready — not to face the headmaster, not to face the consequences.

|Fuck. I really did this. I really made this happen.|

As he grabbed his uniform jacket from the hook, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

His reflection looked hollow. Dull. Like someone barely holding it together.

|I'm not a monster,|

he told himself.

|But maybe I don’t get to decide that anymore.|

Without another word, he stepped out of Dorm 307 and into the hallway, each footfall louder than it should’ve been.

Bill hadn’t even made it down two corridors before he felt them.

The stares.

Not subtle ones either  these were the wide-eyed, sidelong glances from students freezing in mid-step, whispering under their breath, pretending not to look while doing exactly that. He heard his name once no, twice  slipping like venom from mouths that weren’t even bothering to lower their voices anymore.

He gritted his teeth and kept walking.

They know.

His claws clenched tighter into the fabric of his uniform pants. His tail twitched with every sideways glance, every flinch someone gave when they passed too close.

|They fucking know. Great. This is it. This is who I am now — that asshole. The predator who went feral. The meat junkie who nearly tore some guy apart because he couldn't keep his fucking instincts in check.|

One girl — a rabbit — stepped out of a classroom and froze when she saw him, her eyes going wide. She backed into the doorframe and muttered something to a familiar looking deer behind her. Both of them disappeared fast.

Bill’s chest tightened like someone had sunk a hook into his ribs and pulled. His mouth tasted bitter, stomach twisted in knots.

|You couldn’t just fucking wait. Just one fucking moment of self-control — just one. But no. You wanted the blood. You wanted to feel that high again. And now look. Look what the hell you’ve done.|

He reached the stairwell, shoulders tense, ears burning from whispers that felt like knives. He could feel it in his fur the fear, the judgment, the disgust.

|I’m not even mad they’re scared of me. I would be too.|

Every step toward Gon’s office felt heavier than the last.

|You fucked up everything. You fucked it all. Just because you wanted that blood. All because Legoshi stopped you from doing one thing. One. Fucking. Thing. And you snapped like a goddamn psycho. You almost killed him. You almost fucking killed him.|

He couldn't shake off that same thought it replayed in his mind over and over again

He shoved open the door to the main building’s north wing, and the cold air slapped him like a judge's sentence.

The hallway to the headmaster’s office stretched in front of him. Endless.

He walked slower now.

Because it wasn’t just shame anymore.

It was fear.

|What if I get expelled? What if I’m labeled dangerous? What if they put me on a watchlist? What if this sticks forever? What if my dormmates start looking at me like that too?|

|What if I really am a monster?|

His breath hitched.

Bill didn’t stop walking  he couldn’t. But he kept his eyes low now, too afraid to meet anyone’s gaze.

He felt like he was walking through the final minutes of the life he used to have.

Bill pushed open the heavy door to Headmaster Gon’s office, his legs feeling like lead. The quiet weight of the room pressed down on him—nothing but the ticking clock and the faint rustle of papers. Gon sat behind his desk, eyes watching Bill carefully.

“Sit down,” Gon said, voice calm but firm.

Bill lowered himself onto the chair, hands clenched tight, struggling to keep his breathing steady.

“I’ve been reviewing the incident,” Gon began, folding his hands in front of him. “It’s clear you lost control violently, so Such actions can’t be overlooked.”

Bill swallowed hard. He knew the words were coming. The judgment. The punishment.

“But,” Gon continued, “there’s been something unusual. A request that I have never encountered before in my years here.”

Bill’s eyes flicked up, searching Gon’s face.

“A student, one closely connected to the victim, reached out. Someone with enough influence to make the Board reconsider the severity of your punishment.”

Bill’s chest tightened. "Who?"

Gon’s gaze didn’t waver. “This student is a Labrador.”

Bill’s breath hitched.

“A Labrador,” Gon repeated slowly, as if testing Bill’s reaction.

|Jack.|

Bill’s mind exploded with questions.

|Why? What did he want?|

“This Labrador spoke on your behalf. Not to excuse your actions—but to ask for leniency. For mercy.”

Bill’s throat tightened. He wanted to protest, to tell Gon he didn’t deserve it.

“Because of that request,” Gon said, voice softer now, “the Board has agreed to suspend you for one week.”

Bill felt the words hit like a punch.

"Only.. one week?

“One week,” Gon said again, “to reflect and to understand the consequences of your actions.”

Bill’s hands trembled.

“Do you understand why he might have done this?” Gon asked.

Bill looked up, voice barely a whisper. “I don’t know... I don’t deserve it.”

Gon nodded slowly. “Perhaps not. But even in the darkest moments, sometimes there’s a spark worth saving.”

Bill closed his eyes, thoughts tumbling over themselves.

|I fucked up everything. I lost it because I wanted that rexdamn blood. So why would he..|

He opened his eyes, voice cracking. “I’m not worthy of this chance.”

Gon met his gaze. “Then don’t waste it. You'll be allowed to stay in your dorm seeing as you.. have nowhere else to go"

Bill stood, weighed down by every word.

As he turned to leave, Gon’s quiet voice followed him.

“Forgiveness isn’t forgetting. It’s choosing to try maybe that's what that Labrador was thinking you better thank him."

Bill stepped out into the hallway, the world feeling heavier than before.

Bill stepped into the dim corridor outside Gon’s office, the weight of the headmaster’s words still pressing against his chest. His mind churned, unwilling to settle.

|Why the hell would that Labrador go out of his way to save me?|

 Bill thought, bitterness curling in his gut. 

|Is he trying to fuck with me? Revenge? Some sick way to guilt-trip me so I break completely?|

Bill’s eyes narrowed as he replayed the image of Jack’s face from the day of the play the cold, furious glare, the harsh words. No way that’s the same guy who’d pull a move like this.

Jack’s anger then had been raw, burning bright and unfiltered, a desperate explosion fueled by fear and confusion. This act of mercy, this request to the headmaster—it felt... calculated. Deliberate. Like Jack wanted Bill to carry a heavier burden.

"Or maybe he’s just trying to keep me alive"

Bill thought bitterly,

|because even if he hates me, he knows I’m not the only one who could get hurt if I go off the rails|

The thought gnawed at him—the idea that someone he didn’t even know well, someone he had only clashed with, was somehow willing to protect him. It didn’t make sense.

Bill ran a shaky hand through his fur, biting down on the growing storm of guilt and confusion. 

|I’m fucked. I fucked up everything. And now this shit is just... piling up|

He shuffled down the hall, his mind still wrestling with the impossible thought maybe Jack, despite everything, wanted to give him a chance.

But Bill wasn’t sure if he could even accept it.

Bill’s footsteps echoed hollowly as he walked back to his dorm, each step feeling heavier than the last. That tiny sliver of hope Jack’s unexpected mercy felt like a cruel joke, a weight that crushed instead of lifted.

|Why the fuck should.. No. do i.. even deserve this?| 

 Bill’s mind screamed in endless loops. 

|I lashed out on stage. I nearly tore Legoshi apart. I lost all control. And now I’m supposed to just accept that someone wants to save my ass?||

The anger inside him twisted into something darker—self-loathing so sharp it cut through the haze of confusion and guilt.

|I’m not worthy of anyone’s trust. I’m just a monster wrapped in fur, a ticking time bomb that almost killed someone|

Bill sank down onto his bed, the silence around him pressing in like a suffocating fog. Jack doesn’t know me. He doesn’t owe me shit. And maybe... maybe he just wants me to suffer more, to feel every bit of this brokenness until I’m completely destroyed.

Tears threatened behind his eyes, but Bill swallowed them down, refusing to let weakness show. Still, inside, his mind unraveled fragments of doubt, regret, and hopelessness swirling into a storm he couldn’t escape.

|I fucked everything up. I’m not okay. No I don’t even deserve to be okay.|

He curled up tight, wishing the world would just stop spinning for a while. Just long enough to catch his breath, to make sense of the mess inside him. But the silence around him only screamed louder, echoing his failures back at him.

And in that quiet, Bill felt utterly, completely broken.

The next morning was thick with haze, the sky outside casting a dull gray light across Dorm 307. Bill sat on the edge of his bed, still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, hands trembling slightly as they gripped the edge of the mattress. Sleep had come in ragged pieces, short, jittery bursts where memories gnawed at him and Jack’s words echoed endlessly in the silence.

|I’m suspended| 

Bill reminded himself. One week. That was all. A week where he didn’t have to see the others. A week to disappear.

But as he sat there, jaw clenched, eyes blank, something started to push against the numbness.

|Legoshi’s still out cold.|

He hadn’t even known until yesterday, when one of the faculty members casually mentioned that the grey wolf hadn’t woken up since the incident that he was recovering in a facility near campus, at clawmark

|And I’m walking free| 

Bill thought, guilt cutting sharp again. 

|I’m fucking breathing, while he’s probably hooked up to tubes… all because I lost it.|

The idea hit him harder than expected, shaking something loose inside. He couldn’t stay in the dorm, couldn’t sit on his ass pretending the world didn’t exist.

| I have to see him. I have to see what I did.|

The trip to ClawMark was a blur—he barely remembered the train, the walk through the tall white corridors, the sun-drenched glass of the lobby that felt too clean, too calm. His fur itched under his shirt as he stepped up to the front desk, sweat collecting under his brow despite the AC.

A sheep nurse in a light blue uniform looked up at him politely. “Can I help you?”

Bill swallowed the lump in his throat, his voice rougher than usual. “I—I’m here to see a patient. Name’s Legoshi. He’s a grey wolf, should’ve been admitted a two days ago.”

She typed briskly, then nodded once. “Canine. Room 214. East wing.”

Bill gave a faint nod of thanks, his claws curling slightly in his palms as he turned toward the hallway. The walk felt like miles. His paws felt too heavy, like he shouldn’t even be allowed in a place like this.

When he reached the door to Room 214, he just stood there for a long moment, staring at the number. 

|What the hell am I even doing here? Am I hoping to be forgiven? Do I think this’ll make anything better?|

He pushed the door open.

The room was quiet, white, and sterile. A monitor beeped slowly in the background. There, against the pale sheets, Legoshi lay still, his breathing shallow but steady. His left arm or what was left of it was covered the sheets tucked neatly over the stump. His face looked thinner. Pale. As if he’d aged ten years in three days.

Bill didn’t move at first. Just stood in the doorway, staring.

And then his knees buckled.

He stumbled to the chair beside the bed, dropping into it, eyes wide with disbelief. “Shit,” he whispered, the word barely audible. “Shit, shit, shit…”

|What did I do? How much blood did he lose!? He can't forgive me not like this! No. Shut up that's selfish he won't even forgive me for attacking him either way what the hell is wrong with me?|

His claws dug into his thighs, trembling. His mouth opened but no words came. His eyes stung, but no tears fell just this pressure, this unbearable pressure in his chest like something inside was cracking open.

“I almost fucking killed you,” Bill whispered, voice hoarse. “Over blood. One second. One moment. I just wanted a drop and-and now look at you. You’re-”

He looked away, trying to breathe, but it only came out in ragged gasps. 

|You don’t deserve to be here. I shouldn’t be the one conscious right now|

He said that to himself 

That’s when the door creaked open behind him.

Bill froze.

Footsteps.

He turned, slowly.

Jack stood in the doorway.

The Labrador’s eyes widened when he saw him—Bill, hunched and shaking beside Legoshi’s bed, looking like a shell of himself. For a second, Jack didn’t speak. He just stood there, his hand still on the doorknob.

Bill couldn’t meet his eyes.

But Jack had already seen everything.

“…You,” Jack said quietly.

Bill didn’t answer.

He couldn’t.

Jack’s expression twisted immediately. His brows knit together and his tail stiffened. The door swung shut behind him with a sharp click that made Bill flinch.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Jack’s voice was low but taut, each word heavy like a stone. “What.. what do you think you’re doing?!”

Bill still couldn’t look at him. His claws scraped over his jeans, his ears pulled back as he hunched lower in the chair, like he was trying to disappear into the floor.

Jack’s voice cracked into a shout. “You think you can just walk in here? after what you did?! After almost killing him?!”

Bill finally looked up. His eyes were red-rimmed, wide, and hollow. His voice came out in a rasp. “I dont..”

Jack’s mouth opened again, but the words caught in his throat.

“I know I don’t belong here,” Bill muttered, forcing himself to look at Legoshi again. “I just… I needed to see what I did.”

Jack stepped closer, anger still radiating off him, but now tangled with something else confusion, maybe. Or hesitation.

“You—” he started, but the rest wouldn’t come. He had expected resistance, denial, some cocky sneer from the tiger who mutilated his best friend. But what he found was a wreck of a person. Bill looked like he hadn’t slept in days. His fur was matted, his shoulders sagged like the weight of the world had collapsed on top of him.

Jack hesitated.

“…Why?” he asked, his voice quieter now. “Why are you really here?”

Bill's jaw clenched. “Because every second since that day has been tearing me the fuck apart. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. Every time I close my eyes, I see him on the ground his blood on my claws his arm and I can’t stop hearing it. The crunch. The screams. Your face.”

Jack flinched.

Bill’s voice cracked as he went on. “I didn’t even know him as a friend Not really. He was just a guy in the club. I just… I wanted the blood. That’s all. I didn’t even know why. I snapped. I just.. I snapped. And now he’s like this, and I’m standing here breathing like I didn’t almost murder him on stage in front of everyone.”

He swallowed, shaking again. “And you..” He looked at Jack now, eyes sunken with guilt. “Why did you ask the headmaster to go easy on me? You hate me. I saw it. You wanted me dead.”

Jack didn’t answer. He stood there, his fists clenched at his sides, his chest rising and falling fast. He looked away, then back at Legoshi, then at Bill.

“…I don’t know,” Jack said finally.

And it was the truth.

Jack’s jaw tensed as he glanced toward Legoshi, lying silent and pale beneath the hospital sheets. The beep of the monitor seemed to echo louder in the quiet that followed Bill’s breakdown.

“I really don’t know,” Jack muttered again, ears twitching uneasily. His voice was strained, uncertain. “I didn’t do it for you. Don’t… don’t get that idea.”

Bill didn’t respond. He was still staring at Legoshi, his breathing uneven, his claws twitching against his thighs.

Jack took a shallow breath.

“I just… I thought maybe… maybe Legoshi wouldn’t have wanted you expelled. Or locked up. Or whatever else they were thinking of doing to you.”

Bill turned slightly, enough to glance at Jack from the side. “Why the hell would he not? After what I did to him!?”

Jack looked at the floor. “Because that’s the kind of guy he is...”

Silence again. The kind that weighed.

Jack’s voice lowered. “He forgives too easily. Always has. Even when he shouldn’t.”

Bill blinked hard. His throat ached, his chest felt like it had collapsed in on itself. “So you think… he’d forgive me?”

Jack’s hesitation was a stone in the gut.

“I don’t know,” he said, softer now. “But I couldn’t shake the feeling that if he ever woke up… and I hadn’t at least tried to stop something worse from happening to you… he might’ve looked at me like I betrayed him.”

Bill shut his eyes tightly. That burned worse than the shouting.

“You still hate me,” he whispered.

Jack nodded without hesitation. “Yeah. I do.”

Bill swallowed, and his voice cracked again, quieter than ever.

“Good.”

And he sat there, in silence, next to the broken wolf he nearly killed, and the Labrador who hated him with reason. And for once, he didn’t try to run from any of it

Bill didn’t know how long the silence lasted, only that the beeping of the heart monitor and the faint hum of hospital lights started to sound like accusations.

He swallowed hard, forcing the lump in his throat down just enough to speak.

“…Was he really like that?” he muttered, his voice gravelly and low. “Legoshi, I mean.”

Jack didn’t answer at first. He kept looking at Legoshi, the way someone looks at a family member who’s just barely clinging to life. Eventually, his golden eyes narrowed tired, guarded, full of ache.

“Yeah,” he said. “He really was.”

Bill shifted on his feet. His palms were sweaty, claws twitching slightly as he looked back at the frail body in the hospital bed. “Even after all the shit he went through…? He still.. he still believed in people like that?”

Jack’s jaw clenched. “He’s not stupid. He knows the world’s messed up. But yeah. He believes in people. He never stops giving second chances.” 

Jack scoffed bitterly. 

“You wouldn’t believe how many nights I stayed up lecturing him about that.”

Bill looked away, his ears low. “…Shit.”

Jack turned toward him sharply. “But don’t get it twisted.”

Bill flinched.

“I hate you,” Jack said with sudden steel in his voice. “I hate you to the core. What you did there’s no excuse for it. No panic, no instinct, no urge to taste blood or whatever the hell you were chasing.”

Bill bit his lip, but he didn’t argue. He couldn’t. He’d already used up every lie trying to comfort himself, and they all burned like acid now.

“I only said what I said to Headmaster Gon because I know Legoshi,” Jack continued. “And if he wakes up, and he finds out you got expelled or worse… I needed to know. it was his decision to forgive you. Not mine. Not the school’s. if he knew that I could've done something and I didn't then.. he would hate me"

Bill stared at him, stunned. “So what, you’re just waiting?”

Jack’s voice dropped into a whisper that cracked. “Yeah.”

Then louder “Because if he doesn’t forgive you, then I won’t either. Not ever.”

Bill couldn’t respond. Not with words. His throat was closing up again, guilt curling in his gut like a slow, twisting knife. All he could do was look back at Legoshi, at the wolf who was barely breathing because of him.

And he realized then no punishment the school could give would be worse than this. Waiting. Not knowing. And never being sure if forgiveness was something he even deserved.

Bill shifted uncomfortably in place, trying to hold back another wave of guilt as he glanced between Jack and Legoshi. The silence was gnawing at him again, and he needed to say something, anything to break it—if only for a second.

“…Shouldn’t you be in class?” he asked quietly, avoiding Jack’s eyes. “I mean, it’s morning, right?”

Jack didn’t answer right away. He just looked at Legoshi again, and when he finally did speak, his voice was flat.

“i was given permission to stay with him for today.."

Bill blinked. “What? Really?”

“Yeah.” Jack folded his arms and leaned back against the wall.

“Told me Legoshi was the kind of student worth bending the rules for.” 

His tone was almost sarcastic but the undercurrent of pain was obvious.

Bill nodded slowly, eyes drifting to the floor. That made sense. Legoshi was the kind of student everyone liked. Quiet, respectful, reliable too good, really. Bill swallowed, throat dry.

“…He deserves that,” Bill said under his breath.

Jack didn’t respond.

“…He deserves more than that,” Bill added, barely audible now. “And definitely more than me being here…”

Jack still didn’t look at him. “Then why are you here?”

Bill opened his mouth, closed it. He didn’t know the answer. Maybe to say sorry. Maybe to punish himself. Maybe because deep down, some pathetic part of him still hoped Legoshi would wake up, see him, and not hate him.

“…I don’t know,” he admitted, voice raw.

For a moment, there was nothing but the monitor’s steady beep, and the sound of Jack slowly exhaling through his nose.

Bill didn’t know if that was better or worse than shouting.

Bill’s fingers tightened into trembling fists at his sides. The sterile smell of the hospital room was suffocating, and Legoshi’s still form on the bed felt like it was drilling holes into Bill’s chest. He couldn’t take it anymore he needed to ask, even if the answer crushed him.

“…Do his dorm mates hate me too?” Bill’s voice was low, hesitant, almost scared of the answer.

Jack scoffed, short and bitter. “What the hell do you think, Bill?”

Bill flinched.

Jack finally turned to him, eyes hard and cold. “You attacked Legoshi on stage. You dragged him into some freak breakdown just because you lost control. Yeah they hate you. Collot, Durham, Voss, Miguno, those are their names.” He caught himself, correcting the repetition with a sharp exhale. “Even me.”

Bill tried to breathe, but it felt like there was no air left in the room.

“You wanna know the truth about those scars on Legoshi?” Jack’s voice dropped, tight with emotion. “He got them protecting a middle-aged Dall sheep from a Komodo dragon. He almost died. He lost part of his arm.”

Bill’s eyes widened.

Jack pressed on, voice shaking now not from fear, but from fury. “He got every single scar protecting someone else. You think this was the first time he almost died doing it? He doesn’t think. He just acts. And now look at him.”

Bill stared at the floor, feeling like he was sinking. 

"Legoshi almost died again… because of me."

“And you know what pisses me off the most?” Jack growled. “Even now, even unconscious, he’s still protecting you. If he wasn’t the kind of guy he is, I wouldn’t have said anything to Headmaster Gon. I wouldn’t have lifted a single finger to keep you from being expelled.”

Bill’s voice cracked as he whispered, “then.. Why did you?”

Jack narrowed his eyes at him then looked over to Legoshi, quiet for a moment. He was clearly debating something. Wrestling with it.

“Don’t tell anyone what I’m about to say,” Jack said abruptly.

Bill straightened, blinking. “I—I won’t. I swear.”

Jack took a breath, slowly letting it out. His arms dropped to his sides, shoulders tight, but the weight of what he was about to say pressed down heavy on the room.

“I love him,” Jack said. “Not just as a friend. Not like a brother. I love him more than anyone else in the world.”

Bill stared.

“I want to be with him. For life. No matter how hard it gets, no matter how complicated. He means everything to me. Nothing is more precious to me than him.. I want to be his..” 

Jack’s voice wavered. “So yeah… I forgave you. But only because Legoshi’s that kind of person. If it were just me… I’d have let you burn”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Bill swallowed the lump in his throat, his chest hollow and raw.

“I… I don’t deserve that.. the forgiveness I mean.” he said, almost inaudibly

“No,” Jack replied, eyes still on Legoshi. “You don’t.”

Bill shifted uncomfortably on his feet, eyes flicking back to Legoshi’s unconscious body. The quiet beeping of the monitors only made everything feel heavier, like theair in the room was thick with everything unsaid. Finally, he broke the silence.

“…How long do you think it’ll take? For him to recover.”

Jack exhaled, running a hand through his ears, tired. “I don’t know. The doctors won’t give a real answer. They said it’s not critical anymore, but that doesn’t mean much. He hasn’t moved in 2 days.”

Bill’s mouth tightened, shame prickling along his spine.

“But…” Jack continued, softer now. “Legoshi’s always been strong. He’s survived worse. Way worse. Eleven years ago, when he lost part of his arm… I didn’t think he’d make it back then either. But he did. So yeah, I believe he’ll wake up.”

Then Jack’s voice shifted raw, tense. “But I hate this. I hate seeing him like this. Just lying there… like he’s already gone. It’s exactly like that day all over again. And I can’t do anything but sit here and watch it happen again.”

Bill swallowed hard, his throat dry.

Jack turned to him slowly, expression darkening. “If you ever hurt him again… if you even think about doing something this stupid… I’ll go straight to Gon and make sure you’re gone. Permanently.”

Bill gulped. “I won’t. I swear. I’ll never lay a claw on him again.”

Jack didn’t answer right away, just studied him with guarded suspicion. Then he muttered, “I hope so.”

Bill looked down. “My dorm hates me too,” he mumbled. “They didn’t say it to my face, but I can tell. And honestly… it’s fair.”

Jack didn’t argue.

“I don’t deserve anything,” Bill muttered. “Not their trust. Not this second chance. I should probably just… die.”

Jack’s head snapped toward him, eyes flaring. “Are you serious?”

Bill flinched.

Jack stepped toward him, voice low but scathing. “You’d rather die than face what you did? Than just talk to Legoshi when he wakes up? You won't even apologize? Do you even know how guilty legoshi would feel if he found out you committed suicide because of him?"

Bill’s shoulders tightened. The words hit him hard but they were right. All of it.

“I…” Bill started, then stopped, then finally muttered, “If he forgave me… if he actually gave me a chance… would that just hurt him more? After everything?”

Jack didn’t answer. He just looked at Bill, really looked at him as if trying to see if there was even something worth salvaging.

Bill’s claws curled into his palms. He nodded slowly, bitter guilt crawling over every inch of his skin.

“…You’re right,” he said quietly. “I’ll… stay. I’ll face it. I’ll wait.” His voice dropped. “I owe him that much. I owe him everything.”

And yet, guilt clung to him like a second skin unrelenting and deserved.

Jack left.

Bill sat stiffly in the chair by Legoshi’s hospital bed, elbows on his knees, claws clasped loosely in front of him, gaze locked onto the still, pale wolf lying there.

Hours passed.

He hadn't moved. Not really. Every now and then he shifted his legs, looked up at the IV drip or the slow, steady rise and fall of Legoshi’s chest. But mostly, Bill was just… thinking. Drowning in it.

What would he even say to him?

“Sorry”? That wasn’t enough.

“I didn’t mean to”? That was bullshit and he knew it.

“Hey, sorry I lost control and almost tore your damn throat out on stage in front of everyone.”

Yeah sure That'd go great.

Seven hours. That’s how long he stayed. Just thinking. Just watching. Not a word said.

And when he finally stood up, his back cracking, he felt worse than when he walked in.

Legoshi was still unconscious, still weak, still pale. He wasn’t waking up anytime soon maybe not for weeks. Maybe even months.

Bill’s jaw tightened as he gave one last glance at the grey wolf. He turned and walked out, tail dragging low, his heart heavy with the kind of weight that claws at your chest like it wants to rip something out.

The trip back to his dorm was quiet. Too quiet. Every set of eyes he passed burned into him.

Some whispered. Others didn’t bother whispering. Some looked afraid. A few stared at him with disgust.

Bill didn’t make eye contact with anyone. He walked quickly, shoulders hunched. And for the first time in his life… he understood.

|So this is what Legoshi felt like. Back in those first few weeks... Tall, towering, wolfish freak. Everyone looking at him like a damn monster.|

 |The silence. The space they gave him in the halls. And Legoshi had taken it. Quietly. Stoically. All that isolation never raising his voice, never lashing out...|

|He was fucking crazy|

Bill thought. 

|Too kind for his own damn good|

He clenched his fists as he passed the drama club wing, where banners still fluttered from the last performance.

|And still... after all of it... he didn’t fight back. Even when I lunged at him, even when I lost it... he didn’t fucking fight back.|

Bill hated himself. More than ever.

And as he reached the path leading to the dorms, he slowed down.

His dorm.

His “friends.”

He didn’t know if he could still call them that.

Hell, he didn’t even know if they wanted to be called that.

They hadn’t said much since the confrontation yesterday. Just silence. Glares. That goddamn tension in the air like a wire pulled too tight. And honestly… he couldn’t blame them. Not one bit.

He pushed open the dorm door and stepped inside, closing it behind him quietly.

There was laughter upstairs. Someone in the dorm playing a video game. Normal stuff. But Bill couldn’t join in. Not anymore. He couldn’t pretend nothing happened.

And as he stood there in the entranceway, eyes on the floor, all he could think was

|I finally get it, Legoshi. I really fucking get it now.

|I’m the monster this time.|

|you were just trying to live peacefully and I ruined it all..|

Bill stood at the threshold of Dorm 307, paw hesitating on the doorknob. His ears flicked. Inside, he could hear the usual murmur of conversation, the occasional thud of someone dropping a bag, the low purr of a fan. Normalcy. Something he no longer felt part of.

He took a breath and stepped inside.

Zerin was perched in the far corner, lazily flicking his tail as he read a book. Rojin was sprawled upside-down on the couch, one leg draped over the armrest, scrolling through his phone. Kaun sat on the floor, stretching, his eyes closed in focused silence. Toval leaned against the wall, arms crossed, engaged in a quiet chat with Nicholas  the white tiger, always sharp-looking, his icy gaze cutting toward the door for the briefest second when Bill entered… and then away again. Like Bill wasn’t even there.

Mael… Mael was the one Bill searched for the most. The lynx was usually the first to make a sarcastic comment when things got tense, the one to snort and break tension, to stick with Bill even through the more questionable moments.

Bill’s eyes finally landed on Mael, sitting at his desk, fiddling with something. Bill waited. Surely Mael would look up. Say something. A jab, a half-joke, anything. But Mael didn’t even twitch. Not a glance.

Bill stepped further in, dragging his feet like they were weighed down by iron. “Hey…”

No response.

He felt his chest tighten. His voice was hoarse, thinner than he expected. “Guys…”

Zerin’s ears flicked at the sound, but his eyes never left the page. Rojin blew a sharp breath through his nose and flipped onto his side, back to Bill. Kaun got up and walked right past him without acknowledging him, heading toward the showers. Toval’s conversation lowered in volume. Nicholas he just stared at Bill, not with fury, not with pity just that sterile, judgmental stillness that made Bill’s stomach twist.

And Mael… not even a glance.

It hit Bill like a claw to the gut.

They hated him.

Or worse they no longer even saw him as a dorm mate

He sank down onto the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. He hadn’t realized how utterly broken he looked until now. His fur was ruffled, eyes bloodshot, breath ragged from the hours he'd spent silently falling apart beside Legoshi’s hospital bed. His tail twitched slightly, like even his body wanted to slink out of the room.

He swallowed. “Mael…?”

The lynx paused. For a second, just a second, his paw slowed over the object he was working with. Then he stood up and walked to his closet, not saying a word.

And that was the worst part.

Not the glares. Not the judgment. Not even Nicholas’s icy silence.

It was Mael’s silence.

Bill felt something inside him crack deeper. The kind of crack that didn’t heal. The kind that made you wonder if there was even a point to trying anymore.

|I fucked it up. I fucked everything up.|

 He couldn’t say it aloud. But it echoed so loudly in his mind it was deafening.

He stopped himself from finishing the thought.

No one looked at him. No one spoke to him. He had never felt smaller. Not even when he was a cub getting beat up for having ugly stripes

He slowly curled forward, elbows on his knees, head in his paws.

And for the first time, in his own dorm, Bill felt like a stranger. Like a predator cornered. Alone.

Bill didn’t know how he managed to move, but his legs carried him to his bunk in the back corner of the dorm room. His steps were heavy, dragging like he was walking through sludge. He reached the bed, climbed up without a word, and pulled the curtains shut behind him

The thin fabric swayed faintly as they settled. In the muffled quiet, he sat there, staring at the wall just a few inches from his face, breath held tight in his chest.

Then the dam broke.

A single shudder rippled through him followed by another. His breath hitched and then came out in a stifled sob. He slapped a paw over his mouth, as if that would hold it in. But it didn’t.

His shoulders shook violently as the sobs came faster, rough and uneven, catching in his throat. The tears came hard now, hot and bitter, matting the fur on his cheeks.

He tried he tried to be quiet.

He pressed his forehead to the wall, eyes squeezed shut, biting down on his wrist to muffle the sound. But it didn’t matter. Even through the curtain, even through the silence that had settled over the dorm like a cold fog, the others could hear him.

Rojin’s ears twitched where he lay, tail curling tighter around himself.

Zerin looked up from his book, eyes flicking toward the bunk. He didn’t say anything, but his claws drummed a little faster on the pages.

Mael had stopped what he was doing altogether, his back still turned, but his ears were flattened now.

Kaun paused in the middle of brushing his fur. The rhythm stopped. He stared at the brush in his paw, then slowly set it down.

Nicholas was silent, eyes closed, brows slightly drawn. His ears twitched once then again but he didn’t turn his head.

Toval leaned back, arms crossed tightly now, the corner of his mouth tense, unmoving. He stared at the ceiling.

No one said a word.

But they all heard it. The way Bill’s sobs would rise, then abruptly cut off when he choked them back. The way he sucked in air like someone drowning in shame.

They didn’t move. They didn’t speak. But every single one of them felt it.

Guilt.

Confusion.

Disgust.

They weren't disgusted by bill but they were disgusted by their own actions 

Bill wept for a long time.

He wept until his throat burned, until his shoulders stopped shaking, until his body simply didn’t have the energy to cry anymore.

All that was left was silence.

And a room full of boys pretending they hadn’t just heard the most broken version of their dormmate fall apart behind a thin curtain.

The quiet didn’t last.

Not really.

Bill’s crying had softened, dulled to an occasional sniffle, a choked exhale, a muffled whimper. He curled in on himself behind the curtain, tail wrapped tight, arms tucked under his chest like a child trying to disappear. His breathing grew heavier, slower… exhaustion slowly smothering the grief like a wet blanket over flames.

Eventually, the silence returned in full.

Bill had cried himself to sleep.

But the weight he left behind still hung in the air like smoke from a fire.

Zerin finally shut his book, setting it on the desk with a soft thump. No one looked up. No one spoke.

Mael sat frozen on his bed, legs dangling off the edge, hands gripping the blanket so hard his claws had snagged the threads. His usual twitchy sarcasm had completely drained from his body.

He’d heard the way Bill had hesitated at the door earlier he’d seen it. Bill had looked at him like he always did when things got heavy, like Mael would say something anything to ground him. But Mael hadn’t. He couldn’t.

Now he could still hear the last gasping sobs of the tiger’s breakdown echoing in his skull.

His throat tightened.

“…damn it,” he whispered.

No one responded.

Mael rubbed his eyes hard with the heel of his palm. One tear. Just one, and then nothing. He wiped it away roughly and sat up straighter, jaw clenched.

He felt bad. They all did. But—

“He’s dangerous,” Kaun muttered at last, arms crossed.

 “We can’t just pretend like nothing happened.”

“He’s not dangerous,” Toval said flatly. “He’s broken.”

“Same thing,” 

Rojin replied

 “Sometimes broken stuff’s even more dangerous.”

Nicholas hadn’t moved. His ears stayed pinned back as he stared at nothing in particular. But his voice, when it came, was low. Thoughtful.

“None of us stopped him. None of us helped before it happened."

“That doesn’t mean we have to coddle him now,”

 Zerin said quietly.

 “He still lost control. That wasn’t just some push in drama club. He almost killed that wolf.”

Silence again

Mael swallowed. “He came to me, you guys.”

That made a few heads turn.

“He looked at me like—like I was the only one left. And I just sat there.”

“You think we didn’t notice?” 

Rojin said. 

“You think we didn’t all feel it when he shut those curtains?”

Kaun looked away. “He needs help. But we’re not the ones who can give it to him.”

“So what do we do?” Nicholas finally asked, eyes still focused ahead. “Do we tell the headmaster? Ask to move him out?”

No one liked the sound of that.

“Let’s… wait,” Mael muttered. “At least until that wolf wakes up. See what he says. I know that’s messed up, but…”

“If that wolf forgives him then maybe.. maybe bill would be okay"

No one said it out loud, but they all understood something unspoken.

Bill wasn’t the same anymore.

And neither were they

Seven more days passed. Ten days total since the play… since the stage was painted in red and regret.

Bill hadn’t heard a word about Legoshi. Not a whisper of change. No sign of progress. Just silence.

The kind that gnawed at him from the inside out.

His suspension had finally ended, but it didn’t feel like freedom. He walked back to class with heavy steps and heavier stares boring into his back. Eyes followed him like knives. He didn’t know if they wanted to watch him crumble or if they were waiting for it.

Even the teacher barely hid their disdain. Every time Bill’s attention wavered, even for a moment, he was called out. Mocked. Picked on. A question here. A jab there. Embarrassed in front of the whole class until his claws curled into his thighs and he stared blankly ahead, jaw clenched.

It wasn’t punishment anymore.

It was penance.

When the bell finally rang, Bill exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for hours. He shuffled out of the classroom, avoiding glances and mutters, tail low, ears angled downward.

The hallway wasn’t much better.

He walked with his eyes fixed on the floor until he heard a familiar voice.

“Bill.”

Bill stopped.

Jack stood down the corridor, hands tucked into the sleeves of his hoodie, golden fur dim under the overhead lights. He wasn’t walking. He wasn’t passing by. He was waiting. For someone.

For him.

Bill’s stomach twisted.

Jack looked hesitant. His ears flicked back slightly as he approached.

“…Legoshi woke up,” he said, voice low. “Yesterday.”

Bill froze.

Jack continued, eyes unreadable. “I stayed with him the whole weekend. He… he’s still weak. Can’t talk much. They’re keeping him at ClawMark ‘til he’s strong enough to walk on his own again.”

Bill didn’t say anything. His throat felt tight.

Jack stepped closer. “If you want to make things right… now’s your chance. Apologize. Before it’s too late.”

The words hit Bill like a stone, but he still shook his head slowly.

“I… I can’t,” he muttered, looking away. “Not yet. I can’t face him. Not like this.”

Jack stared at him for a moment longer, silent.

Bill swallowed. “When he’s cleared to come back to school… I’ll try. But not now.”

Jack exhaled sharply, the sound heavy with disappointment. He turned to leave.

But before walking away, he said without looking back:

“…I really hope he doesn’t forgive you.”

And then he was gone.

Leaving Bill alone again, with that cold guilt blooming in his chest like rot.

"Yeah I hope he doesn't either.." bill muttered to himself

Chapter Text

The dorm was silent now.

After hours of talk and the strange, awkward comfort of Bill’s visit, the door had finally shut behind him with a soft click. It echoed in Jack’s ears louder than it should have.

He didn’t move.

Legoshi had given Bill one of those rare, sincere nods the kind he only gave when he meant something. And Bill had nodded back. Then he was gone. Back to 307. Back to a dorm full of felines who didn’t trust him anymore.

Jack rolled over in his bed, pulling the blanket higher. Everyone else was already asleep. Durham was snoring like a busted leaf blower. Collot let out the occasional wheezy sigh from his bunk. Voss barely made a sound, tucked away above like a loaf of bread in a cupboard.

But Jack couldn’t sleep.

Not with his brain stuck on that damn image: Legoshi, hunched forward on the floor of the stage just a few days ago, eyes glassy, mouth trembling, hugging him like the world was ending. Blood soaked into the boards beneath him. His own blood.

|His blood.|

Jack squeezed his eyes shut.

|He keeps doing this.|

|He keeps throwing himself into danger like his life means less than everyone else’s.|

|And for what?|

|To protect people? To fix things? To make up for what he thinks is wrong with him?|

The image shifted in Jack’s mind Legoshi, half conscious chained up with a muzzle, and now.. he's somehow smiling like everything was fine.

|I can't even imagine what he felt..|

|It’s not fine.|

|It’s never been fine.|

Jack sat up slightly, careful not to make the bunk creak. The moonlight through the window painted long lines across the dorm floor. He glanced toward Legoshi’s bed.

He was asleep now, arm dangling limply over the side, chest rising and falling with quiet rhythm. He looked… peaceful. Vulnerable in a way he never showed when awake. And Jack felt his heart twist.

|What if he dies next time?|

|Whatifnext time,there is no recovery? No returning to the dorm. No quiet breath|

|What if I never get the chance to—|

Jack froze, the thought completing itself before he could stop it

|What if I never get the chance to tell him I love him?|

The words rang in his head like a dropped glass.

He stared down at his paws, claws curled into his blanket.

|I love him|

There. It was real now. Not a passing thought. Not just protectiveness. Not just best-friend-worry. It was love, and it had been for longer than he wanted to admit.

|And if something happened to Legoshi before i ever got the chance to say it…?|

No. He wouldn’t let that happen.

But he couldn’t just blurt it out either. Not to Legoshi. Not now. Not while he was still healing, still figuring himself out. It would only confuse him… maybe even push him away.

So… he wouldn’t confess.

Not with words.

But maybe he could still say it in ways Legoshi would understand. Quiet, canine ways. Touch, presence, little acts of care. Things that might slip under the radar to others but would mean everything between two animals like them.

Tomorrow, he’d start.

He didn’t know how long it would take, or if Legoshi would ever really know what it meant. But Jack would make sure Legoshi felt it. Felt safe. Loved. Wanted.

Even if it was silent.

Even if it never got said out loud.

Jack settled back into bed, eyes still wide, but his chest slightly lighter.

He’d protect Legoshi however he could.

Even from his own silence.

-the next morning-

Jack just offered a small smile and did something unusual he bumped his nose gently against Legoshi’s wrist before turning away.

Legoshi paused. |That was… new|

Not a big thing. Just a touch subtle, brief. But it lingered in his mind longer than it should have.

—

Throughout the morning, Jack stayed close.

He kept stealing glances, but whenever Legoshi turned, Jack would look away, pretending to be focused on a passing noticeboard or the shine of his claws.

When they walked to class Jack positioned himself right next to Legoshi even brushing their shoulders once or twice, pretending it was accidental. When Legoshi leaned down to pick up a pencil, Jack gave his tail a single, affectionate nudge with his nose a common canine gesture. Friendly. Warm. But Legoshi caught the way Jack’s tail wagged slower afterward, more deliberately.

By the time they reached the common building, Legoshi finally had to ask, “You okay?”

Jack looked up, grinning too fast. “Yeah! Of course. Just… glad to have you back.”

Something about the tone felt off. But Legoshi let it go.

—

Late morning brought the visit to the drama club.

“going back to the dorm?” Legoshi asked Jack at the front doors.

Jack hesitated. “yeah I'm pretty sure collot's back already”

He smiled again, but this one didn’t reach his eyes.

Legoshi shrugged and made his way down the the halls

—

The rehearsal space felt strange. Familiar, but not warm. Bill was already there, leaning back against a prop wall with his arms crossed. The club had paused whatever scene they’d been working on, everyone turning toward Legoshi the moment he stepped in.

Riz blinked from across the room. “Legoshi…”

“You’re alive,” Kibi muttered, 

Els came rushing over "legoshi! Bill told us what happened to you are you okay?"

Bill pushed off the wall. “He’s alive, and he looks like a ghost. Come on, don’t mob him.”

Legoshi whispered to bill asking "hey why'd you tell them?"

"Don't worry I didn't tell them we got lost in the back alley market.."

"Oh okay.."

Legoshi then smiled faintly. “I’m not here to make a big thing. Just wanted to stop by. See you all. And maybe help out again soon.. sorry about that..."

“Only if you’re really ready,” Els said firmly. “We’re not pushing you back into anything.”

“I know.” He turned to Bill. “You, uh… back with your dorm mates?”

Bill scratched his neck. “no.. not yet and I don't think that'll be happening anytime soon..”

Legoshi frowned

The two stood awkwardly for a beat. Then Bill stepped forward 

“I’m not gonna make excuses again,” he said. “But if you ever wanna punch me in the gut, I won’t block.”

Legoshi chuckled once. “Maybe later.”

The room softened. Someone made a dumb joke. Tension began to dissolve.

—

Back at 701, Jack noticed immediately that Legoshi was gone longer than expected.

By the time Legoshi returned, the sun had dipped and cast orange stripes across the wooden floor. Jack was sitting on the lower bunk, staring at his homework without really doing it. When Legoshi stepped inside, he looked up and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.

“Welcome back,” he said, tail still.

Legoshi tilted his head. “You okay?”

“Fine.”

Jack turned the page of his homework too hard and almost tore it. Legoshi sat on the edge of his own bunk and watched his friend quietly.

“Did something happen?”

“Nope.”

The tension in Jack’s voice was clear short, snappy, unnatural. Voss glanced up from his bunk across the room and met Collot’s eyes. Miguno raised an eyebrow. Durham sighed through his nose but said nothing.

They all knew.

They weren’t stupid.

They had seen Jack’s little nudges. The way he lingered near Legoshi all day. How he shifted when Legoshi mentioned Bill’s name  

how his ears flattened and tail stilled. It was obvious to everyone but Legoshi.

Legoshi leaned down, letting his upper body hang over the edge to peer upside-down at Jack. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

Jack didn’t look up.

“Nothing,” he repeated.

Legoshi reached down, tapping Jack’s shoulder with his fingers. “Come on, don’t do that thing where you shut me out. If I messed something up—”

“You didn’t!” Jack snapped suddenly, then winced. “You didn’t. I just… have a lot on my mind.”

He glanced at Jack again, watching his stiff posture, his tense tail. “Did I… do something?”

Jack finally looked up but not at Legoshi. “I said I’m fine.”

The lie hung thick in the air.

Legoshi didn’t push.

But his chest ached. He climbed into his bed and sat down slowly, then curled inward, folding his knees toward his chest. He stared at the blank wall for a long moment before hugging himself, trying to breathe evenly. He swallowed hard.

|What did I do wrong…?|

 he thought. 

|Jack was fine this morning. He was happy to see me. Wasn’t he?|

Legoshi clenched his jaw.

|I must’ve messed up. I always mess things up. Maybe I hurt him somehow maybe he saw me with Bill and thought I didn’t care about him? Does he think I'm replacing him? No that’s not true. I care About him and grandpa more than more than anyone.|

He pressed his face into his knees

 |Why is he acting like this?|

 |Why won’t he talk to me?|

The pressure in his chest grew tight, hot. He held back the tears best he could—crying would just make Jack madder. He was probably already annoyed enough.

He sat straight on his bed quietly. 

—

That night, Jack didn’t say goodnight.

He turned over in his bunk and faced the wall. His ears were low, his tail barely twitched.

Legoshi laid on his bed staring at the ceiling. Something was wrong, and he didn’t know what.

the other boys shifted in their beds, exchanging subtle looks in the dim glow of the light.

Voss whispered something to Collot. Miguno rolled onto his side.

Nobody said a word to Legoshi.

They all knew.

They just didn’t know how to tell him.

And Jack wouldn’t say it either not yet.

Just little hints. Small touches. The tail-wag that stopped when Bill’s name came up. The sharp tone. The silence.

It was only the beginning.

But Jack’s heart was loud, even if his words were quiet.

The rest of the day passed and jack kept ignoring legoshi talking to him with short responses and Legoshi's heart completely sank, 

that night while everyone was asleep he would finally let the dam break.

The sniffles weren’t loud.

But to canines, they didn’t have to be.

[Well there is an impostor in the "CANINE" dorm.. still wondering how miguno snuck in]

Collot’s ears twitched, then Voss sat up. Durham groaned quietly, pulling his blanket aside. Miguno blinked, adjusting to the dim light. All of them were awake now, eyes turning toward the source of the sound

“…Legoshi?” Collot asked softly.

No reply.

Only a quiet inhale shaky and uneven.

Durham leaned forward, voice more gentle. “Hey… what’s wrong?”

Legoshi lay curled on his bed, his back turned, right arm clutched tight to his chest left one.. or at least what was left of it, laying limp

“I’m fine,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Legoshi.” This time it was Voss, voice flat. “Don’t lie.”

He didn’t answer.

Then the room caught the faintest stutter of breath just enough to betray that he was crying. Legs drawn in, shoulders rising and falling in trembling waves. He tried so hard to keep quiet, but they could all hear it now.

“I don’t know what I did,” Legoshi whispered. “I don’t know what I did wrong…”

Miguno asked crouching beside him. “Wrong?”

“I tried. I thought… things were good. Between us.” His breath hitched. “I—I don’t know what changed.”

He clamped his eyes shut, but that didn’t stop the tears. They dripped down to the blanket, dampening the fabric beneath his muzzle.

“He won’t talk to me. He won’t tell me what I did. He won’t even look at me anymore.”

Voss knelt up on the mattress, touching Legoshi’s shoulder lightly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I must’ve. I had to.”

His whole body tensed, breath caught in his throat. He was trying not to cry louder, but the pressure was too much. It was burning in his chest, in his lungs, in the back of his throat.

“I’m scared,” he said suddenly. “I don’t want him to leave. I don’t want to lose him.”

The others stayed silent.

Then barely audible, spoken through trembling lips

“…I love him.”

The room was still.

Only Collot, Voss, Miguno, and Durham heard it. They didn’t say anything just looked at each other, stunned. Their friend… their quiet, loyal, selfless friend… had just unraveled in front of them.

And in the dark of his bunk across the room, Jack still lay silent. Curtains drawn. Ears full of blood from guilt, but not sound. He hadn’t heard it.

Legoshi pressed his face harder into his arms.

“But I ruined it,” he whispered again. “I ruined everything. He probably hates me. And I…”

His voice trembled, cracked, and then fell apart.

“what if he never talks to me again?” he sobbed.

The tears came in full now, his body convulsing with grief.

Miguno reached up and gently pulled a blanket over him. Voss stayed sitting close, resting beside his arm. Durham knelt on the floor, head lowered, watching with worry. Collot just stared, fists clenched, heart heavy.

And behind the curtain, Jack bit down on the edge of his pillow.

Because he couldn’t handle what he was hearing.

And he hadn’t even heard the worst of it.

Legoshi’s claws trembled where they clutched the blanket. His throat was raw now, his eyes burning from the tears but they wouldn’t stop. He sniffled, trying to breathe through it, trying to steady himself. But the tightness in his chest only grew.

“…Should I just leave him alone?” he croaked suddenly.

All four canines (one impostor) around him tensed. Collot leaned in from the edge of the bunk, frowning.

“Legoshi—”

“I mean it,” Legoshi rasped. “What if… what if he never wants to talk to me again? What if I made him hate me?”

Voss gave a soft shake of his head. “He doesn’t hate you. He’s not mad.”

“He is,” Legoshi said, his voice suddenly rising raw and desperate. “Of course he is! He won’t look at me, he won’t answer me.. he won’t say anything!”

Miguno reached forward, trying to settle a paw on Legoshi’s arm, but Legoshi jerked away, curling tighter.

“You didn’t see his face when I tried to talk to him…!” His breathing picked up, hitching. “He looked away from me like—like I’d done something awful! And I don’t even know what I did! I don’t know!”

His voice cracked violently. The others leaned in, instincts kicking in, ears fully alert. Legoshi’s breaths were fast, too fast uneven gasps between words, his chest heaving.

“Legoshi—” Durham began, but the words died on his tongue.

“I ruined everything!” Legoshi choked. “I—I ruined it—! I hurt him!”

He hunched forward suddenly, paws gripping his skull, claws lightly digging into his scalp as he shook, eyes wide and wet.

“I ruined it— I don’t know how— I just wanted to be close to him—!”

The panic hit in full force.

His breaths came in harsh, shallow gasps. His chest spasmed like it couldn’t get enough air. His claws trembled harder, his body rocking forward, trying to press into something solid—something real—but finding nothing.

“I can’t—I can’t—!”

“Legoshi, breathe,” Collot said quickly, crawling into the bunk beside him now, gripping his shoulders. “You’re having a panic attack, buddy—come on—!”

“I didn’t mean to—I swear—!”

“You’re okay, you’re okay—just listen to my voice,” Miguno said, joining him, paws on Legoshi’s back. “You didn’t ruin anything. Just breathe with me—one, two—breathe in—”

Legoshi couldn’t. The sobs overtook him now loud, unfiltered, ragged. He bent forward until his forehead touched his knees, his whole body shuddering.

Collot wrapped his arms around him, murmuring low, steady things. Voss leaned against his side on his shoulders lending quiet warmth. Durham squeezed Legoshi’s hand, grounding him.

But nothing could hide the fact that they were all shaken.

Legoshi had cried before.

He had panicked before.

He had broken down before when his arm was taken, when his past caught up with him,

But this was different.

This wasn’t just sadness.

This was heartbreak.

And he sounded so utterly broken yet they didn’t know how to put him back together.

Jack laid still on his bed, curled toward the wall, eyes wide open but unfocused behind the curtain of his bunk. He’d heard Every sob. Every cracked breath from Legoshi. Every panicked cry that clawed its way out of him.

He couldn’t move.

He couldn’t face him.

His chest felt like it had caved in. Jack hadn’t known how fragile Legoshi became when it came to him. He didn’t know his silence would cut this deep. That just avoiding eye contact could shatter Legoshi like porcelain dropped on tile.

And now Jack didn’t know what to do.

There was nothing he could say. Nothing that would undo the damage he’d caused.

All he could do was lay there, gritting his teeth and listening to the others try to gather the pieces.

---

Down below, the others were still huddled close around Legoshi.

“It’s okay,” Voss whispered, brushing lightly against Legoshi’s shoulder. “It’s okay, you’re safe here. Just breathe…”

“Jack doesn’t hate you,” Miguno said gently. “I promise. He wouldn’t—he couldn’t. You’ve been through too much together.”

“You two have been best friends for years,” Durham added, voice low. “He’s not mad. He’s probably just… processing. That’s all.”

But Legoshi shook his head violently, still curled in on himself. “No… no, you didn’t see him, I saw his face. I ruined everything—he’s mad, I know it—!”

“Legoshi,” Collot said sharply but not unkindly, scooting closer, “you need to calm down, alright?”

Legoshi blinked, eyes glassy.

“You’re exhausted. You’re overwhelmed. You haven’t had proper rest since you came from that.. panda ” Collot kept his paw on Legoshi’s back, firm and steady. “You’re not going to fix anything like this. Just take a breath. You need to rest first.”

“But—”

“Rest, Legoshi,” Collot said more firmly. “You can’t keep thinking clearly like this. You’re spiraling. We’re here. We’ve got you.”

Voss nodded. “Please, just sleep. We’ll stay close. Nothing bad is going to happen tonight. Not while we’re here.”

Legoshi trembled, still sniffling—his body wracked with the aftershocks of the panic attack. But slowly, reluctantly, he leaned into Collot’s side, burying his face into the fur on his shoulder. He was still shaking.

But he didn’t fight anymore.

Not with them holding him.

Not with Jack still silent in the bunk above.

Legoshi’s shuddering slowed gradually, little by little, until the softest of breaths puffed from his nose no longer strained, no longer broken. His arms were still curled close to his chest, his claws lightly digging into the front of Collot’s shirt. But his body had gone limp, head resting against Collot’s shoulder.

“He’s asleep,” Collot whispered, barely audible over the gentle hush in the dorm room.

Everyone let out a breath they hadn’t realized they were holding.

“Thank god,” Miguno muttered, rubbing at his face. “I didn’t think he could fall asleep like that.”

“He was running on fumes,” Voss said quietly, still perched beside them. “He had nothing left.”

Collot looked down at the weight leaning into him, Legoshi’s ears twitching faintly even in sleep. “Durham. Miguno. Help me lay him down. Gently.”

The two nodded and moved carefully. Together, the three of them shifted Legoshi with practiced care, easing him into his bunk. Despite his size, his limp form was easy to carry when it was three of them—like putting down a sleeping animal too tired to stir. Collot pulled the blanket over him, tucking it beneath his chin.

They stood around the bunk in silence for a moment.

 Voss was the first to speak.

“…I’ve never seen him like that,” the fennec whispered. He stood on Miguno’s bed now, arms crossed tightly over his small chest. “Even when he told us about… you know, his past. He didn’t cry like that.”

Miguno rubbed the back of his neck. “That wasn’t crying. That was—” He looked away, jaw clenching. “He broke down. I didn’t think he could. He’s always the one who'd.. well he cried too before but..”

Durham’s ears folded back. “I kept thinking he was going to stop. That he’d calm down. But it got worse the more he talked.”

“I thought he was gonna faint,” Collot said softly. He crouched down beside the bed now, one paw resting gently on Legoshi’s shoulder. “The way his breath started shaking? He was panicking.”

Voss’s ears drooped. “He thought Jack hated him. That he messed everything up.”

“He didn’t mess anything up,” Miguno growled quietly, but not in anger just sadness. “It’s not his fault.”

Collot nodded slowly. “No. But that's what he believes. That he did something wrong just by… I don’t know. By not understanding. Or maybe by caring too much.”

Durham sat down on the floor, tail curling around his ankles. “He said he didn’t know what he’d do if Jack never talked to him again. That’s what scared me. He said it like he meant something serious.”

The silence that followed made the room feel colder.

“…Do you think he would’ve hurt himself?” Voss asked.

No one answered right away.

Collot’s paw tensed slightly on Legoshi’s shoulder, then relaxed. “…I don’t know. But if Jack had said anything harsher if he’d pushed him away completely I don’t think Legoshi would’ve handled it well. He’s not used to this kind of pain.”

“Not from Jack,” Miguno added. “He’d take a beating, lose a limb, get screamed at by anyone else and still say sorry for it… but if Jack doesn’t look at him for one day? It breaks him.”

“That’s love, isn’t it?” Durham murmured.

"It was like he couldn't live without jack.."

They all glanced at each other.

“He whispered it,” Collot said. “I wasn’t even sure I heard him at first. But he said it. ‘I love Jack.’”

Voss nodded slowly. “We all heard it.”

Miguno exhaled through his nose, pacing a little. “So now what? Do we talk to Jack? Tell him what happened?”

“No,” Collot said, almost immediately. “Not yet.”

Voss blinked. “Why not?”

Collot stood slowly, letting his paw fall away from Legoshi’s arm. “Because Legoshi said all that thinking Jack was asleep. He was vulnerable. That wasn’t for anyone but us. We owe it to him to keep that trust.”

“But Jack—” Durham started.

“Jack knows he hurt him,” Collot said firmly, his gaze drifting to the curtain across the room. “i think He knows. And he’s hurting too. But this raw, fragile part that belongs to Legoshi. We wait until he’s ready. And if he never wants Jack to know, then we protect that.”

There was a beat of silence. Then Voss nodded. “Alright.”

Durham leaned against the wall with a sigh. “I just hope this doesn’t destroy both of them.”

Miguno sat on the edge of his bed, staring at Legoshi’s sleeping face. “Yeah,” he whispered. “Me too.”

The soft sound of Legoshi’s breathing filled the room, shallow but steady. It was a relief after everything, hearing him sleep was a sign that, for now, he was safe. But no one in Dorm 701 could rest.

Miguno flopped backward onto his bed with a heavy sigh. “What do we even do tomorrow?”

Collot lowered his voice again. “We get up. Act normal. Make sure Legoshi eats. Talks. Walks. That’s all we can do.”

“Jack’s gonna feel it too,” Durham muttered. “All of it. That curtain doesn’t block much. He probably heard more than we think.”

Voss looked over at the quiet silhouette still turned away in bed. “You think he heard the crying?”

They all paused again.

“Yeah,” Collot finally said. “i think- No. I'm sure He heard.”

But what they didn’t know was that Jack hadn’t heard Collot’s promise to keep Legoshi’s words private. He hadn’t heard Legoshi whisper “I love Jack.” That part had been lost to him in the fog of his own spiraling thoughts. All he knew was that at that time legoshi was completely broken.

Jack’s eyes were wide open behind the curtain, staring blankly into the fabric.

|He cried like that just because I didn’t look at him.|

|Because I ignored him for one afternoon|

Jack felt sick. Physically sick. Something heavy had crawled into his chest and settled there like it meant to stay.

|He was shaking. I could hear him gasping for air. All because of me.|

The thought kept looping, drowning out the rest of the world.

|If I’d said anything worse… if I’d yelled or shouted too much… he might’ve…|

He squeezed his eyes shut.

|I didn’t know he was so fragile. I didn’t know I could hurt him like that. I didn’t know.|

Jack couldn’t stop hearing Legoshi’s voice cracking, couldn’t stop picturing his best friend curled up on the floor, clutching his chest, barely breathing. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t face him. He couldn’t fix this. All he could do was stay silent and hope Legoshi could recover… because if Jack said anything now, he was sure it’d only make things worse.

He was just so wrong

He hadn’t even realized his claws were dug deep into his blanket.

- the next morning -

Morning crept in slowly. Pale light filtered through the windows of Dorm 701, soft and golden but the usual warmth wasn’t there.

Legoshi sat on the edge of his bed, his back hunched forward, blanket draped over his shoulders like a forgotten thought. He hadn’t said much. Barely looked at anyone. His ears stayed folded down, limp, dull. His eyes were puffy and glassy, still red-rimmed from the night before.

He tried once voice barely audible.

“…Jack?”

But across the room, Jack flinched.

"Jack please..."

The Labrador's body tensed under his blanket. He didn’t answer. He didn’t even look.

Legoshi tried again, just a little louder. “Jack, can we—?”

Jack stood and grabbed his uniform in silence, not turning his head. He left the dorm shortly after not even taking another glance

Legoshi’s voice stopped in his throat.

He pulled his knees up into his chest, breathing shallow.

|Please.. tell me|

|What did I..|

|Do.|

---

1st to 3rd period came and went. Dorm 701 had settled at their usual table in the cafeteria, plates piled with rice, veggies, and soy-based protein. Everyone ate. Everyone, except Legoshi.

He sat with his tray untouched. He hadn’t picked up his food once. He just sat there, his ears drooped, tail tucked tightly against his leg. His eyes kept flicking always toward Jack.

Jack didn’t notice. Or at least, he pretended not to.

“Hey…” Collot leaned in, lowering his voice. “You should eat, Legoshi.”

Legoshi didn’t even shake his head. He just whispered, “I’m not hungry.”

Collot frowned. That wasn’t right. Large-breed carnivores like wolves needed steady nutrition to stay strong. a missed meal could drain them fast.

 He tried to remember

|wasn’t it said that wolves could go days maybe months without eating?|

Still… Legoshi wasn’t just skipping food. He looked like a hollowed-out version of himself.

Miguno, Voss, and Durham shot him occasional glances. All of them felt it. The quiet worry. The awkward heaviness. The ache of knowing something was wrong but not being able to fix it.

Jack sat at the opposite end of the table, looking down, never once turning to face Legoshi. 

|He needs space|

|He’s not ready| 

That’s what Jack kept telling himself.

|He just needs time.|

But oh, how wrong he was.

---

Classes didn’t help.

Legoshi dragged himself from period to period. His books weren’t in his paw half the time. He barely spoke when called on. Not once did his ears lift. Not once did his tail move. He walked like he was underwater—sluggish, floating.

The worst part?

Jack saw it.

Every. Single. Time.

In math, Legoshi dropped his pencil and didn’t bother picking it up. In literature, he stared out the window with a vacant look. Jack sat three rows behind and kept trying not to stare. But he couldn’t look away.

He couldn’t unsee the damage. Couldn’t unhear the sobs. Couldn’t forget how broken Legoshi had sounded.

|This is because of me.|

---

After classes, Jack lingered outside the in the hallway as Legoshi walked toward the drama club alone, his steps heavy, shoulders sagging.

|He’s going to see Bill.|

Jack’s stomach twisted. He still didn’t trust Bill Completely but for now they were okay and when Legoshi was with bill?

He smiled more.

He laughed, sometimes.

He even stood taller.

Jack knew deep down that Legoshi was always happiest with him. But right now, it would be best for jack to stay away

And Bill… Bill would fill in if Jack left a gap.

Jack couldn’t bring himself to chase after Legoshi. Couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

So he stayed frozen in the hallway

Watching the only person who ever mattered walk away, miserable and alone.

The drama club was its usual mix of movement and chatter, costumes shifting in the racks, props being cleaned and sorted but today, something felt off.

Legoshi stood off to the side, as he always did. But he wasn’t really standing. He was barely there.

His ears were pressed tightly against his skull. His shoulders didn’t move, even when the rest of the club laughed at a joke. His arm hung like dead weight. His tail didn’t twitch. Not once. It just drooped behind him, limp and forgotten. Spacing out even when he was called.

“Hey.”

Bill’s voice cut through the mild bustle. “Legoshi.”

The tiger had come jogging across the room. His orange fur looked brighter under the lights, but there was nothing playful in his face. No sharp grin or arrogant swagger.

“Are you okay?” he asked, panting slightly.

Legoshi didn’t turn to him.

Didn’t flinch.

Just stared directly at the ground

He just said flatly, “Yeah. I’m fine.”

It was the kind of lie that made everyone go quiet.

Even Els, who had been working on set pieces, glanced up her little hands confused. A few other members had paused what they were doing. All eyes were subtly drifting toward the unmoving gray wolf.

And surprisingly even Louis looked over.

His brows knit.

He’d seen Legoshi tired before. Even shaken.

But not like this.

Not like...

---

One hour passed.

Legoshi hadn’t moved from his spot. Hadn’t said a word. Hadn’t reacted once. Not to questions. Not to rehearsal notes. Not even to a light falling loudly right beside him

His ears never lifted.

His tail never twitched.

Bill watched him the whole time. His paws were tense. His eyes flicked constantly.

|What’s wrong with him?|

Even Louis, the calm and unreadable Louis had glanced Legoshi’s way more than once.

|This isn’t right|

Bill thought.

|He’s not okay|

Finally, Bill stepped forward.

“Alright,” he said. “That’s enough. Something’s wrong.”

Legoshi slowly turned his head.

Bill looked directly into his dull, half-lidded eyes. “I’m not gonna stand here while you act like nothing’s happening. You helped me pull myself together when I was down, remember?”

He thumped his chest. “It’s my turn. Let me help you.”

“I’m fine,” Legoshi muttered again, his voice even drier now.

Bill stepped closer, frowning. “No, you’re not! You can’t lie to me like that. You think I don’t notice how dead you look? What's going on? Tell me!”

Legoshi’s lip barely trembled but that was all.

Legoshi only had one thought.. 

Jack's face he thought of how jack completely ignored him. mad at him. what would happen if jack never wanted to see him again.

|Am.. I not enough..?|

|I'm not good enough|

|I made jack mad|

|What do I do if he doesn't want to talk to me anymore?|

|Does jack even.. love me?|

|No We're just friends.. if I tell him I love him he'll... He will never talk to me again|

|I don't want it. No|

|I don't..|

|Jack please..|

|I love you jack.. what do I have to do..?|

|Am I overthinking? |

|Is he just in a bad mood..?|

|It's all my fault|

|Do you love me the way I love you?|

|Please.. tell me|

Legoshi broke. his own mind choked him just the thought of jack crying was enough to make legoshi panic so what would happen if..

|Why does my fur look so white..? No. It is white.|

|Shock? Stress? Guilt? Fear..?|

 |No.| 

|This is.. a taste of reality.. a glimpse into the future..|

|Jack will..|

|never..|

|love me|

...

Just then Bill’s ears perked slightly.

|Wait...|

His eyes narrowed.

There was something wrong with Legoshi’s fur.

No… something was changing.

“What the hell—?” Bill said under his breath.

Around Legoshi’s snout… the gray was fading. Fading fast. His fur was draining of color, bleached, pale, white.

White fur.

All of it.

The room went silent.

Dom dropped the fabric he'd been folding.

Louis froze.

“What the hell is happening to your fur?!”

 Bill shouted now, backing up.

 “Legoshi?!”

But Legoshi didn’t respond.

He didn’t even blink.

Only one thing happened.

A single tear rolled down his white face

One.

And it was enough.

Everyone in the room felt the shift.

Even sanu dropped his pen

Something had broken.

Louis’s eyes widened.

He knew.

Louis had seen this before back when he visited a facility for young carnivores with behavioral conditions. Wolves… foxes… A few of them exhibited the same symptom when stress reached levels beyond comprehension, their fur bleached white, like their bodies were screaming for help when their voices couldn't.

|Emotional collapse...?|

A cry for safety when the world felt unsafe.

Louis clenched his fists.

|It already happened. Whatever this was—it broke him. What happened? What the hell happened legoshi? Did you lose someone you loved? Wh- |

Louis's thoughts were cut off

“Legoshi!” Bill called again, voice rising in panic. “Legoshi, look at me! What’s wrong?! say something—!”

But then

Legoshi’s body wobbled.

His eyes glazed over.

And then—

{THUD}

He collapsed.

Bill rushed to pick him up and went straight out of the drama club

|Legoshi what the hell? Why do bad things always happen to you? Why is your fur white? Why were you crying?|

|Focus.|  Bill thought 

"Rex damn it legoshi" bill mumbled as he ran faster

“MOVE! MOVE!!”

Bill barreled down the hallway, Legoshi’s limp, white-furred body cradled in his arms His voice echoed through the hallway, frantic and raw.

A zebra opened the infirmary doors eyes going wide as she saw who Bill was carrying.

“What happened?!”

“I—I don’t know!” Bill gasped, struggling to keep Legoshi balanced. “He just—he collapsed! And his fur—it’s white! Just—please, help him!”

“calm down! lay him on the bed”

Bill moved fast, but carefully, placing Legoshi on the bed as the nurse checked his vitals.

“I don’t know what’s wrong,” Bill muttered, breathing heavily, his claws trembling. “He wasn’t talking. He just kept saying he was fine and—now he’s not—”

The nurse hushed him softly. “He’s breathing. But we’ll need to monitor him.”

Bill clenched his teeth. “You better do more than that…”

---

The entire room was silent. Everyone stood in a rough circle, still processing what had happened.

Dom was the first to speak. “H-His fur… it turned white. I didn’t even know wolves could do that.”

Aoba’s voice was quiet. “I thought he was just tired… I didn’t think it was that serious.”

Tao, ears twitching nervously, looked at the floor. “He didn’t move once for an hour. Not once. Not even his tail.”

Els glanced between everyone, visibly shaken. “I was going to ask if he wanted water. But I didn’t want to bother him…”

Moro crossed his arms, staring at the door Bill had run through. “What the hell happened to him? I’ve never seen Legoshi look like that. Ever.”

Sanu spoke up from the edge of a table. “That wasn’t exhaustion. That was… something else.”

Els, still gripping the fabric she dropped earlier, said shakily, “He cried. He only shed one tear but… ”

Dom nodded. “I felt like I was looking at someone who wasn’t even there anymore.”

“I thought he was just cold,” aoba murmured. “But his eyes… they were empty... Do you know what-”

That was when Louis finally stepped forward.

He looked at each of them, brows drawn in stern concentration. Then he spoke:

“…His fur turned white because he’s traumatized or maybe stressed.."

Everyone turned to him at once.

“What?” Els whispered.

Louis’s tone remained calm, clinical but there was a heaviness behind it. “I’ve seen it before. Once. When I was visiting a center for carnivores struggling with stress disorders. It’s rare… but it happens.”

Mina stepped forward, stunned. “You’re saying his fur color changed because he’s… stressed?”

“It’s not just stress,” Louis corrected. “It’s trauma. An extreme, emotional collapse. A body response to the mind being pushed beyond its limit.”

Dom swallowed hard. “You’re saying… something...”

Louis’s silence said it all.

Tao blinked rapidly. “But what could’ve done that? Legoshi’s been through hell already! That fight with Bill, the play, Tem’s death, carnivore rumors—”

Aoba interrupted, voice soft. “It’s none of those, is it?”

Louis gave a slow, subtle shake of his head. “No. This was something else. And it had to be recent.”

Els was trembling now. “Whatever it was… it must have hurt more than all of that combined…”

Sanu frowned “Then that means he’s… still in it. It hasn’t passed. He’s stuck in 'it' ”

Everyone fell silent again.

A long, terrible silence.

Until Dom spoke again, his voice cracking, “He was always the one helping us but we don't even know how to help him now”

-bill-

The dorm door slammed open so hard it bounced off the wall.

“GUYS—!!”

Bill’s voice cracked with urgency as he burst into the room, panting, panic in his eyes.

Everyone in 701 looked up from their spots Collot half-asleep, Durham flipping through a textbook, Voss perched on the windowsill. Jack lay on his bed, still curled under his blanket, ears twitching faintly.

Bill didn’t wait.

“It’s Legoshi—!” he shouted. “Something happened! In drama club—he—he passed out!”

Jack’s head shot up instantly. “What?”

“His fur turned white,” Bill blurted. “I swear to Rex—it turned white right in front of us. And then he collapsed!”

The room went still.

“Wait, what?” Durham said, eyes wide.

“huh…?” Miguno muttered, already on his feet.

Collot’s eyes narrowed. “Bill. What do you mean ‘white’? Like… completely?”

“Yes!! Like ghost-white!” Bill clutched his head. “He kept spacing out he wasn’t talking—he said he was ‘fine,’ but he was lying. His tail didn’t move the whole time! Then one tear—and boom. Just gone. I ran him to the infirmary!”

Silence.

Jack slowly rose from his bed, face pale. His chest was heaving slightly.

He knew.

He knew what that meant.

Legoshi… breaking like that?

That wasn’t something a friend did.

That wasn’t just best friend pain.

That was deeper.

Far deeper.

Jack’s voice was quiet. “His fur turned white because of…”

The others turned toward him, stunned by the sudden clarity in his voice.

Collot stepped forward. “Jack—what are you saying?”

Jack didn’t blink. “This is my fault.”

“Hey, hold on,” Miguno said, brows furrowed. “Don’t jump to conclusions—”

“No.” Jack looked at them. “You were there You saw what I did. I ignored him. I hurt him. I made him think he did something wrong when he didn’t. I avoided him thinking it’d help, that it’d protect him. But that was the worst thing I could’ve done.”

He gritted his teeth.

“He cried last night thinking I hated him.”

No one said a word.

Then Jack whispered, more to himself than to them

“…This wasn’t just best friend stuff. If he reacted that hard, if he broke like that… he must’ve—”

The words stuck in his throat.

Then they came out, shaky, barely audible 

“...Does he love me?”

Jack’s eyes widened in real time as the realization hit him like a truck.

But there was no time for paralysis.

He bolted.

“I have to see him now!”

“Jack—!” Collot started.

But he was already at the door.

The rest scrambled behind him Voss leapt onto Durham’s shoulder, Miguno grabbed Bill by the arm, and Collot slammed the door shut behind them as they all sprinted down the hallway.

To the infirmary.

To him.

To..

legoshi

He came in there seeing that the rest of the drama club had already arrived just standing beside the unconscious Legoshi

Jack was the first to enter from 701 and the moment his eyes locked onto Legoshi’s limp form, his paws trembled.

He rushed over, collapsing to his knees at the bedside.

“…Legoshi…” he whispered, his voice cracking as tears pooled in his eyes. “I’m sorry I’m so sorry…”

Bill stood behind him, hands curled tightly at his sides. “Jack hey, it’s okay. This isn’t all on you...”

Jack shook his head violently. “No. No, don’t say that.” His voice broke, tears streaking down his face “I did this. I let him think I hated him. I ignored him, when he needed me most I pushed him away when he was already fragile. This happened because of me.”

He looked up at Bill, and at the rest of Dorm 701 who had just entered and stood silently around the bed.

“I hurt him…”

Suddenly, a weak rustling. A slow breath. Then Legoshi stirred.

Everyone leaned forward.

His eyes fluttered open and then, alarmed, he sat straight up with a gasp. His breathing quickened until his gaze landed on..

“Jack…?”

Jack was crying again.

“Legoshi—!” Jack lunged forward and threw his arms around him. “I’m sorry- I’m so sorry- I didn’t mean to hurt you- I-i didn’t know you’d take it like that—I didn’t know I meant that much—!”

Legoshi blinked, stunned by the sudden embrace, by Jack’s sobbing.

Jack clung to him desperately. “I thought I was doing the right thing by giving you space but I—I broke you instead i-!”

His voice was hoarse, trembling.

And then Jack’s next words spilled out like a dam bursting

“Legoshi… do you… do you love me?”

Everyone in the room held their breaths

Legoshi froze, staring at Jack’s wet, tear-streaked face, at his trembling paws gripping his body.

He didn’t move.

He didn’t speak.

And for a terrifying moment, Jack looked like he might shatter.

“…I…” Legoshi started, his voice dry. Then softer. “I do, Jack.”

Jack’s ears twitched.

“I really… love you.”

Jack’s eyes widened—and then his entire expression lit up with a joy so raw it almost looked painful. He let out a breathless laugh between sobs, pulling Legoshi in tighter.

“You… you don’t know how long I’ve wanted to hear that,” Jack said, trembling. “I-I love you too, Legoshi! I always have!”

Legoshi felt it then—a wave of relief, crashing into him like warm ocean water, seeping into every aching crack in his soul. He leaned against Jack, his breathing finally steadying as he rested his head against his best friend—no, the one he loved.

“Jack…” he murmured. “Why did you ignore me?”

Jack pulled back enough to look at him, guilt flashing across his face.

“I was angry,” Jack admitted. “I—I tried to show you how I felt. Subtle things. Getting closer. Sniffing you. Sharing my food Touching your paw when we sat close. You never noticed, and I thought you didn’t care, and… I got bitter... I was stupid.”

Legoshi blinked, ears lowering. “I… I noticed. I just didn’t understand. I didn’t know you meant—”

Before he could say anything else

Jack kissed him.

Right there in front of everyone.

Soft, brief, but unmistakable.

Legoshi’s entire body locked up, a flush burning across his pale cheeks and it was much harder to hide now with his fur still white.

"I'm sorry legoshi..." Jack mumbled

He blinked fast, ears twitching uncontrollably.

Then his expression melted into something gentle. Tender.

“I love you, Jack…” he whispered, voice trembling but sincere.

Jack smiled, bright and tearful.

“I love you too, Legoshi.”

The others in the room remained silent. Some stunned. Some smiling. Voss sniffled a little.

For once, everything was quiet.

And safe.

The room had been dead silent. The tension melted into something warm, unfamiliar tender.

Then

“Well, damn,” Bill broke the silence, arms folded and brows raised. “No one told me I was walking into a confession scene.”

Voss was standing near the bedframe, eyes wide, ears twitching. He sniffled again and wiped his snout. “I knew it! I knew something like this was gonna happen I felt it in my tail!”

Collot chuckled low, his voice steady and calm. “So… I guess that’s why jack was sleeping with his shirt last week"

Jack turned beet red.

Miguno leaned back against the wall with a lopsided grin. “Dude, not gonna lie.. I thought you guys were married already. Or soulmates. Or like, engaged or something.”

Durham, who had been quiet, finally stepped forward. “That white fur really scared us, man. We thought something was seriously wrong.”

“I mean—” Voss interjected again, “—it was serious. But, like, not the bad kind of serious. More like the ‘I’ll die if he doesn’t talk to me’ kind of serious.”

Everyone laughed softly.

Even Jack and Legoshi.

Then, Louis stepped closer, arms crossed, but his eyes softer than usual. “For the record… you had all of us scared, Legoshi. When your fur changed, I knew what it meant.” He glanced around at the others. “Extreme psychological trauma. I’ve seen it before in carnivores. You were holding on by a thread.”

|This dumb wolf really made me worry for no reason| 

He looked at Jack next. “But it looks like he was the only one who could pull you back."

Jack met Louis’ eyes and gave a small, grateful nod.

Mina, asked nervously, piped up. “So… are you two, like… together now..?"

Legoshi and Jack exchanged a look. Jack’s paw instinctively found Legoshi’s.

Jack beamed. “Yeah. I think we are.”

A mix of gasps, laughs, and whoops filled the room.

Els, her hands clasped to her chest, smiled wide. “I’m really happy for you legoshi… You really deserve to be loved.”

“Yeah,” Aoba added, his normally flat voice warmer than usual. “You've always looked like you were depressed legoshi.”

Bill rolled his eyes playfully. “Okay, okay, let’s all calm down before this turns into a wedding ceremony.”

Voss immediately threw up his paws. “Too late I’m the ring bearer!”

Jack and Legoshi couldn’t help laughing, their shoulders finally relaxing.

Legoshi looked around at everyone his friends, clubmates, his dorm mates—and his eyes lingered just a little longer on Jack.

His fur was still white.

But for the first time since it changed. it didn’t feel wrong.

It felt like peace.

As the group shuffled out of the infirmary, a hush fell over them. Jack and Legoshi walked close together, but before they reached the door, Jack turned around and asked, “Can we all… keep this between us? At least for now?”

Legoshi nodded slowly. “Please. It’s not that we’re ashamed or anything… we just want time to figure it out.”

Louis adjusted his tie and nodded coolly. “I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything.”

Els smiled. “Your secret’s safe with us.”

Bill threw his arms up dramatically. “I didn’t see anything, feel anything, or cry at anything. Got it.”

The rest of the drama club all gave soft chuckles and nods.

As they exited the infirmary…

The zebra nurse stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, clipboard hanging from her limp hoof, her wide eyes staring at the now-empty bed.

“..."

"Huh?"

"...What just happened"

"Eh?!?!"

Nobody even noticed her. They were too busy whispering, laughing, and following Jack and Legoshi down the hall.

---

The lights were low and warm, casting long shadows as the group returned to their dorm. Bill had decided to go with them, especially after what happened earlier.

Bill flopped down on Legoshi's bed with a loud groan. “You know… you really scared the crap outta everyone today.”

Legoshi blinked. “Sorry…”

Bill smirked. “Just because you couldn’t talk to the love of your life. I mean, seriously?”

Legoshi turned bright red. “I-I—!”

Jack clung tighter to Legoshi’s right arm, resting his cheek against it. “I think it’s cute.”

Miguno chuckled, stretching out on his bunk. “We’ve known for a while.”

Durham leaned back against his wall. “Yeah. The weird tension? The way Jack always snarled when Bill got too close? Obvious.”

Collot nodded, sipping from a warm bottle of lemon water. “I noticed first.”

“He did,” Voss said from above, tail flicking playfully. “He’s got a sixth sense for that kind of stuff. It’s annoying.”

Legoshi smiled faintly, grateful… until he frowned suddenly.

Jack noticed immediately. “Did I do something wrong?” he asked, ears drooping a little.

“No,” Legoshi murmured. “It’s not you.” He turned to Bill. “What about your dorm… Bill? Do you ever have this much fun in your dorm?”

That question hit harder than Legoshi probably intended.

Bill’s ears slowly drooped. He sat upright, looking toward the floor. “…Not anymore,” he admitted. “Not since then.”

The room grew quiet.

Legoshi looked down, guilt pooling in his chest. “Then… maybe 701 should visit. To show them you’re not alone... That I forgave you already?"

Bill’s eyes widened. “What—all of you? No offense, but they’re all felines, and you’re all…” He trailed off, glancing at the group. “Canines.”

“Exactly,” Legoshi said softly. “But if I forgave you, Bill… then maybe they can too. And maybe if they see we’re your friends… they’ll remember that they were, too.”

"That's some weird logic you got there legoshi"

The words hit home. Bill rubbed the back of his neck, staring hard at the floor.

“…Mael used to always argue with me about dumb things. I miss that,” he muttered. “And Kaun—he's intense, but he had my back. I don’t know if they’d even let me through the door…”

“Then let us help you,” Jack said. “You helped Legoshi today. So..."

"Jack I thought you said you hated me to the core?" Bill teased

Legoshi turned to look at jack looking a bit betrayed 

"L-legoshi no! I-it was 2 days after he attacked you I'm okay with it now!"

After a moment of heavy silence, Bill chuckled and slowly stood.

“…Alright. Let’s go. But I’m warning you now if Toval sees a bunch of canines walking into his space, he might throw someone out the window He's a lion."

Durham raised a paw. “worth it!"

Voss frowned “not again.."

As Dorm 701 got ready, pulling on jackets and brushing fur

 Legoshi stood beside Bill.

“Thanks,” he said.

Bill nodded, then muttered, “I better not cry in front of Mael. That little lynx’ll never let me live it down.”

Legoshi smiled again. 

"Let's go fix your dorm, bill"

Chapter Text

The group shuffled down the hallway in a clump, an awkward silence stretching longer with every step. The golden lights above buzzed faintly, casting each of their shadows long and uncertain along the walls.

“So…” Miguno muttered, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. “Do we knock? Or do we break the door down and yell, ‘Friendship attack’?”

“No yelling,” Voss said, perched again on Collot’s broad shoulders. “One of Bill’s dormmates is a lion, remember?”

“Toval,” Bill mumbled. “Yeah. He’s got a temper. And a long reach.”

“Wait, wait—” Voss turned to him, fur fluffing. “He wouldn’t actually throw someone out a window, right?”

Bill looked at him deadpan. “Kaun did once. Just to prove Toval wouldn’t.”

Jack winced. “Is that supposed to make us less nervous?”

Legoshi looked down at Bill. “You sure about this? We can still turn around if you’re not ready.”

“I’m not,” Bill said instantly. Then he glanced at Legoshi’s face. “But I don’t wanna regret it either.”

“That’s new,” Collot teased lightly. “Bill admitting he has regrets?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bill grumbled. “Get it all out before I walk into a room full of guys who probably wanna kill me.”

“You think they’ll yell?” Voss asked. “Or like… pounce? I’ve seen documentaries.”

Miguno snapped his fingers. “They’re felines. They hiss and puff up first.”

“Oh great,” Durham muttered, “I didn’t bring my anti-hiss shield.”

Legoshi gave a soft huff of laughter, but his gaze stayed focused ahead.

Bill slowed his pace as they reached the hallway corner. His paw lifted, then dropped. “Okay. Okay… This is it. Last door on the right.”

Everyone stopped.

A sudden silence settled over them.

The door to Dorm 307 stood tall and neutral, like a sealed gate. It didn’t look intimidating—but Bill stared at it like it was the mouth of a cave.

Jack broke the silence. “Hey, if it gets too much, we’ll leave. No pressure.”

“Yeah,” Voss added, ears flicking. “And if someone throws something, I’ll throw it back.”

Miguno cracked his knuckles. “Let ’em try.”

Bill glanced at them all, and for the first time that evening, his throat worked like he was swallowing something bitter. “You guys are… way nicer than I deserve.”

Legoshi put his hand on Bill’s shoulder.

“Let us be,” he said quietly.

Bill took a breath.

And opened the door.

The mood inside Dorm 307 was strangely mellow for a group of wild felines. Despite their imposing appearances, each of them stole glances at Legoshi, who sat cross-legged with Jack practically attached to his side. Bill lingered near the center of the room, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

Bill introduced them to each other telling them who legoshi was and heads turned they didn't even know that, that was legoshi his fur was white the only feature they knew was that legoshi was wearing a hoodie and the fact that a white wolf right in front of them was wearing a hoodie and who bill claimed to be legoshi was enough confirmation 

Zerin, the clouded leopard, was the first to speak, his golden eyes watching Legoshi carefully. “So... you’re the wolf,” he said, not unkindly. “Didn’t expect you to show up here. Not after... y’know.”

Legoshi nodded slowly. “I understand. It’s okay. I wouldn’t expect me either... But bill's my friend"

That made Mael snort. The lynx leaned back on his palms, twitchy as ever. “You’re way too chill for someone who got torn open on stage, man.”

“He’s like that,” Jack said proudly. “Legoshi always forgives too fast for his own good.”

Toval, the lion, gave a short, amused exhale from where he sat cross-legged on his bed. “Forgives too fast, huh?” He eyed Bill. “And you're just lucky he does.”

Bill rubbed his arm awkwardly but smiled faintly. “Yeah, I know.”

“Wait,” Rojin chimed in, tilting his head. “Are we just gonna skip over the fact that this guy—” he motioned at Legoshi, “—called Bill a friend?”

Nicholas, the white tiger who’d been quiet until now, raised a brow. “Yeah, that kinda caught me off guard too. Not in a bad way, just… you sure you’re okay with that, Legoshi?”

Legoshi looked down, his white fur catching the dim light. He rubbed his arm slowly, voice quiet. “I’m not just okay with it. Bill’s my friend… He’s important to me.”

The room fell still.

Zerin blinked. “Damn. That’s real.”

Mael scratched behind his ear, looking genuinely thrown. “You’re somethin’ else, wolf.”

Bill suddenly spoke up, voice low but firm. “he asked me if he could come. Not to make things weird. He came here because he wanted you guys to forgive me… but I wanted to ask something, too.” He looked around the circle. “Don’t be mad at me anymore. Don’t be scared of me either. I know I messed up—I know—but I’ve been trying. I really have. And... I miss you guys.”

There was a beat of silence before Toval finally broke it. “We weren’t mad at you, Bill.”

Bill blinked. “Wait, what?”

Mael nodded, his usual sarcastic edge mellowing for a moment. “We gave you space. After what happened... you were sobbing, man. Like, bad. We thought maybe you needed to process everything.”

“We figured you’d come talk when you were ready,” Rojin added. “Didn’t think you’d bring your victim though,” he said, half-joking.

“y-you heard that?,” Bill muttered, shame tinging his voice.

“hey I'm not his victim!" Legoshi said looking around. “Bill hurt me. But I hurt him too. I destroyed something important to him... That’s why he lost control. I provoked him.”

Bill protested "no that rabbits blood wasn't even important.. I just used the play as an excuse to drink it.."

The others started to speak, some objecting, but Jack cut in, resting a paw protectively on Legoshi’s shoulder. “That’s just how Legoshi is. He blames himself even when he shouldn’t. Especially when he shouldn’t.”

Nicholas folded his arms. “You still shouldn’t carry that, man. Even if you did provoke him… he made a choice.”

Legoshi smiled faintly. “Maybe. But we’re here now. And I just… I didn’t want Bill to lose his friends.”

That struck something deeper. Zerin looked at Bill and muttered, “He came all this way for you?”

Bill swallowed hard, his throat tight. “Yeah.”

Kaun, who’d been leaning silently against the wall the whole time, finally stepped forward. The caracal’s intense gaze landed on Bill. “Then don’t screw it up. We didn’t hate you, dumbass.”

Bill looked up, stunned.

Toval laughed. “Seriously, you think we’d toss you out for one mistake?”

Mael grinned. “Okay, massive, public, bloody mistake—but still.”

Rojin chuckled and punched Bill lightly in the arm. “Just don’t go feral on any of us, got it?”

Bill grinned, eyes watering despite himself. “No promises.”

The room erupted in light laughter, tension bleeding away.

Jack leaned into Legoshi. “See? Told you they’d be cool.”

Legoshi nodded. “Yeah… I’m glad we came.”

Nicholas gestured at a cushion. “Alright then. Sit. Stay a while. You’re welcome here.”

As everyone eased into conversation and snacks were pulled from drawers and mini-fridges, Dorm 307 felt full again—this time, not just with noise, but with something warmer.

Forgiveness.

Rojin:

"Hey… anyone else noticing how that mutt’s been clinging to Legoshi all night?"

"Don't call jack a mutt!" Legoshi defended which made jack blush a little

Nicholas: "It’s like his tail's glued to the wolf’s leg."

Kaun: "He’s been rubbing his cheek on him for fifteen minutes straight."

Toval: "I thought they were just close dormmates, but this is… extra."

Zerin: "Very extra."

Mael tilted his head "Wait… are they together?"

Jack grinned smugly, arms looped around Legoshi’s right arm

“Yup.”

Legoshi stiffened ears flattened

“Jack—!”

Nicholas blinked

“No way. Seriously?”

Collot: “Yeah. They're perfect for each other"

Bill: “Not just that. You guys missed the real drama.”

Rojin: “Oh, do tell.”

Bill explained 

“Jack was ignoring Legoshi all day. I mean seriously ignoring him. So what does Legoshi do? Passes out. Full-on collapse. In the middle of the drama club room. Just bam! Hits the floor!”

Zerin was dumbfounded “…Are you serious?”

Mael asked “Wait, wait, hold up. He fainted? Because Jack wasn’t talking to him?”

Toval couldn't hold in his laugh and just said “You mean this massive, gray wolf dropped like a baby giraffe ‘cause his boyfriend was mad?”

Legoshi's face was clearly red

“I—it wasn’t like that, I was just—I didn’t eat—!”

Rojin denied “Didn’t eat? you keeled over from heartbreak! That’s like something out of a romance movie!”

Nicholas was sarcastically commenting “Oh rex, you’re wimpy for a guy your size!”

“Big ol’ wolf taken down by love. Tragic.”

Jack said huffing, hugging Legoshi’s side tighter

 “Hey! Don’t bully him! It was a lot! He thought I hated him!”

Zerjn laughed  “Still. That’s gotta be the softest faint in Cherryton history.”

Nicholas teased “Can we get that written in the school paper? ‘Wolf passes out due to emotional distress.’”

Toval continued  “Don’t forget: ‘Reason? Boyfriend gave him the silent treatment.’ ”

Legoshi covered his face

“Please stop talking…”

Jack said leaning against his shoulder

“No way. You were adorable. I should ignore you more often.”

“Jack!”

Bill snickered “I’ve seen a lot of things, but watching a room full of tough felines roast the wolf who beat me on stage is chef’s kiss.”

Jack then scratched the back of legoshi's ears for comfort and after a few minutes Jack gave Legoshi’s ear one last scratch before pulling his paw back with a chuckle.

“There,” he said warmly, “you’re fine.”

Legoshi made a quiet sound barely a whine and leaned toward him slightly, as if chasing the absent touch before catching himself. His ears drooped fully now, his tail wrapped tightly around his ankles, and his eyes stared into the floor like it would open up and swallow him if he looked pitiful enough.

Miguno leaned over to Voss and stage-whispered, “He misses it already.”

“I saw that lean,” Rojin laughed. “That wasn’t subtle.”

Nicholas covered his mouth. “he's down bad.”

“I think he’s permanently down,” Mael snorted. “Like emotionally horizontal.”

“Someone pet him again,” Toval added, teasing. “He’s wilting.”

“I—I’m not wilting,” Legoshi muttered, paw twitching like he wanted to cover his face but couldn’t figure out how to do it one-handed without making it worse.

“You’re definitely wilting,” Zerin said flatly. “You look like a kicked daisy.”

“His fur’s turning pink again!” Kaun pointed, laughing. “He’s gonna look like a strawberry sundae at this rate!”

“I am not—!” Legoshi’s voice cracked mid-protest.

“Oh no, now he’s stammering,” Collot added, absolutely delighted.

“Classic heartbreak victim syndrome,” Bill said smugly, arms crossed. “Pale fur, trembling, voice cracking—textbook.”

“Don’t forget the ‘Jack please help me’ look,” Durham grinned. “That one’s a killer.”

Jack patted Legoshi’s shoulder gently. “You are kind of making it easy for them”

Legoshi gave a tiny noise. “I-I didn’t—! It’s not—!”

“Oh my rex he’s malfunctioning,” Rojin said.

“He needs a reboot,” Voss giggled. “Someone hug him before he melts.”

Legoshi hunched over more, tucking his head near his knees and groaning, “Please stoppppp…”

“But it’s so fun,” Nicholas said, laughing. “You blush like a teacup rabbit.”

“An enormous teacup rabbit,” Mael added.

Toval rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “We should make him a sign that says ‘Handle with Care.’”

Jack smiled fondly, running his paw through the ruff of fur on Legoshi’s back. “Maybe we do need to get him a little vest that says Emotionally Fragile.”

"What no!” Legoshi wailed softly.

Voss fell over laughing. “We broke him! He’s gone full ‘pet mode”

“He was born to be with jack ” Miguno declared. “This is Legoshi.”

Legoshi curled further, tail clutched in both arms, muttering something like “Why am I like this…”

Jack, loving every second, leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Because I love you just like this.”

And Legoshi red as a tomato made the quietest, most pathetic whimper yet.

Still laughing, the dorms slowly caught their breath as Legoshi remained a twitching, curled-up heap of embarrassment on the carpet.

Jack, still smiling, reached up and ruffled between his ears again this time gently, as a comfort rather than a tease. “Alright, alright. That’s enough teasing Legoshi for now,” he said with finality, his tone affectionate but firm. “He’s not big on attention, and I don’t want him getting all sad.”

Legoshi let out a very quiet, relieved breath and pressed his forehead lightly to Jack’s knee.

“Aww,” Voss grinned, “Defender Jack to the rescue.”

Miguno raised an eyebrow. “Wow. So you’re the soft one in the relationship?”

Jack tilted his head, unconcerned. “Absolutely.”

“Didn’t even deny it,” Toval said with a laugh.

“Of course not,” Jack said, casually nudging Legoshi upright again. “What, you think I’m not going to look after my wolf when you guys gang up on him?”

Zerin made a fake gagging noise. “oh he said 'my' wolf Too wholesome. Can’t stand it.”

“But fine,” Bill said, smirking. “We’ll give him a break. He's gonna overheat otherwise.”

Legoshi gave Jack a quiet, grateful glance as he slowly sat up straighter, still a bit pink around the muzzle but at least no longer collapsing in on himself like a paper bag in the rain.

The room began to settle into something more relaxed. The sharp teasing gave way to lazy lounging as members of Dorm 701 and 307 started sprawling across cushions and floor space alike. Someone cracked open a second round of drinks—mostly sodas and flavored sparkling water—and passed a few snack bags around.

“So,” Kaun said after a pause, reclined against the wall with a can in his paw, “who’s the loudest snorer in 701?”

“Durham,” Collot said immediately.

“False!” Durham barked. “It’s Miguno!”

Miguno raised both paws in exaggerated offense. “Okay, my laugh is loud, but my sleep is graceful.”

“Your sleep sounds like someone test firing a motorcycle indoors,” Jack muttered.

“Lies!” Miguno shouted. “This is slander!”

Nicholas, half-lying on his now, raised his soda can. “I believe it. Hyenas snore like they’re fighting for their lives.”

“And you sleep like you’re posing for a romance novel cover,” Mael chimed in toward Nicholas.

“Can I help it if I’m majestic?” Nicholas replied coolly.

Collot chuckled, sipping from his drink. “Honestly, you guys are more normal than I expected. Felines always seemed kinda… closed off.”

“We thought the same about canines,” Rojin replied, shrugging. “Guess everyone’s just weird when you actually sit down and talk.”

Toval pointed a claw at Legoshi. “Except him. He’s not weird—he’s like, something else”

Legoshi blinked. “What?”

“You blushed yourself into a different species” Toval added.

“Alright,” Jack cut in, smiling but firm. “Ease up before he actually combusts.”

“Fine, fine,” Toval smirked. “Truce.”

There was a moment of easy silence before Zerin asked, “So how long you two been together, anyway?”

Jack blinked. “Oh. Uh… just today, actually.”

Legoshi nodded, adding quietly, “About an hour, maybe.”

“An hour?!” Rojin nearly dropped his drink. “Are you serious?”

“Now that’s insane,” Nicholas said. “You’ve been glued to each other all night.”

Jack chuckled. “Yeah, well… it’s been a very long hour.”

Bill raised his can lazily. “ I was there when they confessed to each other Jack still looked like he was gonna pass out.”

“I was excited,” Jack muttered defensively.

Legoshi gave him a side glance, smiling faintly. “You were trembling.”

“Okay, you were the one who practically crumpled into me the second I said it back.”

“Because I’d been holding it in for months!”

As the laughter finally started to taper off again, Bill stretched his arms overhead with a wide yawn. “Y’know… we should actually go to the city. All of us. Be hilarious.”

Collot nodded lazily. “Could be fun.”

“Bet Legoshi could cover our snacks,” Bill added with a grin. “He’s got a lot of money right?”

Then he blinked. The words had barely left his mouth before his expression froze.

“Oh. Wait crap. Right. The whole, uh…” He trailed off, ears flicking uncomfortably. “When you got, y’know. Kidnapped.”

The room quieted again. Jack turned his head slowly, concern blooming behind his eyes. His gaze flicked to Bill, then back to Legoshi. He didn’t speak, just waited.

To their surprise, Legoshi… smiled.

“It’s fine,” he said softly. “Really. I’m okay with what happened now.”

Bill frowned. “Wait, seriously? I thought it was, like… bad.”

Jack’s eyes widened slightly. “You… you’re okay with that?”

Legoshi gave a small nod.

“Well, what did happen?” Mael asked, sitting up straighter. “I mean—if you don’t mind telling.”

Legoshi shifted his legs, thoughtful. “i got separated from the others It was dark. I was dizzy, and we wandered too far. Ended up in the Back Alley Market.”

That got a few tense glances around the room, especially from the 307 boys.

“I passed out at some point. Next thing I knew… I woke up chained to a support beam in a clinic under the market. There was this panda—Mr. Gouhin.”

“What?” Rojin muttered.

Legoshi nodded again. “He thought I might be dangerous. So he kept me restrained. Hit me a couple times, too. To test if I was hostile or had withdrawal symptoms.”

There was a beat of silence. Every feline in 307 turned to stare at him.

Legoshi, however, said it like he was explaining the weather. Not upset. Not even neutral—cheerful. Like it had been a productive meeting.

“He taught me a lot,” Legoshi added. “I want to visit him again sometime.”

That snapped everyone out of their stunned silence.

“Visit him?” Toval repeated, staring. “The guy who chained you up and smacked you in the face?”

Legoshi blinked. “It was for my own good.”

Jack’s entire posture shifted. He sat up straighter, ears pinned slightly back. “Legoshi, he hit you...”

“I know. But he was testing me. Making sure I wasn’t a threat.”

Jack opened his mouth, then closed it. His paw was pressed a little tighter to Legoshi’s fur now.

“Dude,” Bill said, rubbing his temple. “You just said all that like you were talking about a school nurse giving you a flu shot.”

“Wasn’t it kinda like that?” Legoshi asked, genuinely.

The entire room just stared at him.

Zerin finally muttered, “Okay. Completely weird confirmed.”

Jack sighed, half-exasperated, half-concerned. “Legoshi… you can say you learned something without pretending it was a good time.”

“I’m not pretending,” Legoshi said, gently. “It helped me. It wasn’t easy, but I understand some more things now he really did teach me a lot"

Miguno leaned over to Durham and whispered, “He says that like it’s normal to get smacked by a medical panda in a cage.”

Voss, who had heard every word, nodded slowly. “To be fair… it was a weird couple of days.”

“I still want to meet this panda,” Nicholas muttered. “Just to see what kind of psycho gives therapy through punching.”

Legoshi chuckled softly. “He’s not a psycho. He’s just… intense. But he cares.”

Jack didn’t look fully convinced. His paw hadn’t moved.

Voss glanced between them and said, “Well. Remind me never to pass out in public.”

“You’d just end up in a flower shop,” Kaun replied. “They’d think you’re ornamental.”

The room chuckled again, but the mood had shifted—curious, surprised, maybe even a little… impressed.

Legoshi sat quietly in the middle of it, his expression calm. Peaceful.

Not a victim.

Just a wolf who’d been through hell and somehow come out smiling

“Y’know,” Nicholas said suddenly, tilting his head as he watched Legoshi. “If you weren’t taken, I’d have gone for you myself.”

The room fell silent for a beat.

Then Jack turned his head with a deadpan look and said, without a hint of humor, “back off. He’s mine.”

It wasn’t loud, but it was firm. His tone didn’t invite argument—and for a Labrador, there was something distinctly canine and possessive in the way he said it. His paw hadn’t left Legoshi’s side, and now he gently tugged the fur there.

“Ohhh, possessive Jack,” Bill teased instantly, grinning. “Look at you, putting your paw down.”

“Careful, Nicholas,” Rojin added with a smirk. “You might get growled at.”

“I am growling,” Jack muttered, but it was half-hearted now, a flicker of amusement tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Geez, you guys just got together like what, an hour ago?” Durham snorted. “And you're already calling dibs in public?”

“Love at first bark,” Collot sighed dramatically, hand on his heart.

“Oh come on,” Miguno laughed, leaning over “look at Legoshi’s face!”

Legoshi was visibly red beneath his fur, covering half of his face with one hand, ears folded back. His tail had gone stiff behind him.

“Sh-shut up,” he mumbled.

But they didn’t. The teasing kept coming loud, fast, overlapping.

“Did you two kiss yet?” 

“Who's the little spoon?”

 “Bet Jack marks him with his scent like a dog with a favorite chew toy—”

“Okay,” Jack said, raising his voice slightly but still grinning, “you guys do know I am a dog, right?”

“You’re gonna see Legoshi walking around with a collar next week,” Mael muttered.

“I swear,” Legoshi groaned into his hands.

“A custom collar,” Kaun added. “With sparkles.”

Everyone burst into laughter again even Jack joined in, tail wagging lightly.

Legoshi stayed curled into himself, face burning.

But despite the way he tried to hide, he didn’t pull away from Jack. Even under the barrage of teasing, Jack's paw stayed right on his, warm and steady.

And maybe that made the red tint on Legoshi’s face a little deeper.

His claws tugged at his hood, trying to hide in it. “C-can you guys not?”

Voss poked him in the side. “Dude, your boyfriend just made a public threat. That’s romance right there.”

Legoshi covered his face with both hands. “This is so much worse than the ear scratching…”

Miguno laughed until he wheezed. “He looks like he’s going to faint again.”

“Let the poor guy breathe!” Rojin snorted. “He’s got Jack claiming him like a chew toy and a room full of carnivores watching.”

"I'm not a chew toy!"

Jack whispered into Legoshi's ear

"You're my chew toy"

Legoshi flinched and looked at jack  and blushed

Jack stood up and said calmly, “You’re mine. They should know that.”

Legoshi made a noise somewhere between a whine and a whisper. “I know…”

But even in his embarrassment, he didn’t move away. If anything, he leaned slightly closer into Jack’s side hiding, maybe, but not pulling away.

And that just made everyone tease them more.

The teasing had barely begun to die down when Bill leaned in close to Legoshi, grinning like he was about to commit a crime.

“Hey,” Bill whispered, his voice low so only Legoshi could hear. “When you finally lose your virginity, you gotta tell me.”

Legoshi froze. His fur stood on end. His ears twitched. And then his entire face went scarlet His mouth opened to say something, but only a squeaky wheeze came out.

“Legoshi?” Jack’s voice cut through the moment. He looked up from his drink with that casual tilt of curiosity but his eyes were focused, suspicious. “Was Bill just flirting with you?”

“No!” Legoshi blurted out too quickly, waving his paws frantically. “N-no, he wasn’t flirting—he just… said something embarrassing.”

Jack raised a brow. “Embarrassing how?”

Before Legoshi could even stammer out an excuse, Mael leaned forward from his spot near the arm of the couch, looking completely uninterested yet somehow perfectly tuned in.

“Let me guess,” Mael said flatly. “He asked you to tell him when you lose your virginity.”

Legoshi’s head snapped toward Mael. “How do you know that?!”

Mael gave a slow blink. “Besides you, I’m Bill’s best friend. I’ve known him for years. That would absolutely be one of the first things he’d ask.”

Bill snorted, not even trying to deny it. “He gets me.”

“Oh rex…” Legoshi muttered, trying to hide behind Jack again.

Toval shook his head with a laugh. “So what I’m hearing is, Mael is the Bill-whisperer.”

“More like the Bill-containment unit,” Nicholas added.

Jack looked like he was still processing, though his possessiveness had given way to amused protectiveness. “You don’t have to answer anything he asks, you know,” he said quietly to Legoshi.

“I know,” Legoshi mumbled, still red. “But he doesn’t stop.”

“Never will,” Bill grinned. “Not until I get details.”

“Bill.” Jack’s voice turned cold.

Bill raised his paws innocently. “Kidding. Kidding! Kinda.”

Miguno cackled. “This group’s gonna give Legoshi a heart attack.”

“I’m trying to be normal,” Legoshi mumbled, slouching against Jack like he could melt into the couch.

“You’re in the wrong dorm for that,” Kaun said.

And with that, the laughter picked up again—messy, genuine, chaotic. Despite all the teasing, Legoshi smiled, even if it was behind his paws.

As the laughter faded back into a comfortable hum, Bill leaned toward Legoshi again with that ever-present, devious glint in his eyes.

“You know,” Bill said, voice low but intentionally loud enough to catch attention, “if you really wanna freak everyone out, you should tell them who your dad is.”

Legoshi paused, ears twitching. Then, for once… he actually grinned.

Not a shy smile.

A grin.

“Ooooh, he’s gonna do it,” Voss whispered dramatically.

Legoshi leaned forward a little, eyes glinting with mischief. “Alright. Since you all seem to like drama Miyagi. My dad’s name is Miyagi.”

The room blinked in unison.

There was a beat of silence.

“…Wait,” Mael said. “Miyagi, Miyagi?”

“The actor?” Nicholas asked, incredulous.

“No way,” Rojin muttered. “You’re messing with us.”

“You’re lying,” Kaun said flatly.

Legoshi tilted his head, still grinning. “Am I?”

Jack sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s not lying. It’s true. Miyagi’s his biological father.”

That landed like a brick in the middle of the room.

Everyone stared at Legoshi again now with an entirely different expression. A weird mix of disbelief, shock, and a touch of secondhand existential crisis.

Mael made a noise halfway between a whistle and a choke. “Dude. You’re Miyagi’s kid? The guy from Dust Valley Duel?”

“Yeah,” Legoshi said simply.

Nicholas leaned back, eyes wide. “That’s…”

But before anyone could start worshipping or psychoanalyzing him, Legoshi added, with perfect calm:

“Butttt… he left before I was even born. So he’s not really my dad anymore.”

That silenced the room again but this time with a low, drawn-out “Oh…” from all of Dorm 307 in unison.

Legoshi just looked at them, still calm. “I mean, seriously. He didn’t care. Never called. Never visited. Never even sent a letter. I really don't think he even knew I was born so it's okay"

Legoshi shrugged

The mood teetered, unsure where it was going to land.

Then Legoshi glanced toward Jack, and his smile softened. “But honestly… with Jack and Grandpa I don’t need someone like that.”

He leaned in and wrapped his arm around Jack, pulling him close holding him like an anchor, like a shield, like a home.

Jack blinked, ears twitching, surprised by the sudden hug. But then he melted into it with a soft smile, tail thumping gently on the floor.

There was a beat of silence.

Then a few nervous chuckles from 307.

“Well, damn,” Mael said, scratching behind his ear. “That got real.”

“Yeah,” Toval said. “One second it’s virginity jokes and the next—bam. Family problems.”

“You’re full of surprises, Legoshi,” Nicholas muttered.

Bill gave a small nod. “Still think you should punch Miyagi if you ever see him, but… yeah. You’re better off.”

Legoshi just gave them all a quiet, grateful smile, his arm still around Jack.

And for the moment, nobody teased him. Nobody laughed.

The warmth between them lingered, the low hum of casual chatter weaving in the background. But then… something flickered across Legoshi’s expression. A shift. A crack.

Like a quiet memory had suddenly clawed its way to the surface.

Jack noticed the change immediately how Legoshi’s eyes went distant, how his arms slackened slightly.

“Legoshi?” Jack asked softly.

Legoshi didn’t respond.

Instead, he leaned forward and then without a word, pressed himself into Jack’s chest, burying his muzzle into the fabric of Jack’s uniform.

Jack stiffened for a moment, startled.

And then he felt it.

A damp warmth seeping into his shirt.

His eyes widened in concern. “Legoshi…?”

The room fell quiet again.

Rojin sat up straight.

Nicholas’s ears twitched.

Even Mael’s sarcastic smirk faded.

Jack gently cradled the back of Legoshi’s head. “Legoshi, are you okay?”

Legoshi looked up slowly, eyes glistening with tears. His voice came out soft and trembling, breaking with emotion. “Please… don’t ever do that again.”

Jack blinked. “Do what?”

Legoshi’s claws trembled slightly as they clutched at Jack’s sleeve. “Ignore me. Like you did yesterday. I thought I’d done something wrong… it hurt more than anything else ever has.”

Jack’s frown deepened for a second—then softened into a reassuring smile. “Hey… hey. I won’t. I promise, Legoshi. I won’t do that again.”

He gently stroked behind Legoshi’s ears, running his fingers through the coarse fur with quiet care.

Legoshi relaxed at the touch, sinking further into Jack like he could melt into him completely, like nothing else in the world mattered.

Which made him an immediate target.

Rojin cleared his throat loudly. “Sooooo… are we just gonna ignore the fact that Legoshi is begging to be teased right now?”

Kaun nodded, arms crossed. “This level of emotional display practically demands it.”

“Yup,” Mael added, “he’s asking for it.”

Miguno grinned. “The tears are cute though.”

Nicholas smirked. “He’s blushing into Jack’s chest and crying at the same time. That’s dorm gossip fuel.”

Zerin gave a small, amused snort.

Bill just tilted his head. “He’s gonna need an IV if he keeps losing fluids over Jack.”

They all snickered and laughed, poking fun, tossing teasing jabs from every direction.

But Legoshi didn’t move.

Didn’t flinch.

Didn’t even react.

He just curled further into Jack’s arms, letting the comforting rhythm of Jack’s heartbeat and soft strokes against his fur ground him. His ears twitched at the teasing, but his expression was peaceful serene.

Because all that really mattered now was that Jack was his.

And Jack wasn’t going anywhere.

...

Bill stretched his arms above his head, yawning like a tiger who’d finally decided to stop pretending he wasn’t tired. “Alright, it’s almost curfew. If you guys wanna make it back to your dorm without sprinting, now’s the time.”

Jack gave a nod. “He’s right. We should get going.”

Dorm 701—Collot, Miguno, Durham, and Voss all murmured in agreement, standing up and dusting themselves off. But Legoshi didn’t move.

He was still clinging onto Jack like his life depended on it. Arms wrapped firmly around Jack’s side, muzzle still nestled against Jack’s shoulder, tail twitching low and slow.

Jack blinked down at him. “Legoshi?”

“…I know,” Legoshi mumbled.

Everyone paused as he finally, reluctantly, peeled himself off of Jack, lowering his head. His bangs drooped in front of his eyes, ears flicked back as if parting from Jack physically hurt.

“But…” he muttered, turning to 307 then his eyes settled on Bill. “Thank you. For today.”

307 looked at him, then exchanged a few glances. Mael grinned faintly. Bill raised his brows, caught off guard by the sincerity.

“…Yeah,” Bill muttered. “but I should be the one thanking you...”

But before anyone could say anything else—

“Wait for me!” came Voss’s voice as he scampered over, bounding across the room toward Legoshi like a blur of pale fuzz. “Legoshi, you know I’m not walking all the way back. Shoulders—now!”

Legoshi blinked in surprise but crouched a little, about to scoop Voss up—

And then Jack’s arm snapped out.

“No.”

Voss let out a squeak as Jack intercepted him mid-leap and planted him on Collot’s shoulder like a stuffed animal being reassigned.

“Only i can ride Legoshi!" Jack said firmly.

The room went dead silent

Every single animal in Dorm 307 and even Miguno just turned to stare at him.

Mael’s jaw dropped.

Bill blinked twice, then burst out laughing.

“Ohhh rex Jack,” Nicholas choked. “Do you hear yourself right now?”

“I-i didn’t mean it like that!!” Jack’s voice cracked in panic as his ears flushed hot pink under his fur. “I meant the shoulders! Not—I wasn’t—”

Miguno was doubled over, laughing so hard he nearly fell

Rojin actually wheezed. “That’s a claim if I’ve ever heard one.”

Flustered and red-faced, Jack turned and ran for the door.

“Jack, wait—!” Legoshi called, scrambling after him.

“no running in the halls remember!” Collot called after them like a tired dad. 

Legoshi and Jack froze mid-sprint, then sheepishly slowed their pace as they waved goodbye to Dorm 307.

“Thanks for having us!” Miguno called.

“Later, cats,” Durham added.

As the group made their way down the hallway back toward Dorm 701, Voss now seated on Collot’s shoulder crossed his tiny arms with a grin.

“That was so good. ‘Only I can ride Legoshi.’ You basically told a room full of guys you owned him like...”

“Can we please drop it?” Jack muttered, ears still bright red.

Miguno chuckled. “Too late, Immortalized forever.”

But Jack turned, pouting directly at Legoshi. “And you! You’re just gonna stay quiet now? After i defended you earlier? What about me?”

Legoshi blinked. “I didn’t know what to say…”

Jack huffed. “Fine. I guess I’ll just go then. Forever.”

Legoshi’s face dropped. “Wait—what!? Jack, no—please don’t! I’ll defend you! I’ll defend you right now!”

“Too late. I’m leaving. Forever.”

“No—Jack! I—I—He didn’t mean it like that, guys! Jack just meant the shoulders!” Legoshi turned to the others in desperation. “He wasn’t saying anything—dirty!”

Jack finally grinned, smug. “There it is.”

But Voss wasn’t done.

He leaned dramatically toward Legoshi. “You can’t even last a day without talking to Jack. How the heck did you survive three years?”

Legoshi’s ears flattened. “I—I didn’t like it.”

“And now look at you,” Voss continued, tail flicking with mischievous glee. “Attached at the hip, tearing up, defending him like he’s your mate—oh wait.”

“Voss!!” Jack barked, half-laughing, half-scolding.

Legoshi just let out a quiet, embarrassed whine and shoved his face back into Jack’s shoulder again, muffling, “I really don’t like you sometimes voss…”

The rest of Dorm 701 cracked up as they reached their door, teasing echoing down the hallway like the final notes of a song they’d remember for the rest of the year.

- the next morning -

The sun poured through the half-closed curtains of Dorm 701, casting golden lines across the bunk beds, the floor, and the pile of uniforms still half-folded on a nearby chair. The room stirred with the usual quiet groans and slow rustling of six boys waking up for class—but one of them, for once, was already awake and standing tall.

Legoshi stood near the window, ears perked, tail flicking with rare energy as he looked out at the campus slowly coming to life. He felt… light. Not weightless, but something close to it. The quiet storm that had always simmered beneath his ribs was still, soothed by the warmth of a single truth:

Jack was his.

He didn’t have to guess, to worry, to second-guess every look or word. He didn’t have to think about whether Jack was mad at him, or drifting away, or just being nice out of habit. Jack loved him. That fact wrapped around his heart like a safety harness.

“Morning,” came Jack’s soft voice, and arms slipped around Legoshi’s middle from behind.

Legoshi’s ears twitched with delight. “Morning,” he replied, leaning back slightly into the hug.

Jack buried his face into the back of Legoshi’s neck, tail wagging lazily. “You’re way more awake than usual.”

“I feel good,” Legoshi said simply, a small smile tugging at his lips.

But then, as he stretched out his claws and looked at his fur, a slight pout tugged at his muzzle. “Still white…”

Jack lifted his head a little. “Hm?”

Legoshi glanced down at his stained fur. “I’m still white… I was hoping it’d fade overnight. This is kind of your fault...”

Jack blinked. “My fault?”

“You stressed me out,” Legoshi said, turning with a mock glare. “I panicked so hard I turned white. L-like you know-”

Jack smirked. “So we’re already blaming me for stuff, huh?”

Then he narrowed his eyes, tone turning playfully cold. “Should I ignore you for a week again?”

If legoshi could get paler he would've but his fur was already white. 

Legoshi practically sank to his knees, gripping Jack’s sleeve like a man begging for water in the desert. “No—Jack, please—don’t do that again! I-i won't ever blame you I swear!”

Jack let out a surprised laugh, pulling him back to his feet. “Relax! I was joking. I wouldn’t do that again.”

Legoshi huffed dramatically, clutching Jack’s shirt and leaning into him again. “You better not.”

Behind them, a dry chuckle came from Collot’s bed.

“Ugh, you two are seriously too much,” Collot groaned, rolling over with a smile. “Get your own dorm if you’re gonna be this lovey-dovey first thing in the morning.”

Miguno threw a pillow from the top bunk. “Seconded!”

Durham, halfway into his uniform, added with a grin, “I don’t even brush my teeth until I’ve been awake fifteen minutes. It's been 10 You’re already in romcom mode.”

Voss, still tangled in his sheets, just muttered, “Kill me…”

Jack leaned into Legoshi’s chest with a victorious grin. “They’re just jealous.”

Legoshi chuckled softly, hugging Jack a little tighter as the morning light wrapped them both in warmth.

 everyone finally dragged themselves toward the school day.

Legoshi stood at the mirror near the bunk beds, trying to comb through the fluff of his chest with practiced claws, only for it to keep poofing up in weird directions.

“Ugh…” he mumbled, pawing down a stubborn tuft.

“You’re fighting a losing battle,” Jack said behind him, brushing his own fur and already halfway into his uniform. “You know you always look like a puffball in the morning.”

Legoshi groaned, “But it’s worse now. Everything’s all bright because of the white… I look like a snowball someone stepped on.”

Jack stepped beside him and gently took over the combing. “You look like my snowball,” he said with a wink.

“Gross,” Durham muttered, buttoning his shirt. “I think I lost a few teeth from how sweet that sounded.”

“Don’t care,” Jack replied, not missing a beat.

Miguno clapped Collot on the back. “Man, remember when we used to be the loudest in the mornings? We’ve been dethroned by the power of love.”

“I miss when Legoshi only said two words before 7 a.m.,” Collot said, throwing on his uniform 

“I can go back to that,” Legoshi offered quickly, blushing, but Jack just tugged his ear.

“Nope. Too late. You’re stuck with us now. All of us,” Jack said with a grin. “We all heard you crying into my shirt last night.”

Legoshi’s face burned red, ears flattening. “That was one time!”

Voss, now sitting on the edge of his bed and fixing his tie, chimed in, “Yeah, but you soaked it. I think it’s still drying.”

“Let’s not bully legoshi too hard,” collot said dryly. “He might collapse from emotional overload again.”

“I’m fine!” Legoshi insisted, though he hid behind Jack’s shoulder while saying it.

They all shared a laugh before grabbing their schoolbags and heading out the door together. Jack slung his bag over his shoulder and waited for Legoshi, who was still fiddling with his tie.

“Here,” Jack said, stepping in close and fixing it for him. “Can’t let my boyfriend walk around looking like a confused librarian.”

“You’re not helping my fluster,” Legoshi mumbled, staring at Jack’s chest as he worked on the knot.

Jack gave the finished tie a tug. “Good. Then we’re even.”

And with that, the group of seven made their way down the hallway, jackets neat, bags ready, and the air buzzing with quiet laughter and teasing. Just another morning at Cherryton—only now, it was one with a little more warmth, a little more comfort, and a wolf who finally felt like he belonged.

The classroom was already humming with quiet conversation when Dorm 701 filed in. The teacher, a Siberian tiger in a well-pressed vest, was scribbling something on the board with his hand behind his back like a strict curator.

Legoshi followed behind Jack, trying to keep his head low. Even now, fully in uniform, and hoodie the white fur of his neck, ears and even his face peeked through like snow drifted over charcoal.

Jack took his seat beside him, sliding his books out. “No one’s said anything yet,” he whispered.

“I think they haven’t noticed,” Legoshi mumbled. “Maybe the lighting’s helping.”

He had spoken too soon.

Three desks down, a red squirrel turned his head toward the window—and froze. His pencil dropped with a light tap

“W-wait,” he whispered to a friend. “Is that… Legoshi?”

Another student leaned over to look. “No way. Legoshi’s gray. That guy’s… ice white.”

Whispers began spreading like wildfire. Someone across the room tried to covertly snap a picture. The teacher turned and said, “Eyes forward, please,” before catching sight of Legoshi.

He paused mid-step.

“…Mr. Legoshi. Did you… dye your fur?”

“No, sir,” Legoshi said, eyes focused on his textbook. “Medical condition. Temporary.”

The teacher blinked. “…Ah. I see. Carry on.”

But the class had already tilted toward chaos, everyone now openly staring. Jack leaned toward Legoshi and whispered, “You okay?”

“Fine,” Legoshi said, ears twitching. “I’ll be used to it by lunch.”

---

Second Period – Biology

By now, the buzz had spread across campus. Legoshi could feel eyes following him down the hallways.

In the biology lab, their raccoon teacher, Mr. Garn, was placing down preserved organs on the tables when he stopped and adjusted his glasses.

“Legoshi? That you?”

“Yup,” Jack said brightly before Legoshi could answer. “Same wolf. Different shade.”

“Did he fall into a bleach vat?” someone whispered.

“Or get cursed?” another murmured.

Mr. Garn only shrugged. “Well, as long as he doesn’t shed on the samples. Take your seats.”

They were dissecting a preserved plant root system that day, but Legoshi spent more time fidgeting with his gloves to keep his snowy wrist hidden. Miguno sat beside him and quietly muttered, “Wanna trade colors? White might go well with me.”

Legoshi chuckled softly. “No, thanks. I already stand out like a… like a moth at midnight.”

---

Third Period – Math

By now, it was no use. Everyone was talking about it.

Legoshi slid into his seat at the back of the room, beside Durham and Collot. A weasel near the front craned her neck back and gave a low whistle. “Wow, you really did change species or something.”

“Still same dumb wolf,” Durham quipped sitting right behind legoshi. “He just looks like a limited edition now.” 

When the teacher, a burly yak with glasses on the tip of his nose, walked in, he immediately pointed toward Legoshi.

“You,” he said without preamble. “Were you in my class yesterday?”

“Yes, sir.”

“…And now you look like a ghost version of yourself.”

Legoshi simply replied, “Had a rough weekend.”

Jack grinned across the aisle. “He’s okay now. I made sure.”

The class broke into stifled giggles as the yak huffed. “Well, no haunting the other students. Solve question number four on the board.”

Legoshi stood up and walked to the front. Chalk in paw. Entire class watching.

As he solved the equation with precision, durham muttered, “He looks so happy now.”

“He always did,” Jack said from his seat, crossing his arms proudly.

Legoshi turned his head slightly and smiled—just a little.

The lunch bell rang, and students swarmed out into the courtyard and cafeteria, the air a swirl of overlapping scents, voices, and movement. Dorm 701 moved together, as always—Jack at Legoshi’s side, Voss perched casually on Miguno’s shoulder this time.

As they stepped into the cafeteria, Legoshi tried to shrink himself smaller, hoping the growing stares would fade.

No such luck.

From all sides, heads turned.

A few students did double takes, mouths open, eyes squinting.

“Who’s that tall arctic wolf?”

“Is he new?”

“No way… is that Legoshi?”

Miguno leaned toward Durham. “It’s like watching someone spot a celebrity"

A couple of club students walked by, trays in hand. One, a badger, hesitated mid-bite and pointed his fork. “Legoshi?! What the hell happened to you?”

“Hair dye,” Collot said smoothly behind him.

“Permanent hair dye,” Durham added.

Voss snorted. “Mutant transformation.”

They reached the line for carnivore meals, Legoshi hesitating before getting in.

“You okay?” Jack asked.

Legoshi nodded. “Yeah. I mean… I feel fine. I just look like I fell into winter.”

The line shuffled forward slowly. Jack and Miguno got their trays while Legoshi stayed in the carnivore line. When he reached the front, the tiger behind the counter glanced at him… and blinked.

“…Uh. Name?”

“Legoshi.”

The sheep narrowed his eyes. “No, seriously. What’s your name? I don’t have time for jokes.”

Legoshi stared. “I am Legoshi.”

“Nice try, white-boy,” the sheep said, folding her arms. “We don’t serve double portions to impostors.”

“I don’t want double portions—”

Jack rushed over. “Hey! That is Legoshi!”

The sheep leaned forward, squinting. “…Jack? Wait, that’s the same legoshi?”

Legoshi nodded with a frown

“Oh.. My bad.”

The sheep stared at Legoshi for another long second before whistling. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you molted or something. Alright, alright.” He scooped up the standard carnivore meal and handed it over.

Legoshi muttered a soft “thank you” and backed away fast, his ears low.

They found a table on the edge of the room, far enough from most of the chaos.

Jack nudged Legoshi. “You’re handling this pretty well, honestly.”

“I’m trying. It’s like being a new student again.”

Voss tapped his paw on the table. “Except this time, you have seven publicists managing your image and making up wild stories to distract from your identity.”

Jack grinned. “And a very possessive boyfriend.”

Legoshi blushed into his tray.

4th Period – Literature

The classroom smelled like ink and old paper. The teacher, a spectacled mongoose, walked in with a thick stack of poetry anthologies and began handing them out without much of a glance.

Legoshi was thankful for that—until a whisper floated across the room.

“Why’s that albino sitting in Legoshi’s spot?”

Someone else leaned sideways in their chair, squinting. “Weren't you paying attention? He said he was legoshi”

The mongoose looked up from his attendance sheet, brows furrowed. “Legoshi? Present?”

Legoshi raised a paw slowly.

The teacher blinked, paused, then nodded. “…I see. New look?”

“Sort of,” Legoshi replied.

The teacher shrugged and moved on. The rest of the class didn’t, though.

Miguno leaned forward in his chair with a sly smirk. “If one more person whispers like you died and came back as your own ghost, I’m throwing chalk at someone.”

Jack reached over and rested his paw against Legoshi’s. It steadied him. Just enough.

---

5th Period – Math

Math was worse.

The raccoon teacher noticed him immediately and asked—loud enough for the room to hear—“Are you a transfer?”

“No, I’m Legoshi.”

“Oh. Huh.”

That led to more awkward silence. And then whispers. Again.

Legoshi buried himself in quadratic formulas.

Even worse, the chalkboard’s squeakiness made Voss shudder at the back of the room every ten seconds. Collot passed notes to Durham just to keep himself from laughing every time Voss flinched like a kicked squirrel.

By now, Jack was clearly getting a bit more protective. He sat close enough that their knees touched under the desk and glared at anyone who stared longer than five seconds.

---

6th Period – Carnivore Ethics and Social Awareness

As expected, the final class of the day featured even more speculation.

“Did he bleach himself on purpose?”

“No, I heard he was taken to some underground lab and came out like that.”

“I bet it’s a carnivore bloodline thing. Maybe his wolf DNA mutated!”

Legoshi rested his head in his paw, tail flicking in irritation.

Miguno leaned sideways, smirking. “You know what you need, Legoshi?”

“A hoodie that says ‘Yes, I’m still me’?”

“A taser.”

Collot muttered, “A taser with glitter paint.”

Jack looked over at him and tilted his head. “You okay?”

“…Yeah. Honestly, I’ve been through worse,” Legoshi murmured.

Jack grinned. “Still. I’m proud of you.”

That made Legoshi’s fur fluff up again. He didn’t care who was watching.

---

The Bell rang. End of 6th period. The moment they stepped out into the hallway, Voss spun around.

“Okay, how many stares did we get today?”

Durham raised a paw. “Sixteen.”

“Twenty-one,” said Miguno.

“Forty-two,” muttered Legoshi.

Everyone stared at him.

“…You counted?” Jack asked, trying not to laugh.

“I have excellent hearing.”

“You are such a cute weirdo,” jack declared affectionately.

“And I’m yours,” Legoshi replied, tail flicking.

Jack didn’t even try to hide his blush.

The hallway buzzed with the shuffle of feet and casual chatter as students began to split off toward after-school clubs or dorms. Dorm 701 walked together for a while—until the usual split came.

“Guess this is where we all part ways,” Collot said, stretching with a yawn.

“Gym for me,” Miguno mumbled, tossing his bag over his shoulder.

“Library,” Jack announced with a small, proud wag of his tail.

Durham smirked. “Nerd.”

Jack shot him a grin. “I take that as a compliment.”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, Voss. Let’s go before you get stepped on.”

“Hey!” Voss squawked indignantly as Durham lifted him under the arms and carried him like luggage.

One by one, they peeled away down different halls. Soon it was just Legoshi and Jack left walking side by side.

After a moment of quiet, Legoshi glanced down. “Hey… Are you really going to the library?”

Jack blinked up at him, a light smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah. Gotta finish my essay before I forget everything I researched last week.”

Legoshi studied his face for a moment, tail beginning to swish. There was something peaceful about Jack’s expression. Content. Bright. Secure.

|He’s mine,|

Jack thought to himself. His heart fluttered 

just saying it in his head.

 |He’s really mine.|

Legoshi’s tail wagged a little harder seeing Jack’s smile, which only made Jack laugh under his breath. “You’re so obvious.”

Legoshi blinked. “Huh?”

Jack stopped walking and tilted his head. “Lean down a little?”

Legoshi hesitated, then bent down. “Uh… like this?”

Jack didn’t answer with words. Instead, he leaned in and pressed a soft, quick kiss to Legoshi’s muzzle.

Legoshi’s eyes widened in pure shock, his ears springing up, fur fluffed, and his tail went into an uncontrollable wag.

Jack stepped back with a mischievous chuckle. “Okay, okay—go already. You’re gonna be late for the drama club.”

Legoshi still hadn’t recovered. “I… um…”

“Go!” Jack said, grinning as he nudged him.

Legoshi finally snapped out of it, blushing furiously. “Right! Sorry! Bye—bye, Jack!”

He turned and practically jogged down the hall, waving once over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

Jack stood in place for a moment longer, watching the big wolf disappear.

Then he chuckled to himself. “Mine.”

---

As Legoshi jogged, tail thumping lightly against his back, his whole body felt lighter. The soft thump of his feet on tile, the cool breeze from an open window, the warmth still lingering on his muzzle it all felt surreal.

|He kissed me.|

A grin crept across his face, and his ears dipped back bashfully as he ran a little faster.

|It wasn’t a dream. He really did confess. He really does love me|

For the first time, Legoshi felt like the hallway ahead of him was glowing.

Legoshi pushed the heavy  doors to the drama club  open with more ease than usual, almost bouncing into the drama club room. He moved with such a lightness in his steps that it was like he wasn’t even touching the floor.

“Hey, Legoshi,” someone called.

He waved, smiling without hesitation. “Hey!”

The moment he stepped fully into the space, heads turned. Students blinked at the sudden brightness coming off of him—an actual glow of happiness radiating from the usually quiet, gloomy gray wolf.

"Whoa…" Bill said from the center of the stage, arms crossed. “What the hell happened to you?”

Legoshi blinked, tail wagging behind him.

"You’re smiling like you got hit with a love brick,” Bill added, eyebrows up.

“Did someone drug his lunch?” a raccoon muttered nearby.

“Nope,” mokichi chimed in from the side, nudging a stack of props into place. “He’s just happy. Like, really happy.”

“Look at his tail!” kai pointed out with a laugh.

Legoshi paused and looked back—his tail was going wild. He chuckled sheepishly, but didn’t even try to stop it. “Sorry. I’m just… feeling good today.”

Bill walked over, circling him. “You sure this is the same guy who stood like a tree stump every rehearsal?”

Legoshi just kept smiling. “Yeah. I think I am.”

Bill gave a big exaggerated laugh. “Okay! Who are you and what did you do with Legoshi?”

The teasing started to ripple through the room.

“Legoshi must have done something”

" Jack's done something to legoshi”

"Legoshi's taken”