Sapien Strife Page 3

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  After their usual morning schedule,a knock was heard at the apartment door. Terry opened it to see his father, wearing one of his infamous tailored from scratch suits. It was just about the only outfit that was ever loose on him.

  Terry let his father in with a big smile. He was masking his worry for Jon.“Hey dad!I see you're all set to go to work with Jon.”

  Terry's father nodded.“Yes. Your mother is at the hotel today and might stop by to see you, seeing I'm going to be gone for a bit.”

  As they were conversing, Jon walked out of the bedroom, wearing the usual shirt and jeans he always wore to work. He smiled at the two.“Good morning!Are you ready Mr. Smith?”

  “Yes.” The voice of Terry's father was less gruff then it was yesterday.“Let's go.”

  After a quick kiss from Terry, Jon was out the door with Terry's father right behind him. Terry looked at the door after it closed, wondering if anything would go wrong.

  Terry's father decided to strike up a conversation.“So, what do you do?”

  Jon had to be vague on the subject because they were starting to enter the anti-human protesting area.“I teach. Here's the place I work.”

  Terry's father was going to ask another question, but Jon was already inside the building and walking upstairs. He walked into the first door on his left. It was a classroom. He saw a seat next to Jon's desk and sat in it. After a few minutes, Jon walked in, followed by a number of anthros. Young, old, rich, poor, every anthro of every shape, size and species walked in and filled all the seats. Every single one of them had their eyes trained on Jon.

  Jon grabbed his clipboard off his desk and began talking to the class.“Good morning everybody. Today's lesson will cover what states sapiensexual marriages are legally recognized in.”

  Terry's father sat there for six straight hours watching Jon teach people from all around the city about sapiensexual rights most of the public didn't know about. He sat there and saw every single class pay absolute attention to Jon. Terry's father never saw Jon in this light before.

  Jon was cleaning up the classroom when Terry's father walked up. His face was solemn and his body's expression was depressed. Terry's father took a deep breath before speaking.“Jon?I have something to say, but I don't know how to say it.”

  Jon looked up at the giant father of his boyfriend and smiled.“Just say what feels right. That's what I tell my students.”

  Terry's father looked at this human, and said what he thought he would never say in his lifetime.“After watching you teach people. People from all walks of life, and watching them having to meet in secret just to be themselves, I wish I never said those things to you.”

  Jon watched him start to tear up. He held his forearm in a comforting manner.“It's okay. I first met Terry when a construction crew was building a new wing to the college. He would always keep that part of him away when his friends were around. Whenever we were alone, he would try to impress me.” At this point, Jon and Terry's father were sitting.“When we finally did get serious,I realized other sapiensexuals needed to know how to interact with humans. That's why I created this class. That's why I fight for those like me and Terry. They need a teacher and that's why I'm never backing down from this ever.”

  Terry's father looked at Jon for a bit, then laughed.“Your a fighter alright. If my son's a sapiensexual, I'm glad it's with you.”

  For the first time, Jon actually laughed with his boyfriend's father. Until there was a knock at the door. Jon walked up and opened it. Immediately, he was pushed down.

  Jon looked up to see who it was. It was the same anthros from before!“Hello filth.” The larger one was smirking.“Your big boyfriend isn't here to save you this time.” Jon watched as The smaller one held him down as the supposed leader pulled out a long, curved blade. He smiled and pointed it at you.“Let's play shall we?I'm thinking kill the human.”

  “How about snap you in half?” All three of you looked up to see Terry's father, fury filling his eyes. Before either attacker could run, Terry's father grabbed both with ease. He looked at the smaller one that held Jon down, and tossed him out the door. Then his eyes locked on the one that pulled a knife on Jon. The attacker was slowly lifted to his eye level.“My son had restraint because his beloved was here to stop him. Mine isn't.”

  The attacker was so terrified, he tried to wriggle free of his predicament. Terry's father simply dropped him and whispered in his ear.“This human is off limits. Every pro-human anthro in this neighborhood will protect him when people like you will try to hurt him. Now leave and never come back. There won't be a next time.”

  After the attacker ran scared for the last time, Jon thanked Terry's father a million times. Then they grabbed their coats and began the walk back to the apartment. Jon was the first to start talking again.“Mr. Smith, can I ask you to do something for me?”

  Terry's father was somewhat confused.“Sure. What is it?”

  Jon took a slow breath before talking.“I need you to keep that attack between us. I know it's wrong for couples to keep secrets, but I don't want Terry to be scared every time I walk out of the house. Are you okay with this?”

  Terry's father looked at Jon for a moment. He never saw him as the type to keep secrets. He understood what Jon felt though.“Alright then. Tonight's attack is between us.”

  When Jon got to the apartment, Terry and Joanne were having tea, something Jon never saw Terry drink before. After seeing the two in the doorway, Terry got up and greeted them. He also gave Jon a kiss and a whisper.

  “How was my dad?” Terry was still worried that his father's temper.

  Jon wanted to tell his boyfriend what happened, but Terry would never let him leave the apartment again if he did. So, he smiled.“Your father is a changed man. More or less.”

  After hiding a slightly shocked face, everyone found it time to say goodbye. While Jon and Joanne walked to the hallway, Terry and his father stood there in the living room, staring at each other in silence.

  Terry was the first to speak.“You enjoy Jon's class?” Terry tensed his jaw, waiting to spout off at his father when he talked down about Jon and his class.

  That's when Terry got the shock of his life. His father smiled.“I never thought such a small human, could be such a big fighter. He was willing to go against those who were almost twice his size, and still come out on top.” Terry's father brought his son close.“Jon is the one for you, son. Don't ever let him go.”

  Terry was still there. In the same spot after his father left.

  “Are you okay sweetie?” Jon came back after saying goodbye to Joanne.

  “My father. The man I despised for years. His entire mentality about humans and sapiensexuals, magically changed in one night, by my boyfriend.” Terry's mind was on overload from so much in two days.

  Jon wrapped himself around his giant giraffe.“Don't think about it. All this, has indeed been stressful. That's why you have me. To relieve any stress you have.”

  Terry moaned and slung Jon over his shoulders.“Let's relieve that stress my love.”

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