Bruce and Danny Chapter 8: Am I a Pet?

By: BeatleNumber9

It was Friday and I was so glad that the school week was over. All week it had been nothing but “Hey, how's it going pet?" and “Don't touch me, I don't want fleas." Along with stealing my backpack and hiding it, and a note on the classroom door in the morning reading “No Pets Allowed!" among other things. More people started bullying me now that Mark was ganging up on me so much. I'd been getting called a “pet" so much that I was actually starting to question if I was or not.

I was glad mom took me to play with Angie, Tyson and Owen that evening, I'd really needed a time to unwind with friends after the week I'd had.

After we played around for a while we just kind of talked, mainly about school.

“So, you guys like your school?" I asked.

“Yeah." Angie said, her tail swishing back and forth as she lay on her belly. “We wish you were there, but it's fun."

“What about yours?" Owen asked.

“Um…" I wasn't sure what to say.

“What's wrong?" Tyson asked. “You don't like it there?"

“I did…" I said. “But after some of the kids found out my parents weren't like me they started being jerks to me…"

“They did?" Owen asked.

“They've been doing it all week." I admitted. “They call me a 'pet'."

“A pet?" Angie asked.

“Cause I'm a human and my mom and dad are bears…" I tried to explain.

“Well that's dumb." Tyson said, rubbing one of his horns. “We don't care that you're human."

“Thanks." I said. “Not everyone at school is a jerk, there's my friend Josh. I hope all of us can play together one weekend."

“That'd be fun!" Owen said, his tail wagging behind him.

“Yeah, he hasn't really played with Anthro kids much, but I think he'd like you guys."

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I noticed Howard had gotten back from his trip to Austin and I dropped by his office to say hi.

“Hey there, Howard." I greeted.

“Nice to see you again Bruce!" He said back, getting up and giving me a friendly hug.

“How was Austin?" I asked.

“It was alright." He said. “Mainly just went to boring congressional meetings."

“Ah, so no exciting stories?"

“Well, there is one thing I learned while I was there." He said. “They're drafting some sort of state legislation pertaining to families like yours."

“Oh?"

“Yeah, I think they're planning on putting something on the books about interspecies adoption." Howard said. “I was actually writing a little thing about it now." He gestured to his computer.

“Ah, likely making it illegal." I said, always the optimist.

“Well, I'm not sure of any specifics, since they're still drafting it." Howard said. “Strange how they've never gotten anything on the books on interspecies adoption. Like, it's technically not 'illegal', but there's nothing stopping any adoption agency or orphanage from denying a couple from adopting a kid that's a different species."

“Yeah."

“Well, I'll keep you posted on that."

“Okay, take care Howard." I said as I left.

It was Emma's turn to pick up Danny from school that day. She'd taken him to go play with Angie, Tyson, and Owen for bit before they'd come home. Eventually they both walked through the front door, Danny looking about as unenthusiastic as he had been all week. As he walked up to his room I walked over to Emma.

“Still didn't tell you anything?" I asked.

She shook her head.

“I hate seeing him like this."

“I know, me too." She said, giving me a hug. “Well, since I'm going to be working late tonight, maybe you can get something out of him?" She suggested.

“Not sure if I'll be able to, he hasn't spoken to me about it when I've picked him up." I said. “You really think he'll open up to me?"

“Well, it's a Friday, end of the school week, he might be a little bit more willing to talk now. Just see if you can get him to talk, he loves you, just let him know that he can always come to you or me when something's on his mind." She told me.

“Alright, I'll try." I said.

“Anyway, I really need to head to work now." She gave me a hug and a kiss. “You two have a good night. I'll try not to wake you up when I come home."

“Alright, thanks hun." I said, kissing her back.

“Bye Danny!" She called as she opened the door.

“Bye mom!" I heard Danny call from upstairs as Emma left.

Later I got dinner ready, decided to make a frozen pizza for us, something easy and quick.

Dinner was mostly uneventful. I decided to give Danny a little fun and let us eat our pizza in the living room and watch TV together. We didn't talk much, but I remembered what Emma said and decided to try and talk to Danny.

“So… School was alright this week?" I asked, awkwardly.

“Yeah…" He said, I could tell he was lying though.

“You've just seemed kind of bothered by something this week." I pointed out. “You still friends with Josh?"

“Yeah, I am. We still play at school." He reassured me.

“Well, if there's anything bothering you about anything, son, you can talk to me or your mom about it. We're here to help you with anything you need." I rubbed his arm.

“Okay dad…" He said, looking up at me looking like he might have been considering telling me something, but he just turned back toward the TV.

We continued to watch TV together until it was Danny's bedtime. I helped him brush his teeth before tucking him in bed and heading to mine.

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I tossed and turned trying to get to sleep, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't. I couldn't stop thinking about what some of the bullies kept saying to me at school. I knew it was dumb to care about it, but it still bothered me. As I continued to try and fall asleep, I thought about what dad said to me on the couch earlier, he clearly knew that something was bothering me. I should have just told him right then downstairs. Maybe I'd be able to sleep better if I just told him, I'd hate to wake him up, but I couldn't think of anything else. I got up out of bed, and walked over to mom and dad's room.

            I stood next to the bed, Dad's back was to me. I poked his back with my finger, trying to wake him up. He let out a tired growl, like he was stirring, and then turned around in bed, and saw me.

            “Hey, buddy," He yawned. “what's up?"

            I just kind of twiddled my fingers trying to bring up what I wanted to ask him. Ugh, why was this so hard?

            “You have a nightmare?" He asked.

            I just nodded my head, even though it wasn't true.

            He scooted over in bed, and lifted the covers.

            “Well there's plenty of room for you tonight." He said. “Papa Bear'll keep you safe." He reassured me.

            I crawled into bed with him, and he wrapped his paw around me, and held me close to him. I thought about what I wanted to ask him, as I rested the side of my head against his soft furry chest. If I didn't ask him about it, he'd just fall back asleep and I'd have to ask him tomorrow.

            “Um…Dad?" I finally spoke up.

            “Yeah?" He asked, yawning.

            “Um…am I, like…a pet?" I asked, awkwardly.

            “Uh, what do you mean by that, buddy?" He asked, looking down at me.

            “Some of the kids at school keep saying that I'm not really your son, that I'm just…like you and mom's pet, like a puppy or something. They say you and mom picked me out like at a place like a store." I tried to explain.

            “Danny," Dad looked seriously at me, “when you hear people say ignorant things like that, I know it's hard not to let it get to you, but you just have to remember one thing; you'reour cub, our son. Doesn't matter if you don't look like us, we've never seen you as anything less than that." He smiled down at me. “And we never will."

            I knew Dad would make me feel better. I hugged him, or at least hugged him as best I could, being so small.

            “Plus," He added, “you don't see us putting you on a leach, or anything like that, right?"

            “No." I giggled.

            “No collar around your neck, right?"

            “Nope." I smiled.

            “So, don't listen to those jerks at school, huh?" He said, kissing the top of my head.

            “Okay, dad."

            He hugged me close and I rubbed my face against his fur, I always loved the feeling of his soft warm fur against my face, it always made me feel safe for some reason. Dad was right, I shouldn't let what those jerks say get to me.

            “Can I still stay here with you tonight?" I asked.

            “Of course buddy!" He chuckled, rubbing my back.

            Slowly I drifted off to sleep, my father's strong arms holding me close to him.