Ocean Depths. Chapter 36.
#38 of Ocean Depths
Ocean Depths Chapter 36 By Roofles
They had talked about it, discussed it and had long conversation on the matter several nights before. With everything going on the man had figured the otter would drop the subject. However with the recent events the otter seemed even more inclinded to bring it up, talking about and at one point even showing him several potential options they could do for their situation. During their intermission of sex no less.
In the end, though Lucas had wanted to wait until after the wedding, here they were now. At Happy Friend's Orphanage.
The one thing the man hadn't expected was how "flipping" cute they would be. He had seen pups and kittens and newborn chicks out at the park, in the mall and just in his day to day life. To be here now made him feel as if, he would never say it out loud, he had gone to a pet store.
Several puppies were looking up at him with the largest, biggest, cutest, most huggable, loveable eyes he had ever seen and he had to bite his own tongue from stopping himself from aww'ing. If Lucas could he would pick them all up and run away taking them safely home with him. These puppies seem to know this, clinging to his pants and with it a soft sound began to fill the small space he had been abandoned in. Whining. Actual puppy whining.
"Excuse me," Lucas only manage to say after picking the youngest one up and practically hugging her to death. If he hadn't been encouraged to by the homely wolverine orderly he would have never had to balls to do it.
There was a reason why he was allowed to be in this room full of puppies, kittens, kits, chicks and others he wasn't even sure what the name was for the young youths. This wolverine was shorter than he was but was a very heavy set woman, naturally so. Lucas was sure she was from Russia and that she had fought, single handedly, against Stalin's reign. Though she'd be looking very damn good for her age if that was the case.
Lucas understood why as he set the pup down and began stepping over them trying not to step on anyone's tail or paws. A few creeps had lingered in the lobby making even him uncomfortable. To think people could just be that...creepy. Was sickening. And this is why said wolverine was here. In fact everyone here was a rather hefty, very masculine woman or other that could take on half a soviet army by themselves.
The nuns at Saint Joseph's took care of and co-owned the orphanage. They were strict, unwelcoming and rightfully so Lucas had read about when researching the place with Carlson. Some people were... Sick. That was the only word Lucas could explain the matter. From the worst of the worst to a very odd specism Lucas hadn't even thought about. Cat's getting puppies so they could abuse them, a gazelle getting a lion and "training" the poor kitten to never eat meat of any kind for their own self righteous reasons. One thing after another. It only made coming here worse. He really wouldn't mind just picking up the maneless lion cub and bring him home there on the spot.
And so, after almost a two and half hour session (Carlson was still finishing up) Lucas had managed to get inside behind the main barred, gated walls.
The front room was a dull unpleasing off white reminding the man more of a nut house than anything else. It was eerily quiet and empty except for a few chairs. And when one used the word chair, that was being very...accepting and exaggerating on the matter. No man or fur would be able to sit in the uneven, lopsided kindergarten sized seat.
Lucas honestly had half a mind to call everything off but Carlson would hear nothing of it. Committed to seeing this matter through, as in seeing the children at least and working things out. Not rushing into the matter (Lucas had to ask just to make sure). Lucas had never met anyone so...fatherly as the otter was or had wanted to be. It was only as he thought about it that the man realized this seem to be an actual rather popular factor amongst fur folk. With such a high libido as it was it wasn't surprising that this would also be another factor in their culture.
Something someone would write about to be published, not something openly discussed. The need for children was far greater amongst any fur than it was with most human, at least any culture Lucas was familiar with. It was a cultural thing for sure. And one of those things Lucas would've never known if he hadn't come to be part of this community. An actual need to reproduce only, an animal Lucas hated to use the word, would have.
The room he was in was another thing all together from the first one.
Bones wall paper lined the walls with hand drawn pictures of dog houses, bowls and doggy doors just below the warm sunny yellow paint. The top half of the wall was a mix of blue and yellow with clouds and a sun clearly out. The bottom half was blue like the sky that fell down on the grassy green with several professional and child drawings mixed in. The main thing the man saw were the paw prints of every child that seemed to come through here. Or at least in this part of the facility.
"The dog bowl is usually a lot more active," the wolverine said as Lucas followed her out wanting nothing more than to drop to his knees and apologize to every single one of them. Dingos, hyenas (which he was sure wasn't a breed of dog), African wild dogs (which he sure was a breed of dog), wolves, foxes and every breed of domestic dog he could imagine was within the room. Or had been according to the photo album he was allowed to look through of the different children.
Combined with the actual snoopy inspired dog house, play set and dog beds with soft carpet flooring of different welcoming colors (making even Lucas want to take his shoes off) it was a heart warming change from the outer room.
"The Cradle," she motioned to one of the side rooms with several happy looking cartoony kittens around the otherwise bleak looking gray door was where most "feline were raised. Not to separate the species," he was explained though Lucas figured the church was rather big on that. It was more encouraged to keep the kids happy and this was always the case when one was around their own kind. As horrible as they may sound. "Was not on your list of interests?" She stopped next to the door waiting for his reply. Dogs liked to be with dogs and cats with cats for instance.
Lucas shook his head solemnly as if just telling someone their loved one hadn't made it through surgery. "No." He wanted to apologize after but held his tongue. Carlson had to council him on the matter and that guilt would weigh heavy on him in the matter. Apparently the guilt trip was common in this field and Lucas was succumbing to it far too easily.
Even in a small city orphanages were big. One of those other things about furs wanting to breed. Lucas hated using the term seeing as how his otter had even found it offensive as if they were just animals or something. Breed. It even sounded nasty in his mouth but seeing the actual number there were in this place he couldn't deny it either.
"And then the den." She motioned at the door beaming proudly. Lucas didn't even need to ask but took a slow breath before looking at her for acknowledgement.
He'd be lying if he hadn't thought about it. And as he opened the door he regretted coming.
Waterfalls cascaded down the faux rocks, pooling in front where a bunch of small heads bobbed up from. An actual river like swimming canal ran through the room where several small bodies were busily swimming about towards the large pool taking up half the room itself.
On the other side was a far more forest setting next to the rocky waterfall. A large mound had been made of plaster Lucas could only assume to be very well made paper mache of a cave. Several bears were snoozing with twin badgers bickering over a toy. A wolverine, a weasel and (another?) weasel were drawing on a small table, he couldn't be sure about the last one. And a few squirrels were at the table next to them. It was the soft squeaking sound the man was far too familiar with that drew his attention.
Otters, beavers, minks and what looked like a rat were swimming around in the pool on the other side of the room. Small heads bobbed up and down the canals that lined the room, small bridges having been built over for walk ways. A pair of beavers were building a damn next to the rocky falls getting a small (in Lucas's standards) gray otter to chide them. The man was roughly his own age however, Lucas could never be sure. Furs tended to age very well, unless they had a medical condition (which alone were too many account). The only real sign, in Carlson's case, was the graying fur around his whiskers and even then it was so faint you would have to be as close as Lucas was to notice.
It took him a second before recognizing the otter a cross the way. Andy? Aowlen? Andrew? Something that started with an A. He worked with Carlson and had met him only once before when he visited the otter (after bein invited over) for lunch one evening.
"Hey, you." Lucas said after meeting the otters eyes. He seemed to have been abandoned by the wolverine who had gotten a call on a walky talky he didn't even know she had. It was something about an incident and that she would take care of it. He was warned if he left the room without supervision he would disappear like this problem was about to. Lucas didn't test that threat. "You there, heeeey...." Lucas said again unable to remember the otters name.
The gray otter looked at him with a pleading face obviously both new to the whole volunteer work as well as this number of children. Thankfully the kits ranged from only a couple years old to their early teens. The older kids were far more familiar with the task at hand and in turn they had Lucas's sympathies. He knew they only had a few years, possibly months left before they had to move out.
Like the other room the floor had carpet but there was a fine marble around the water canals and pool. The walls were far more earthy with baby blue skys and a rich forest floor. Likewise paws lined the walls like the turkey hand prints he had done as a child. Lucas knew it was far more symbolic for a fur though, one reason why he was going to get a tattoo of otter paws running up the side of his ass for Carlson.
"Need a hand?" Lucas offered already planning on ending up volunteering here after this was all over. It was a nice place but the numbers of children was... just sad. Cute little faces everywhere looking up at him with quizzical expressions of confusion and wonder at the human they were sure was just a shaved mole rat.
Aaron nodded quickly already handing the kit he had pulled off the other for him. Lucas took the beaver unsure if he should put him down, hold him or take him home.
"What's wrong with your face?" The beaver, nearly Ten years old, asked with a bit of a lisp. And with that Lucas put him down. They were far less cute when they talked.
"I'm a human. This is how my face is suppose to look." He smiled at the beaver before looking up at the otter who shrugged.
"Is that why you have those." An otter poked his head up from the water, a bit too large for the canal. The teenage rested his chin on the marble stone. Lucas looked down to see he was staring at his shoes.
"It's a common fashion choice for humans. Yes." He said bending down to show off the laces. The otter seemed transfixed by them as if it were a shiny object for a ferret. Lucas found this both amusing and extremely sad that the boy hadn't even seen shoes before. Then, to be fair, he noted that he hadn't never actually seen Carlson in anything but sandals.
"Where's your tail?" Another otter asked, a female, who popped up next the the first. This was soon followed by several more heads as the canals filled with bodies.
"Don't got one." Lucas shrugged innocently trying to mull over if these children had school or not.
One of the younger beavers gasp loudly. "Did someone cut it off!" She squeaked before hiding in embarrassment behind, her brother(?). Lucas couldn't be sure.
"Or run it over?" Another asked.
"Or is it really small?" A badger seemed to appear from behind.
Like the other rooms any person who walked in was free game for the inspection making Lucas feel as if he were the one trying to be adopted rather than the other way around. He still found it in poor taste to blazingly brandish the children out for display. Of course at the same time it looked liked they lived here.
There were side back rooms for bathroom, a large room with several desk for a class and then this main room. Beds were out, there were still snacks and juice boxes and Lucas hadn't seen a cafeteria of sorts either.
"No, no. I just don't have one." Lucas explain covering his rear as the middle school badger was trying to inspect it. His explanation got several oohs and aahs from the mass that had gathered.
"What do you do for a living?"
"Is your wife here?"
"Have you adopted anyone yet?
"Do you have any children? Are they furless like you? Do they have tails?"
A barrage of questions began making him wish Carlson was here. At least the other otter, after a breather, was able to help out.
Clapping his hands together Aaron motioned towards the open area in the back. "We have stories and movies before dinner. Come on, come on. Stephanie, Joseph." Aaron motioned to two of the older kids. "Get everyone together and we'll go over a few chapters before we put the movie in."
They nodded and began shepherding everyone over to the area getting several awws from the mass of small bodies who begrudgingly began heading away. Aaron ushered them on before turning back towards Lucas.
"Oh hey Carlson." He waved and even before Lucas could turn around there was even more shoutings.
"Carlson! Carlson's back." Several squeaking voice erupted before bodies swarmed past Lucas and around the larger male otter.
"Well hey you little waterloggeds," Carlson said stooping down to scratch their heads and joke around with them, picking up a small otter up and swinging him over a shoulder before standing back up. "Sup." Carlson just shrugged at that. The otter on his shoulder lifted up and then slid down his back, over his tail and into the canal it had dipped into. Even a young kit didn't break the water surface like Lucas always did (something both Justin and Carlson always teased him about).
"Done I take it?" Lucas asked unable but to help feel both relieved and happy to see the otter. Watching him do the same trick with a beaver and a mink, Lucas was sure Carlson would be a good father. He seemed to be far better with kits than teenagers at least.
"Nope." Carlson laughed before wadding through the sea of small furry bodies and nosing at him. "I slipped out. I figured you'd be here."
"You sure that's safe?" Lucas chuckled half fearing the wolverine would come back in here and maul both their faces off because of it.
"Oh yeah, I come here all the time." Carlson said wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He was far better dressed than he normally was, far more formal wearing a shirt and denim vest and actual pants (they didn't even reach his raised heels however) and a tie. He looked good not being naked or practically naked for a change. "Most the guys from work do." He said looking over at Aaron who had rounded the group back up before guiding them like a school of minnows.
"I can see that." Lucas bumped his nose against the wide black one of the otters who chirred happily in reply. "How do I not know you come here?"
"Well I do have a life outside you." Carlson teased. Holding his hands and swaying back and forth, kissing the top of his forehead.
"No you don't." Lucas stated flatly with a frown.
"Ok, so I don't." Carlson just shrugged but his smile never left. "I came here to help out 'cause Aaron does, and I knew it'd be the best way to get my webbed foot inside the door before we got another..." Carlson trailed off as he saw the look on Lucas's face.
"How long have you been coming here." Lucas inquired taking a step back from the otter who didn't let go of his heads.
"Noooo," Carlson chirped back. "Let's not fight." He whined.
"How long?" Lucas pressed with a frown. The otter folded back his round beady ears and his whiskery muzzle fell a bit.
"I love you?" Carlson asked hoping it would solve all problems.
"Carlson." Lucas frowned.
"About that." The otter let go of his hand about to explain before turning around and slipping away, hopping over the canal.
"Oh for-," Lucas almost cursed before following after him until Carlson tail tip vanished into the pool. "Seriously!" Lucas stooped down next to the water getting annoying that even the massive otter hadn't broken the waters surface. "How in the watery hells is he able to do that." He asked to himself poking at the water with a finger.
Round little beady ears popped up a few feet away in the water before Carlson's head rose up like a hippo from the water.
"You're going to ruin your vest! I didn't even know you had something so...nice!" Lucas said covering half his face with a hand, feeling as if he were scolding a child. "This is why we can't have nice things.
"Nu-uh," Carlson replied childishly. "This suit is made to go into the water." He said standing up, seeing as how the water wasn't only chest deep on the large, long bodied otter. "See," he pulled at it. "Some oil, wax mixture protects it."
Lucas just frowned wondering why he was even still with this child-man boy. Let alone getting married to him. Or planning on getting another kid with him.
"I'm leaving." Lucas said using his trump card for these situation, which happened a lot more than one would think.
"W-wait," a loud voice whined behind him as the otter waded over to climb out. Lucas waited until he was mostly out before pushing him back in. Even then the otter seemed to just slip into the water without breaking the surface.
"Uh...do as I say not as I do." Lucas said as he turned around to see he had a crowd watching him. And with that he was pushed inside. The splash he made got a series of laughter from the room making him really feel like the odd one out as he pulled the sogging wet scarf off from his neck. "Bleh, nasty water."
"What did you expect?" Carlson said rising up from behind him making Lucas feel rather tiny and in turn regretting falling into the otters natural habitat.
"Carlson..." Lucas pleaded as stubby arms were lifted up. "I love you?"
Carlson's shoulders deflated and instead of shoving him back into the water he got a hug instead.
And with that several other bodies joined them in the water as the otter floated on his back. "So have you decided yet?" Carlson nosed at his ear.
"Yeah." Lucas said looking up at the ceiling. "I think it's kind of a given really."
"I understand." Was all Carlson needed to say on the matter.
That night the three got home, unlocking the door and heading inside. It took several more hours to file the paper work and, although Carlson wanted to throw a fit over it, due to them not being married yet only Carlson was able to actually legally adopt. And the two, conveniently, forgot to mention they were getting married as well. Or together as a couple. Two men would've been one thing, interspecies was out of the question.
It mainly went through the state itself so thankfully Carlson was able to get everything sorted out, with a little legalies from his brother (which was why he had visited him the other day Lucas had found out). And only after they got married would "we worry about such a matters. If something happens to you they'll go into Tye's name." Lucas made sure to let the otter know. However the idea of his brother getting Justin only seemed to annoy him further on the matter.
"Shush." Lucas just hissed back carrying the small mammal in his arms as Carlson was forced to lug everything in. "He's sleeping." He glared back before heading towards the side room of their apartment. The studio had been turned into an extra bedroom, Lucas wasn't surprised by this either but he was going to make sure the otter knew about it.
"I'll get the rest of the stuff." Carlson whispered before heading back out practically skipping as Lucas made his way into the studio room to put the black fur bundle down on the ground.
Petting the top of the canines head, Lucas pulled out the little badge he had gotten. Crafted to look like a dog bowl was the letters for the doberman's new name. "Axel Jr." Though Lucas was worried the other dog was going to get jealous because of this, even if he would be like an Uncle to him. He was sure it'd be fine.
"Carlson." Lucas said poking his head out before smiling as the otter headed his way with a larger bundle in his arm. "Tj," Lucas said taking the otter from his fiancee with a low oof from the weight. The teenager had fallen on their way home after McQuakers.
"Tye Jr." Carlson grumbled. "I can't believe I let you choose. "
Lucas turned back around and headed into the room to put the boy into the second bed. "I wanted to name him Tj but you just had to mention Tye Jr." Lucas teased softly after pulling the blanket up and over the dark muddy brown fur otter. "He's going to be bigger than me too isn't he." Lucas frowned at the realization of that.
"Axel Jr. will be too." Carlson pointed out as he shut the door behind Lucas. They shared a kiss. "Our small family is growing."
"Not counting the adult's their named after." Lucas rolled his eyes. It was common for furs to name kids after themselves. Carlson didn't want that wanting Lucas to name them (this might've been due to him being left out on the fact they were all fur bodied and he wasn't). And Lucas had wanted to keep it close to home and so named it after two people he was sure wasn't going to have kids. Or hoped rather.they wouldn't.
But sure enough his small family was growing larger and larger.