Sui Generis – 42

 

It was late when they returned to the city, so Randulf dropped Brand and Mag off at home. They changed clothes, gathered up their books, and headed to class. As they walked, Mag asked, "What's it like, being able to run free the way you did this afternoon?"

"Exhilarating, wild, humbling."

"Humbling?"

Brand nodded. "It made me realize how much we humans could learn from those we consider less than ourselves, about living free and untrammeled by—" He flung his arm out to encompass the buildings, the street, the people, "—all this. Look at them. So many frowns or worried expressions. So much 'Am I good enough?' written on their faces. Where's the joy that they're alive?"

"I suppose," Mag replied pensively, "it gets beaten out of people when they try to be what others expect of them, instead of being who they really are—who they wanted to be when they were young enough they didn't know the expectations of others would force them into molds they didn't want." He smiled a bit. "Aren't we waxing philosophical all of a sudden?"

"I suppose we are." Brand stopped, looking at Mag. "Are you happy?"

Mag nodded slowly. "Over all… I think so. Things have changed—radically. You, most of all, but yes, I'm happy. I have a life I like, even though it's a strange one now. I have you. With all that you've become, I still wouldn't give up you or our life together." Putting his arm around Brand's shoulders, he asked the same question. "Are you happy?"

"Yes. Unequivocally, yes." He grinned at Mag. "Why, you ask? Because I have someone who accepts me for what I am." Whispering, he added, "Fur and all."

Mag laughed. "That was definitely unexpected. I thought, when I first fell for you, that I met someone with the same… aspirations. To keep it together and survive the best we could, and maybe someday make something of ourselves, if we got the chance."

"I think we both still have that desire. If we didn't, we wouldn't be here." Brand pointed to the entrance to the school a few yards away. "We did survive the streets and a lot more. And now…" he chuckled. "Now we have to survive tonight's classes." 

"Had to say that, didn't you?" Mag grumbled. "Okay, I'll see you when we're through or…?"

"No hunting tonight," Brand said quietly. "Just you, me, and a nice warm bed."

"After we've studied."

            "Killjoy," Brand muttered. Then he kissed Mag quickly and they both headed into the building.