Vita - Chapter 2: Aftermath - Part 6

Part 6: Reconnection
Travis walked towards Julia's room. On the way he bumped into a rabbit wearing glasses, a green sweater, brown pants and brown shoes who was carrying a suitcase.
"M-My bad, sir!" Travis said as he kept going.
"Hmph..." The rabbit stared at Travis, grabbed the suitcase he had dropped and went into his room while Travis knocked on Julia's door not very far away from him.
Julia answered the door, "Hi..."
"You feeling better?"
"Honestly...no...I'm feeling worse."
Travis facepawed and sighed, "Oh God, give me the strength..."
"I'm sorry..."
"Look, I'm going to give you the number of a psychologist. Maybe she can help you."
"I'm sorry if I'm...harming you in some sort of way."
"Harming?"
"Annoying you, angering you, just making myself be another obstacle in your way."
"Julia...I've gone through what you're going through, I understand your problems. I'm not mad at you. I just want you to get yourself out of this pool of sadness. I'm worrying a lot for you, Julia, and I do not want to leave you behind as a worthless rock and please, never compare yourself to an obstacle ever again. You're my only friend and I will help you by giving the number of this woman who I'm more than certain that will help you a lot. Please be honest with her, okay?"
Julia nodded.
Travis pulled his notepad from his pants and a pen where he wrote down his psychologist's number, "Call her. Tell her you're a friend of mine and that I'll pay your sessions." He ripped out the paper with the number and gave it to her.
"T-Thank you..."
"Anything for you, Julia." Travis put the notepad in his pants along with his pen, "I'll be going, if that's okay with you."
"Yeah...Yeah, I'm...I'm okay with that."
Travis nodded as he walked away.
The old man Travis had bumped into earlier heard all the talk and walked towards Julia.
"Sorry to hear you're going through depression, Julia."
"Oh, Mr. McKey!" Julia was surprised to see the old neighbor, "Did you just return from your vacation?"
"Yep. For a 49 year old, I still have a lot of energy to travel places."
"That's wonderful to hear..." Julia steered her attention back to the piece of paper.
"Is that man your boyfriend?"
"What? Of course not, that guy is my best friend. My boyfriend is...t-travelling as well." Lying about her boyfriend's death for what seemed to be for no reason hurt Julia inside.
"Oh, where did he go?"
Julia gulped, "S-Somewhere a lot better than this junk city."
McKey nodded.
"Anyways, I must go. Good s-seeing you again, McKey!" She closed the door.
McKey had noticed how her voice trembled, "Hm..."
...
(Jacob)
Jacob got out of the dumpster after the rain stopped. Jacob checked the Clocker's wallet again. He had nothing but 50 bucks.
"Man, what the fuck am I going to do with 50 fucking bucks..."
Jacob walked out of the alleyway and saw the hotel in front of him. Jacob entered it and went to the receptionist.
"Hello, how much is a room?"
"Well, we have four rooms available. For how long do you plan in staying here?"
"I don't know, er...Two weeks?"
"150 bucks."
"...For how long can I stay here with 50 bucks?"
"A day."
"You've gotta be fucking kidding..." Jacob thought, "Alright, miss, nevermind, then."
"Wait up!" A voice said from the door. A figure had it's arm raised as it walked towards the receptionist and Jacob. The figure put a hand on Jacob's back and a 200 dollar note on the counter, "I have to pay my rent today and this guy right here is...my brother. I believe he can live with me."
"You're a wolf and he's a coyote."
"We're adopted."
"...Right, then."
Jacob looked at the wolf's gray paws as he took him to the corridor and then looked at his face. Jacob could recognize it. The blue hair and the green eyes made it all clear. He knew who that wolf was but he wouldn't believe his eyes.
Jacob could not believe that after so many years, Travis would still be living in the city he came from when he was 10. Jacob and Travis used to trade letters while Jacob was locked up but, once Jacob suddenly stopped receiving letters from Travis, Jacob believed he had left the city or maybe even died. 
Jacob was confused, and somewhat, angry.
...
(Travis)
Travis had a big smile on his face. He took Jacob all the way to his room's door, where he faced Jacob.
"Dude, I missed you..." Travis hugged Jacob but Jacob did not hug back. Jacob instead, pushed Travis away.
"I spent years in that prison waiting for you to reply and you never did. I fucking thought you were dead, Travis. I even tattooed your name on some guy's ass after he mocked the fact we were both close friends. You tortured me in my mind for two fucking decades, Travis, I was waiting for a reply this whole time, man, I was going fucking insane!"
"I...I..." Travis sighed, "...Okay, I'll admit, I...I forgot about you...I got a job, I got a room to live in and I...I got Julia after she moved here and I've been taking care of her ever since, after all, she really cared a lot for me...At first I thought she was just a stalker, but...yeah...Matt took her place."
"...Who the fuck is Matt?"
"Some dick, but, come on man, I thought you were going to be happy in seeing me after so many damn years!"
"Travis, you forgot me..."
"Jacob...Important things came up and I had to take care of them, okay? This room I got rips me 200 dollars every three weeks, I gotta keep making money..."
"..."
"And my life isn't just flowers, no, sir, I'm going through a goddamn storm right now. Not only my money's running low because fucking payday is getting delayed but Julia is going through some serious depression that I'm doing my best to get her out of! Haven't you heard about that car meet explosion? I was caught in that along with her!"
Jacob had disturbing flashbacks that made his eyes shoot wide.
"She lost her boyfriend in it and she's traumatized by the thing, not to mention I nearly freaking died that day!"
Jacob sighed. He was stunned.
"...Jacob?"
Jacob leaned forwards and hugged Travis as tight as he could, letting tears drench the cloth on his shoulder. Travis, confused, hugged back and tapped on his back and rubbed it.
"I-I-I...I b-blew up the...c-car meet..."
"...What?"
"I-I did it...I DID IT, I'M SO SORRY!"
Travis' blinked twice, not believing what Jacob was saying.
"I...I was working for the Chainland Devils and...I-I...I-I didn't m-mean to, I was f-forced!"
"He can't be lying..." Travis thought.
"F-Forgive me..."
Travis was perplexed. He could not believe his childhood friend had commited such barbarity, "You were forced?"
Jacob nodded, "Y-Yes..." Jacob's whole body trembled.
Travis sighed and let go of Jacob. Jacob did the same, looking at Travis like if he was looking at a God about to judge him.
"Okay, Jacob...I...I...urgh...I forgive you...I'm just glad you regret your actions, though."
"I'll...I'll never do it again..."
"I know you won't." Travis reached for his jeans' pocket and pulled out his keys that he used to open the door.
Travis walked in, Jacob stood outside.
"...Jacob, come in..."
"..." Jacob quietly did so. Travis closed the door.
"Look..." Travis put a hand on Jacob's shoulder, "It's alright, okay? I won't tell anyone and I forgive you."
"I just..."
"Ssssshhhh....Just let it go...." Jacob sat on the couch. Jacob sighed and put both of his paws on his chin. Travis sat by him. "It's okay, Jacob..."
"...I'm a murderer..."
Travis looked away for a second, "I...I can't argue with that but...you have feelings and that's what I'm proud of, Jacob...It'd be much worse if you didn't feel any remorse..." Jacob looked at Travis. Travis sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I killed innocent people, Travis...And I almost killed you..."
"...I forgive you, Jacob...You were forced, man...There is a difference between being forced and doing things on your own will, do you understand?"
Jacob remained silent for a while before nodding.
Travis smiled for a second, "...Okay, now...Wanna do something?"
"..."
"Hungry?"
"...Yeah..."
"I'll get you something...It's good that you're back..." Travis said tapping on Jacob's shoulder.
Travis went to the kitchen and returned with a sandwich.
"Thanks..." Jacob said in a expressionless voice.
"I was planning on eating it at 3 PM, but, yeah..."
Jacob took a bite. He slowly chewed as he kept thinking about his past.
"Wanna watch something on TV?"
Jacob shook his head and kept chewing. Travis sat by him.
"...Are you...still with the Devils?"
"No...Haven't you heard that the Devils are falling quickly? A lot of members are being killed. I don't know where's the chain I used to use but I want it far away from me."
"I've not been keeping up with the news lately. What happened?"
"Kinda difficult to explain. I'll give you the short version. Guy brings rare drugs here, Devils and Clockers wants drugs, Devils goes to where supposedly the shit is stashed. Nothing there, massacred by Clockers. We lost a shit ton of guys that day and I almost became one of the losses. But I survived. After a three day coma I left the hospital after seeing my boss get murdered right in front of my face...You see these clothes I'm wearing? They were owned by a Clocker I killed. I took them so I didn't have to go around in one of those hospital dresses."
"You're wearing the clothes of a dead man?"
"What? At least I'm not wearing his underwear. Uh, do you have underwear? Because I only have these pants covering my lower body."
"I have a few to spare." Travis got up and went to his bedroom, He opened his coset and grabbed a pair of boxers. He gave it to Jacob on the living room.
"Thanks." Jacob got up and dropped his jeans almost immediatelly, forcing Travis to look away.
...
(McKey)
McKey was heavily addicted to all sorts of drugs. Marijuana, cocaine, ectasy, you name it, and he was very aware of quadricaine being present in the city. The Clockers had the thing in possession as they knew exactly where it was. The swamp house was nothing but a trap they had set up for whatever gang was looking for the dope. McKey loathed the Clockers and loathed the fact they had the drugs all for themselves.
McKey, even on his late 40s, still had an athletic body and he had faith in his alibities, he knew he could take on the Clockers, but not alone. McKey had plans, he planned on building a small army off the gangs that ruled the city, the Jokers, the Killer Alphas and the classic Bloodsuckers. But that would require luck and a lot of money.
McKey, while looking out the window, only plotted. He wanted to take the Clockers down and take the drugs all for himself. And he was about to do whatever it took to have that happen.
McKey heard knocks on his door.
"Matt."
"Ronald. I heard you come back, so..." Matt opened his arms for a hug. Ronald shook his head. Matt lowered his arms, "Riiiight...Anyway, you still have stuff with you?"
"Yeah, I do have stuff with me."
"Please give some. Pretty please."
"Where's the bucks?" Matt showed it to him. Ronald took it and went inside to grab a pack of cocaine, "Here."
"Thanks. I'll be sure to not walk around with it in the open again."
"If you do and you get caught by the cops, remember, you don't know shit about me."
"Sure, bro."
Ronald closed the door, "Weirdo..."
...
(Travis and Jacob)
Jacob sat on the armchair in front of Travis.
"What do you plan in doing now?" Travis asked.
"Hell, I don't know...I just want to stay away from gangs now."
"But, well, you still need a job. I'm not going to pay for whatever you buy."
"I know...Where do you work?"
"In a shoe factory."
Jacob held his laughter.
"Stop laughing."
"I-I'm not."
"..."
"Anyways, is there a spot available in it?"
"Er...no."
"Shit."
"..." Travis sighed, thinking, "...You know...Maybe I'll do it like this. My montly salary is 900$. You'll get half of what I get every 2 months. What do you think?"
"...Fine."
"Perfect. Also...you don't have any people wanting your head, do you?"
"...Now that you mention it...Fuck, man, the Clockers." Jacob punched the couch, "...They probably know I'm the survivor of that ambush and that I'm still living..."
"...You better lay low."
"I will. And I'll also get a room for myself because they can't know I'm here with you. They're gonna want your head as well."
"You have a gun, right?"
"I do." Jacob grabbed it and accidentally aimed it at Travis, which made him jump behind the couch, "Huh?"
"Point that thing somewhere else!"
"Oh, sorry!" Jacob put it on the table by his armchair.
Travis peeked his head out and sat on the couch again. Jacob nervously snickered.
End of Part 6.
This is part of the Vita Series 
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