The Cameron Hotel Chapter 8 --
Secrets and Lies
Chris sat silent at the dining room table of the Cameron Estate.
Across the table, Riddick had his paws over his crotch defensively. He wasn't aroused, but uncomfortable as he breathed deep and did his best just to keep steadied.
``Okay...'' With a breath, his father laced his fingers together and leaned forward, ``So, you mind telling me what you were doing?''
The panthion just whimpered softly and tried to say something...anything...but couldn't.
``Out with it Riddick!'' Chris snarled, obviously holding back from yelling.
``I...'' His son stammered, ``I was just...a little curious...''
``A little...'' The lion blinked and shook his head, ``A little curious!? He was sucking your dick, Riddick!''
Riddick flinched and looked down, ``I...I'm sorry...I just...''
``You just what?'' His father's voice roared ever louder.
The panthion shook slightly and took another deep breath, running everything over in his head. What was his father so angry about? What he did? Where he did it? That it was gay? That it was with Sirrus? All or most of the above? Or did it even matter?
Chris placed his paws on his forehead and growled softly, ``Why couldn't you just tell me?''
``Tell...you?'' His son gulped, ``Tell you what?''
The lion looked up, his eyes fixed and angry, yelling for the first time, ``That you were gay!''
Riddick stammered, ``I...I'm n...I mean...''
His father laughed, in anger and disbelief, ``You're NOT!?''
``...I...'' The panthion looked down.
Chris slammed a paw down on the table, ``Riddick!''
``What!?'' His son jumped again, ``What do you want!?''
The lion growled, more than loud enough for his son to hear, ``Stop bullshitting around!''
Riddick finally glared back at his father, ``And what the HELL do you want me to say Dad!?''
``What? You want to know WHAT!?'' His father stood up, knocking over his chair, ``Are you GAY!? Why did you lie to me!? What else are you hiding!?''
``What does it matter if I'm gay!?'' The panthion stood up too, ``Why is it that important to you!? It's not like your best friend and ALL of the ones I've made here aren't too!''
``Them being gay doesn't make this okay!'' Chris pointed at the boy, ``They aren't my son! And THEY didn't lie to me about it!''
``And you wanna' know why I lied!? Look at how you're acting!'' His son waved his paws, ``I've been with you for one FUCKING month! And it had been...what? A god damned DAY when I had my first chance? I wasn't about to ruin the time we have together, and how DARE you expect me to risk that!?''
The lion growled low again, his paws forming fists.
``What? You're gonna' hit me now!?'' Riddick pointed at the older cat, ``THIS is why I didn't tell you!''
``Damn-it!!'' His father slammed a fist into the table, ``This isn't about that! You were getting a blowjob from a pet!! It's bad enough that you're...'' He took a breath, ``And that you LIED to me about it, but S-Sirrus? And in the living room!?'' He shook as he ran a paw through his headfur, ``Why? Why couldn't you just be honest with me? This is the kind of...of relationship we're trying to build? Secrets and lies?''
The Panthion let out a long sigh, ``I'm...I'm sorry I didn't tell you.'' He hung his head and sat back down in his chair, ``But how...how could I? How could I know you'd be okay with it? How could I know I wouldn't ruin everything I had with you just like it was ruined with mom?''
``Is...this what...?'' Chris blinked, ``Is this why she sent you back?''
``It...more than played a hand in it, yeah.'' His son put his head in his paws, ``Look: I'm sorry, okay? I just...I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want you to find out about me: to learn that your own son was a tail raiser...''
The lion took a step back, ``W-What???''
``I'm gay, dad...okay?'' Riddick kept looking down, ``I'm gay...''
``Tail raiser?'' His father shook his head and continued staring in disbelief, ``You're the bitch!? Or...or whatever you call it? A submissive?? A bottom!?''
``No!'' The panthion coughed and looked back up, ``No...I...I mean...I...I have, but I just...'' He shook his head, ``You don't wanna' talk about what...about what all I've done...''
Chris laughed, again, in disbelief, ``Well Riddick, what HAVE you done?''
His son just shook his head, ``Don't make me get into this dad...''
``Damn-it Riddick...'' The lion clenched his jaw, ``I'm not in the mood to play games!''
``I'm not trying to!'' Riddick looked up again, ``I...I just don't know why it matters what I've done. I mean...'' He leaned his head back, ``I'll tell you...I just...I just don't know why you want to know...''
His father sighed and hesitantly picked up his chair, ``Look, I just want to know, alright?'' He sat back down himself, chin in his paw, ``We...I mean we talked about girls together, right? Wh-why not this too?''
``Well, I...'' The panthion rolled his shoulders with a breath, ``...there was never a collie. I...I've never even been with a girl. But there was a guy: one guy in particular. He was a red Panda.''
``A red panda??'' Wide eyed, Chris sat up straighter.
His son nodded, ``Uhm...yeah?'' He sunk into himself, worried he'd said too much.
The lion took deep breaths, steadying himself as much as he could before he continued, ``It...it wasn't Michael was it? Did your step father-?''
``No!'' Riddick waved his paws frantically, ``No. God, no. It wasn't Mike. The man barely spoke to me.''
``Thank God.'' His father went nearly limp in relief, running a paw through his mane again, ``Well, then...who was he?''
``His name was...'' The panthion paused before he lied again, without lying. A pet name is still a name, ``Angel.''
``And...'' Chris tapped the table, ``...you raised tail for him?''
``I loved him.'' His son answered without missing a beat, and Chris winced at it, as the boy continued, ``And I did, yes. We...we...are you sure you want to hear this?''
The lion growled, growing irritated again, ``Yes!''
``We did a little bit of everything. You name it...'' Riddick took a deep breath, ``...we did it: oral, paw, foreplay, anal, a few little kinks, and even some light bondage. I raised tail for him, but...but he did the same for me.''
``And...'' His father furrowed his brow, ``What else? Is it just him and...'' he glanced toward the living room, ``...and now Sirrus?''
``Well, since I've got here...'' The panthion sighed, ``Luke and I have been...`playing around' I guess.'' He took a shaking breath, growing more and more uncomfortable with this conversation. The one they'd had a month before had been awkward, sure, and the lying was a strain...but his father had been friendly, accommodating, and even proud. This, today, was a different Chris. ``Dad look! I'm sorry if it bothers you that I'm gay. I just...I just am and I'm sorry. I should have said something, and I get that...I just...can we stop this?''
Chris stood up and seemed to consider moving, ``This...this doesn't have anything to do with you being gay!''
``It...it...'' His son tried not to let himself cry at all, but was failing at all but holding back the tears themselves, ``Well then, why are you so damned mad at me!?''
The lion looked like he was about to yell, but then stopped looking across at his son, and saw his eyes...saw him on the verge of tears. He'd done this...he'd done this to his own son. Chris ran his hands down his face, and padded over slowly, until he was standing right beside his son. He looked down into the panthion's eyes with a sigh. Who was he to put his son through all this for lying, when he himself...
``I...I know he's a pet...'' Riddick, looked up at the lion. He didn't know what to say, but he searched and tried, ``I didn't hurt him, though. He wanted it...'' The younger cat shook slightly, not at all sure what Chris had walked over to do, ``I'm sorry dad...I...I really am...I just...''
His father interrupted him by bending down and hugging the boy, holding him tight and close, ``This...It's not your fault, Riddick. This wasn't your fault...'' He stood back up straight, ``...I'm sorry.''
The panthion just watched, blinking as Chris turned and left the room. His son stood, following timidly behind the lion as he, without looking back once at Riddick, padded toward the front door. His father grabbed his coat, and the panthion just looked on, confused.
Just then, as Chris slipped into his coat, the front door opened.
Matt stood at the head of a beam of light from the setting sun that pierced into the living room just before he stepped through, ``Hey kids! Make any plans for dinner tonight, yet?'' He blinked and looked at the lion walking toward him, ``Chris?''
Chris just pushed Matt aside and walked past, slamming the door behind him with a rumbling echo. The ottercoon stared at the door, confused, as the sound of Chris's speeding rose and then died out.
Behind him, Riddick took a deep breath and held his stomach, as a few tears finally started to trickle down his cheeks, ``I think I'm gonna' be sick Matt...''
``Riddick?'' Matt turned and walked closer to the cat, ``What happened?''
