Chapter 18

The surgery began with the administration of the "draught of sleep" to Maka. This surgery would be much too intricate to perform while the patient was awake, and the amount of pain would be intolerable. The anesthesia would need to be dosed properly and continued throughout the procedure. This was something that Harlow would now be responsible for. Lennard could guide him on the administration through their still-connected tails, but the knowledge was there within the memory pool and Harlow was learning all he could.

An open cranial operation was one that Lennard had never actually performed before. Fortunately, during his years at university, he had seen it performed as well as simulations on cadavers. Along with the memory pool still accessible to both him and Harlow, Lennard was more confident since he could relive those memories.

Recalling the memories in question was an amazing sensation. Lennard could simply think of a moment he wanted to know about, and the memory would come to him in clear recollection. The entirety of the memory would lodge itself into a part of his mind where he could access it as if it were only experienced yesterday. The memory didn't necessarily stay there in his short-term memory, though. He could also explore the memory in minute detail, as if he were experiencing it over again. Then, it would once again relegate itself to long-term memory, while the pertinent information would stay clear and present.

He could recall much more detail than he thought possible. In the memories, he was able to pay attention to the actions being taken rather than listening to the background. It made relearning these things much more streamlined and useful since his knowledge base was already established. He could watch the surgeons' hands as they moved, taking in the details which he would previously have missed.

He marveled at this amazing ability. The power was incomprehensible, which made it somewhat scary as well. Lennard wondered how much farther his lover would be able to push himself. He couldn't begin to think of any more ways this ability could become more powerful or useful, but something told Lennard that what he was experiencing was only the beginning.

Once Maka had completely succumbed to the anesthesia and the area had been thoroughly cleaned, Lennard proceeded to cut open the skin and tissues above the boy's skull. Harlow dutifully pulled back the now-open skin and flushed the area so Lennard could see what needed to be done next.

Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that the swelling was not limited to the skin and its layers of tissue. There was swelling below the skull itself, putting pressure on Maka's brain. Lennard had feared this outcome, and he knew that it was a very serious situation. He looked into Maka's eye and watched as more blood vessels broke, the whites of his eye becoming pink with bloody veins. This was a sign that the pressure was building and that Maka's brain was likely being damaged.

Lennard determined that he would have to resort to more drastic measures. He had a tool that he seldom used, at least not for its intended purpose. It was a type of auger or drill that was sharp enough to penetrate bone. Lennard had frequently used the drill on various types of wood instead. Now he desperately hoped he hadn't dulled the bit in doing so.

Hoping it wouldn't come to this, but preparing for it nonetheless, Lennard had the drill on the side table. He picked it up and Harlow nodded shallowly. They both knew what had to happen.

Lennard took a moment to steady his shaking hands. He knew that so many things could go wrong, and he dared not wait for Kyaro to arrive, lest his son be permanently brain damaged.

Harlow understood the consequences, but he didn't have the same relationship with the Mayor as Lennard did. He saw Lennard's shaking hands and reached out to him, sending all the calm feelings and encouragement he could. Right now, the patient was all that mattered to them. They needed to do whatever it took to save his life.

With a deep breath, Lennard began to press the point of the drill into position. Slowly, yet with purpose, he began turning the crank. The gears spun slowly at first, but more rapidly as the drill bit into the bone. Lennard thanked any gods who may have been responsible for keeping the edge of the bit sharp.

The turning of the handle caused the large gear to which it was attached to turn a smaller gear. This smaller gear spun much more rapidly than the first. It was in turn attached to an even smaller gear set at a ninety-degree angle.

The smallest gear had the most teeth and therefore spun the fastest. It was this gear to which the bit was attached. So, turning the crank caused the bit to spin at a multiplicatively faster speed than the actual motion of the handle.

The bit churned and flecks of whitish bone began appearing at the sides of the now-forming hole. As soon as the bone dust appeared, Harlow washed it away. He watched in awe as the mechanism spun and bored its way into the skull.

It took all of Lennard's concentration to spin the crank fast enough while exerting the right amount of pressure on the drill to make sure it continued to move through the bone. The tricky part would be feeling for the pop. He knew that once he penetrated, there would be a very small pop as the bit exited the bone on the other side.

He had very little room for error. There was virtually no space for him to push the bit of the drill in any further. There was a small barrier between the skull and the brain itself, and it was this barrier that Lennard had to keep from being punctured. If he broke the underlying membrane, the drill could puncture the brain itself. A punctured brain could result in brain damage or even death. The pressure had to be exact, and releasing it at the correct moment was even more critical.

He spun the crank, and the drill bit into the skull. He could feel the bone shaving away, and his entire focus was on the point of the bit, sensing every minute movement. His vision tunneled and his sense of smell and hearing all but shut off.

The thickness of the boy's skull seemed too thick, and he began to worry. He had always been told that there was a slight give when finally punching through to the other side, and he desperately wished to feel it, hoping he hadn't missed it already.

He cranked the drill slightly faster, his hands shaking with the effort. The drill bit deeper and deeper, and he could feel the heat of the friction. His paws were damp, and his heart was pounding in his chest.

The drill finally pierced the skull with a faint pop. Lennard's senses were so focused that he felt it like a shockwave coming up through the device in his hands. In that ultra-focused state, it had felt as though he had been chipping away at the bone for eons. He immediately pulled back on the drilling apparatus and watched as a dark crimson fluid filled the hole.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He had done it. He had saved Maka's life.

"That was it, right, Lennard?" Harlow said, his voice filled with relief. He used clean rags and the sterilized water to clean out the pooling blood. "It looks good. You don't think you pressed too far?"

Lennard nodded, too exhausted to speak. He stepped back and felt dizzy. He looked to the side and plopped down in the chair before he hit the floor.

"I can't believe we did that," he said after catching his breath, his voice still shaky. "My nerves are wrecked."

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The Mayor arrived with Mika shortly after the worst part of the surgery was completed. Maka's head was still flayed open and draining.

"By the gods, Lennard, what happened?" the Mayor asked as he saw his son’s skull exposed and blood pooling on the floor below.

"Kyaro, I'm glad you're here. I need you to stay calm, ok? Maka took a spill and hit his head," Lennard said as he stood back up shakily. "The blood vessels next to his brain ruptured and the blood was pooling below his skull. I had to create a way for that blood to escape, or it would have caused too much pressure inside and damaged his brain."

Lennard laid a reassuring hand on Kyaro’s shoulder and led him to the exam table. "But, he's going to be okay?" Kyaro asked.

"I hope so. There’s no way to see what kind of damage was done, if any," Lennard continued. He patted the Mayor's shoulder. "All we can do now is wait until he wakes and then test his mental faculties."

Kyaro was obviously worried about his son and wrung his hands while talking to Lennard. Harlow brought a chair over for the Mayor to sit on to stay near his son. "Thank you, Harlow," he said and gave him a quick smile.

A crease momentarily formed in the middle of his brow, but it was gone in an instant. He turned his gaze back to his son. Harlow wouldn't have noticed the slight shift of facial expression on most people, but the mayor's coloring emphasized his brows. His brows were a light, almost white color, in stark contrast to his almost completely black furred face. The whitish fur was also present under his nostrils and extended below his chin and down his neck, making even the slightest movement of his face extremely noticeable.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

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The Mayor and Lennard stayed sitting in the examination room with Maka. Mika had stayed in the waiting room. Harlow went out to see her. He wanted to check on her mood as well as give the two men some time to discuss Maka's condition.

"Is Maka going to be okay?" Mika asked as Harlow walked out.

This was a situation he was somewhat dreading, but also knew he needed to take care of. "Hopefully," he told Mika.

He explained the situation to Mika and told her she was welcome to stay and wait. He sat next to her. The closeness felt awkward. He found her attractive and was even thinking of courting her only a few days ago. His life had been turned upside down since then, and he felt more akin to her brothers now than her.

As he thought about it, maybe the way he felt towards her now actually was more of a brotherly-type way. Granted, the twins were amazing brothers, but they had almost taken on the role of parents to her. She would probably benefit from having someone nearer to her age to talk to without the hangup of attraction.

Harlow pondered a bit on the theory of attraction. He knew that in his youth, he found Mika's appearance pleasant, but he wondered how much of that was due to their similar age and the pressure of society. On the other hand, he couldn't ever remember being attracted to Lennard, although he did touch his hand when he handed him things. He knew he wanted Lennard as his father, but The Bonding created a sexual attraction to him instead. Was there something underlying before that Harlow had never understood or admitted, even to himself?

Harlow's mind wandered for a moment before coming back to the girl he sat next to. She was soft and delicate, but he knew she had been working at the mill and with her brothers for years now. She had built up her stamina as well as a good amount of strength. She would have made an incredible mate for him, Harlow thought as he looked at her.

He followed her gaze as it was directed into the exam room. She was focused on Maka, but Harlow's eyes moved to Lennard. He stood next to Kyaro, his silhouette was round and frumpy, the large physician's robe he always wore eliminated any real definition. From here, he looked like just a round ball of fur with arms.

But Harlow knew the truth. He knew about the muscles hidden just below the soft surface. He knew how Lennard's legs bulged and his arms held him with little effort. He felt a real and tangible attraction to him. The thoughts of being with Mika in the past were just a memory, something he could leave behind now.

But Mika's eyes were locked on Maka. Harlow glanced sideways and looked into her eyes. There was something more there, he thought. He knew Mika and Maka had been friends for a long time, but the concern she was showing for him now, was it going further than just a concerned friend?

"Mika, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you," Harlow said, taking her hand. "You and Maka must be getting really close, and it's great that you're here for him."

Mika looked up at Harlow, and her gaze told him what he had already guessed. There was no desire left in her eyes for him, only caring. Without words, he pulled her into his arms and sobbed.

Harlow wrapped his arms around her and patted her back, silently encouraging her tears. He realized that simply being there for someone was another form of helping. Not all wounds were on the body; some were held inside where nobody could see them. Those weren't treated with medicine, but with compassion.

A few moments later, Harlow noticed Marney rising from the bed in the recovery room. He thought about the mental and emotional wounds she had just suffered. First, she had been tortured by vicious men who falsely judged her. Then, her own mother had called her a liar. He knew her mental and emotional wounds would run deep and she would need every ounce of compassion available to heal from her trauma.

He could understand why Marney had decided to take the vial of potion that Lennard had offered her. He would have liked to have something like that many times throughout his childhood.

If he were being honest with himself, he would have actually preferred if his father had used the Elysia potion when his mother Dinaya passed away. Harlow, with Lennard's memories and knowledge, knew what the potion was and what it was for now. He knew that Brodil may have been able to deal with his grief better, and Harlow would have had a father who could actually care for his son, and Harlow could have felt some sense of peace and normalcy.

The Elysia potion is a mixture of blue aramanth petals, bolanisa, wanetta, and greywood sap. The process of creating it is tricky, especially since the greywood sap can be absorbed through the skin and cause fingers to quickly go numb.

Harlow's mind began wandering, but he caught himself. The knowledge was still so fresh and new to him that his train of thought was easily diverted. He could get lost following tangents, like how to prepare the Elysia tincture, before catching himself and having to drag his mind back to the subject at hand.

Luckily, he didn't have access to the tub while not attached to Lennard. But all the memories he had borrowed still remained in his mind. At least the valuable parts. He was actually able to remove the images and things he didn't want to see rather easily.

He did now know how much of a playboy Lennard had been in his youth, but rather than relive the sexual experiences, Harlow withdrew the important information and left the non-essentials behind.

He had to admit that he was curious, though, and filed a few of the more entertaining memories away for later.

He was still busy comforting Mika and wished that Lennard was somewhere he could get his attention. Once again, as if Lennard had somehow heard his thoughts, he appeared and looked at Harlow. Harlow motioned to Lennard with his head, and he heard Marney stirring in the other room as well.

With a little wave and a smile that said, "Awww... isn't that cute, you are letting Mika cry on your shoulder," Lennard walked into the recovery room to deal with Marney.

Harlow rolled his eyes at Lennard who widened his smile then turned and started walking down the hall.

The timing of Lennard's looking at him was fortuitous. He now knew that telepathy was possible, and the twins were able to use it without touching. He wondered, “Could I have really just communicated with Lennard telepathically?”

He knew Lennard would be occupied getting Marney ready to go home, but he had to try one more thing.

"I wish Lennard would bring me a glass of water," he said in his mind, trying to push the thought out to Lennard.

Mika finally stopped sobbing and sat up straight. "Thank you, Harlow. I'm sorry I got you all wet."

"Don't worry about that. It's easy enough to clean." Harlow replied.

Mika turned her gaze back to Maka. It was at that moment that Harlow could confirm she was in love with him. Her crying so much and staying out of the way while his father was in the room made sense now. He wasn't just a friend to her anymore; Maka was her boyfriend. But they apparently hadn't told anyone yet.

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Lennard sat up and moved into the hall, intending to go check on Marney. He saw Harlow motioning him to the recovery room, where he could hear Marney stirring. He gave Harlow a fond smile and moved on.

Marney had gotten herself to a sitting position by the time Lennard arrived. "Lennard, my hand is hurting," she said.

"Let me take a look," he replied, and he cut the bandage with his claw.

The wound underneath looked great for what it was. The hand would never be fully functional again, and the nerves in the fingers were most likely dead. This was also likely the cause of the pain she was experiencing. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything he could do to repair nerves.

"I have some good and bad news for you, Marney," Lennard said. "Which would you like to hear first?"

She thought for a moment. "The bad news, I guess." she said.

Lennard smiled sadly at her. "The bad news is that your hand will never be fully functional again," he said. "The nerves in your fingers are most likely dead, and there's nothing I can do to repair them."

Marney nodded. "I figured they were probably damaged," she said with a small sigh. Her eyes moved down to her injured hand. "What's the good news?"

"The good news is that the wound is healing well," Lennard said. "It's healing fast, and I doubt there will be any further complications. I know that's not the greatest news, but it means you won't lose your hand."

Marney smiled weakly. "Yeah, that's good, I guess," she said. "I appreciate your honesty."

"I am sorry I couldn't do more, Marney," Lennard said, looking her in the eye. "This was wrong, and it's not right that it happened to you. I hope you can find some justice."

Marney nodded her head, and her eyes began to moisten.

A random thought came to Lennard then. "Would you like a glass of water?" he asked. He wasn't sure why he thought about a glass of water, but something told him it was wanted.

Marney shook her head and asked another question, "The pain won't last forever, then?"

"No," Lennard said. "Probably a few days, though."

A tear fell onto her lap.

"You don't have to stay here any longer if you don’t want to," Lennard said, trying to lift her mood a little. "I'll give you the supplies you'll need and show you how to take care of your hand so you can go home."

Usually, people were excited to go home. But Marney wasn't one of those people. The good news that Lennard had offered her wasn't much better than the bad. She and her mom had been at odds for a long time now. Marney was working to be able to move out and gain some freedom. But this injury was going to make that more difficult now.

"That's good," she said without any enthusiasm.

Lennard caught her tone and had a general understanding of what she had waiting for her at home. He could understand her trepidation. Wounds of the home were the hardest to heal.

He left her for a moment to gather the supplies she would need. When he returned, she was silent, her stare vacant.

"Marney," Lennard said in a voice just above a whisper. "I don't know what goes on in your house, but I can tell it's not somewhere you look forward to going back to."

She nodded her head slightly. A couple more tears fell onto her lap from her downcast eyes.

"I know a place where you can stay for a few nights if you need," Lennard told her.

Her head rose slightly and she looked up into Lennard's eyes.

"Do you know The Dapper Dragon?" Lennard asked.

She nodded again, prompting Lennard to continue. "Have you met Crossman?"

Another nod and Lennard continued. "Whenever you need a place to stay, go there and talk to Crossman. Tell him, 'I would look really good in purple and green.' That's the phrase that tells him you can use some help. He will take it from there. Just follow his directions and you'll be safe."

Lennard saw her eyes brighten slightly. "He will help me?" she squeaked softly.

"Yes, whenever you need it," Lennard said. "I do ask that you keep this a secret, though. Only tell someone who is really in need of assistance. Can you do that?"

She nodded her head again and a small smile formed on her lips.

"Now, let's show you how to take care of your hand so you can get out of here," Lennard said in a voice that was just a little too loud to be talking to just her. He gave her a wink to let her know he was speaking loud for the others to be able to hear him.

Actually, there was no one here who would have been eavesdropping or would wonder why he was taking so long. He thought by making her feel like he had been hiding this secret, it would show her the importance of it and encourage her to keep it hidden as well. It also startled her a little, which made her heart beat faster and increased blood flow. It was a win-win in Lennard's opinion.

She left after a few more minutes of Lennard showing her how to dress the wound. She took several Wanetta sprigs with her for pain. He wasn't sure if she would go visit Crossman or not, but he felt better for giving her the information. She deserved a chance to deal with things in a safe environment.

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Later on, after Marney had left and Lennard returned to check on Maka, the rest of the Mayor's family arrived. His wife, Jenba, and daughter, Kija, rushed into the exam room to be near the injured Maka. Lennard excused himself, telling them to alert him if Maka moved or anything changed.

He saw Harlow and Mika still sitting in the waiting room. Mika's attention was on the people in the exam room, but Lennard nodded to Harlow who understood the silent message. They excused themselves and went into the laboratory.

Once they were alone, Harlow and Lennard embraced. "You did great in there with me," Lennard whispered in Harlow's ear. "I'm glad we finished before Kyaro arrived. Having our tails joined would have been awkward to explain."

"I agree," Harlow said. "The Mayor did give me a strange look, though."

"Oh?" Lennard prompted.

"It was only for a second, but he looked at me suspiciously," Harlow explained.

"Maybe it was just because you fetched the chair without being asked?" Lennard said, trying to convince himself as well.

They knew their secret wouldn't stay a secret for long, but the mayor finding out would mean their lives would change much more rapidly than they wanted. They knew there would be consequences to their unusual relationship, but they hoped to minimize the fallout by slowly allowing their bond to be introduced and accepted by the people they trusted. To have it blown open wide would mean certain disaster.