Stunned, both you and Javier stared at the figure of the bobcat you had presumed to be dead, siting straight up, coughing and wheezing heavily, but still very much alive and awake. You rushed over to Likax's side, placing your hand on his shoulder.
"Likax!" you cried out. "My god! Y-you're alive!"
Coughing once more, he took a deep breath and then looked up at you, a faint hint of a smile on his lips. "Of course I am," he said, his voice weak and rasp. "You didn't think I'd give up that easily, did ya, Carson?" You felt your cheeks begin to get flushed, impressed that Likax remembered your name when he had only heard it once while barely conscious.
He coughed again, his breathing still labored. You quickly ran to the kitchen, grabbed a glass and filled it up with water from the filtered pitcher in your refrigerator, then hurried back. You handed the glass over to Likax, who accepted it silently but gratefully, taking a long drink.
"B-but--" Javier sputtered, still kneeling down on the floor and in shock. "The AED! The readout! It said you didn't have a pulse!"
Turning to face Javier, Likax shrugged and took another sip. "I don't know," he said. "I blacked out for a long portion of it. I just remember gradually becoming aware of the faint sound of people sobbing, and then fully coming to and realizing what had happened."
Javier wiped away the tears that were still streaming down his eyes, moved up onto the couch next to Likax and began to feel the bobcat's throat and chest.
"Whoa, easy there, man," Likax said, grinning a bit more stronger than before. "I usually want to know a guy's name at least before I let them feel me up."
Javier pulled his hands back as his eyes narrowed, and a questioning look came to his face. Chuckling, you sat down on the couch on the other side of Likax from Javier. "Likax, this is Javier Serrano. He's my roommate, a pre-med student. He… he saved your life."
You're eyes were focused on Javier, who returned your stare a bit blankly, but then shook his head. "No, no… I didn't do anything. I honestly don't know how you're still alive." He gingerly took Likax's wrist, feeling it for a second. "Your pulse seems to have somehow returned to normal, though. How do you feel?"
Likax thought for a second. "Better. Still a little woozy, but definitely better than I had been." He took another big gulp of water, emptying the glass. A little bit of it dribbled down his chin, dampening the fur of his muzzle. When he noticed this, he chuckled, looking up at you, a bit embarrassed. "I guess I still need to pay a bit more attention when I drink, though. I'll go get a towel."
He sat the glass down on the end table next to the couch and started to stand up, but Javier quickly jumped up and gently pushed down on his shoulders. "Hey, hey, don't try to get moving too quickly here." His eyes looked over the feline's body, examining for any signs of concern, you guessed. Likax appeared much more healthy than he had been even when you first saw him. He sat up straight, he had stopped coughing and his breathing had returned to a normal level, and his eyes even started to glimmer a bit. His still-frazzled fur was the only visible sign that he had been in any recent distress.
"Just relax," you said to Likax. "I'll go grab you a towel from the kitchen." You picked up the empty glass. "Want some more water too?"
Likax nodded eagerly. "Yes… please." He added at the end, reaching out and touching your hand lightly for a moment, his still-sparkling eyes looking up at yours in thanks. You couldn't help but grin at his appreciative and pleasant demeanor. The politeness, the humility, and the gratitude he expressed had started to capture your heart.
Walking into the kitchen, you heard Javier tell Likax, "I'll be right back too." As you opened the refrigerator and pulled out the water pitcher again, your roommate walked to the other side of you, his face much more somber than yours. "Have you noticed something odd about Likax in the past few minutes?" His voice was hushed, almost whispering.
"What," you smiled as you filled the glass, "other than the fact that he just seemingly came back to life after dying in our arms? No, not really."
Javier glanced back over at Likax, who had picked up a book of scenic photographs from the coffee table and started to thumb through it. "I don't know how to explain it," he said, "but I could swear that he's gotten a little bit… larger, I guess, just in the past few minutes."
You scrunched up your nose in confusion, then turned back around and took another look at the bobcat. The differences weren't something you (or most other people) would've noticed or thought about, but Javier did have a keen attention to detail. "Now that you mention it," you said, turning back to your tasks and kneeling down to grab a clean dish towel from the cabinet next to the refrigerator, "he does appear to be a little bit bigger. Couldn't that just be from gaining his strength and health back, though? Like, he's able to hold his head up a bit higher because he feels better?"
Javier shook his head. "That might explain an increase of an inch, but I could swear that he's at least three or four inches taller than he was. Also, as I was just checking his vitals, I could've sworn that I felt muscles in his arms and chest that I didn't feel before. It's not a huge amount, mind you," he leaned in closer as his brow furrowed, "but enough for a doctor to sit up and take notice."
"So?" you shrugged as you put the pitcher back into the refrigerator. "That just sounds like he's recovering even better than could be expected. I don't think you should worry about it."
Javier still had the concern in his eyes but didn't respond. He followed as you turned around and headed back into the living room, handing Likax the glass of water. "Thank you very much," the bobcat said as you sat down next to him on the couch. "I can't begin to express how appreciative I am towards the two of you for saving me."
"Don't mention it," you said, leaning back in your seat. "It's what anyone would've done."
"No," he said, "I owe you my life." He placed his paw on your thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. Through your jeans, you could feel a tiny bit of pressure from his claws. "I promise you, I'm not going to ever forget this… or you."
You turned your head slightly, peering at his face. The slight warmth flowing from his paw on your leg seemed to be radiating throughout your entire body. There was something inside this feline that you never had seen from anyone else, human or anthro. Inside, you felt a sudden urge to jump on top of Likax, to wrap your arms around him and kiss him passionately. You fought it off. It wasn't appropriate, at least not yet.
"So," Javier leaned against the wall, watching the two of you with a bit of a frown on his face, "what exactly happened to you to lead to all this? How did you end up in the woods almost dead?"
The sparkle in Likax's eyes faded, and he broke his gaze with you, looking out the window. He slumped a little, hesitating to speak, and you could feel his discomfort. Your first reaction was to scowl at Javier, but you quickly realized that you, too, were itching to know the answer to his question.
"Well," Likax finally finally made eye contact with Javier, "It's a long story…"
"Doesn't matter," Javier said, sitting down on the easy chair next to your side of the couch. "Neither of us have anything planned for the rest of the day. We're all ears."
Likax took a deep breath, working up the courage to speak. "Okay," he said, "I'll tell you guys, since you saved my life. But you have to promise not to speak a word of this to anyone else."
You placed your hand on top of Likax's paw, nodding fervently. "Of course."
Javier rolled his eyes slightly. "Fine. I promise."
"All right," Likax said, sitting back up straight, "well, I guess I should begin at the beginning. This whole ordeal all started when…"
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