Second part of a collab between JWolfman and myself. Adam Tevela travels to Montreal to meet with fellow FBA Draftee and friend Julian Cross-Kiraly.

Adam Tevela belongs to JWolfman

FBA belongs to  BuckHopper

Mature for language
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As Adam slept in the room, dreaming about his past experience at the Challenge and wondering if he's going to be drafted or what team's gonna draft him, Julian’s mind was pretty much scrambled on how would he showcase his UCF to his friend. As much as his University was his launching pad, as in almost every FBA hopeful, he really wanted to distance from it as he possibly started his professional athletic future. His way through it wasn’t short of bad experiences, and he preferred to veer off of it as much as possible. But, good friend, good host. No choice was given, it seemed.

That morning, the saluki walked down the stairs, encountering Adam, who also got up early, ready at the kitchen. "Sup man?"

Both shirtless; both pretty much used to it due to different reasons, both reasons to do with liquids; sea water and ink respectively. "Coffee? Eggs? Your call..." said the French canine.

"Both, dude! You got any oatmeal?"

"An instant one, but yes" Julian went on and multitasked for a sec with the breakfast prep; perk of being a housedog. Not long passed for all to be ready. "Bon appétit" he said. "What did you want to do today?"

"Hmm... I did suggest a tour of your Uni, right?" He starts eating.

Julian looked a bit concerned at the thought. But no: Good friend, good host. "Yes, you said so. We got all morning…" He sipped on his energy drink.

"Alright then… You don't seem all that... enthused though."

“Nah, it’s nothing, it’s all fine…”

Adam was skeptical. “Something wrong with the Uni, brah?”

A more solid answer would calm him more than just dismissing, thought the saluki. "Let's just say I had... unsavory events there not long ago. But I promised you a trip, you are getting one, dude."

"Oh... well okay then. After I'm done eating!" He chomped on the eggs and dug on his oatmeal. Free food? Yeah.

"Dress on basket gear. Let me moisturize my tats and we're off!" replied Julian, already done. They got all ready pretty quickly and headed to the door. "Wait for me! One last thing..." said the canine as he put his lip piercings, small silver studs he used for playing, displaying all the process of putting them on right in front of the linsang.

Adam laughs. "Oi..."

"Quoi? At least you now know how it works..."

"No no... oi. Oy. Oy vey?"

looked confused. "Come again?"

"I ain't Jewish, but it's a Yiddish thing. Oy vey is like... um... exasperation?"

"You're exasperated now? Dude, there's quite a lot you haven't seen yet..." he smirks. "Bus stops close and soon. Step it up!"

Adam hurries. "You should have your own car, dude!"

"Uncles shares his with me and bike's busted..." he replied as they got into the bus and towards the university. It wasn’t long before they reached their destination. La Université Cannadiénne de la Faune de Montréal, or UCF for short. The building looked old-timey, yet many modern parts adorning as well; one of the most state-of-the-art and legacy-heavy Advanced Education structures of the country.

"Nous arrivons!"

“Nice, dude... but UCF will suffice for me. You said the whole one too quickly for me, heh heh…"

"We're free to wander around. We might even get a chance at a 1 on 1. Court designed by FBA people, League approved..."

"Damn dude... this is as big as UFLA! Well almost as big." He snerks.

"As big. Is a big city we're talking, y'know...” After getting a guest pass to Adam, he proceeded to show him some classrooms, the facilities, and the sports hall, where all the awards were exposed. UCF was one of the most competitive in the country, as both could witness it by the pretty big display, showcasing both a lengthy history and strong performances over the years.

"Pretty big wall, no?"

Adam nods, looking at the awards. "Very rad, dude... UFLA's got big storied history too like…. We got a lot of championships with the FCAA... my team even made it to Final Four but didn't make it all the way. I'm bummed about it, but moving on."

"We're one with the most CFIS titles, and look here..." he pointed to a pair of recent awards. “I was on the rookie team that got the first back to back QC circuit championship. I even got MVP in the second!" The only awards he could say were his doing. Not as big as a CFIS title, but it was something.

"Nice dude! Now I wonder why those FBA scouts didn't see you much... their loss really! Hey, you know I was Zoie Wilds' teammate? Back when I was a rookie, heh."

"Damn interesting… Coach actually did arrange a meeting with a pair of them with me after the MVP game... So, want to try the hardwood?" He wanted to have a game with the linsang, but at the same time, didn't want to dwell on the story much further.

Adam shrugs, always eager for a game. "Sure thing dude. How long did you stay here?"

He got a ball from the facility storage. "I actually didn't finish yet... I had to retire for a while, would course my very last year. I'd have to freeze my studies again if I get drafted. But I did manage to go to at least one CFIS, got bronze..." he said as he got past Adam and throw to the net.

Little did both know that a pair of girls was nearby.

(“Can you believe Annie said that, Ginnie? I mean…”)

(“Dina, we already knew she was scum. Couldn’t care less about her…”)

(“But she was so nice to me when she was…”) the Persian shifted her focus to the background when she saw a new, tall, chiseled guy, spotted and striped, heading to the basketball courts. Leopard? Ocelot? Whatever he was, he caught her eye, and she had to follow this new guy.

(“Ginnie, Ms. Beausejour’s starting soon. We better head out…”)

She brought her focus back to her friend (“Get going. I’ll have to take care of something first…”) said the feline, going towards the court keeping sights on the linsang while keeping out of sight herself.

Adam does get the feeling of being watched, but he tries to ignore it while keeping his focus on playing the casual game, making his shots and defending. "CFIS, that's Canadian right?"

"Yes, all the big colleges of Canada compete for the title. Prince George got it this year, Ahti and Wesley won Edwin's Uni over in the final... We got the fishes to double OT... Okay, look at this..." he stepped on the other side of the court, ball in hand. "Did you know I invented a pass?"

"You invented a pass? What?" He's confused by what he meant. Throwing the ball is throwing the ball, after all.

"Watch this..." he ran towards to the linsang, the ball dribbling. Adam instinctively got defensive. Once he got close and facing, he made a behind-the-back pass to the left, passing it through his quite fluffy saluki tail. Tricked the linsang that the ball was going to bounce in his tail and head right, but it went the direction intended, bouncing away. "Touché" he smirked.

Adam chuckles, impressed, but tried not to show it. "Show off..."

"The Kiraly they call it. Go get the ball. Need water..." The ball went well past the stands. As the linsang went to look for it, he encountered a white Persian girl, short black hair with bangs, dressed casually in a fitting T-shirt and equally fitting leggings, showing a great physique. "Meet me here when done..." she winked, slight French accent; not as strong as Julian's.

Adam blinks, surprised at seeing the girl there as he picks up the basketball. "Um... but I don't know you…" He chuckled, trying to keep calm.

"Well... I kind of want to... Name's Genesis..." she looked at his eyes, her name in smooth Spanish. The linsang smiled in return.

"Adam!" the saluki yelled, both looking towards the sound. The viverrid didn't note the utter disdain in her face (“The fuck does freak of nature doing here and what he has to do with this man?”).

"Um... not sure why you wanna see me dudette, but okay I guess..."

"Dude, c’mon!" said the saluki. He looked back to Genesis. They nod to each other, and then he goes, dribbling the ball back to Julian.

"Adam! Let's go! I want to practice that pass again!"

Adam laughs and passes the ball back to him! "Sorry dude, I was just chatting a bit with that cute cat over there."

"Yeah! 5 in a row!" He didn't catch what he said. The guys got their game on; full court to them, 3-point shootouts, 1 on 1, dunks... No more could be asked and they got in the game for quite the while. Adam was a complete player, good on all areas, but Julian managed to outspeed him in more than one occasion, breaking ankles and going through screens; both showcasing what got one of them in the Combine Challenge and what the other’s trained for that period of time.

"Sorry man... Gotta 'relieve' for a while. Wait for me here." said the saluki, stopping and heading away, leaving the linsang for himself.

"Hey, man's gotta do what he gotta do." He watches him leave and then takes another shot on the basket before glancing around to see if Genesis' still there.

She was. "Come by. Need water?" she asked, empty seat next to her.

Adam shrugs and takes a seat beside her, sweating and such after such an exhaustive game. "Yah, def..."

Never seen vous around here...New guy?"

"I ain't from around here." As if his accent doesn't show that already. "From California... Julian's a good friend of mine and I've been visiting. Da name's Adam."

She ignored the Julian part, focusing on the viverrid’s body instead. "Adam from Cali… Been there a few times, half Mexican myself. Beautiful places and furs... So you’re a basketball guy too?"

He smiles, his huge ringtail swaying at the tip slightly. "Yeah, in fact I was at the FBA Rookie Challenge down in Biloxi last week. The Draft's coming up soon and I've been told that my chances of being in the FBA are very good."

"An aspiring pro, huh? Oh you're killing me..." she laughed. ”I was PG for the rookie team, but had to walk out, sadly. Couldn't handle the studies, y'know... Plus... the team was..."

"I'm a Small Forward, can do Power Forward too. Sucks that you had to walk out, UFLA's been an awesome rad experience for me..." He pauses, taking in what she's saying. "The team was what you said?"

She sighed, seriousness in her tone. "Okay, I'll admit, it was a lot of ongoing drama I couldn't take... It was terrible off-court: Cleaveau's a glory hound, Park was a slacker... I'm sorry, it's just too much..." she looked sad. "But there was worse..."

“Worse?" Admittedly, she has his attention.

"...This... Julian came by and thought he was the big thing. He was obnoxious, controlling and such a detriment to the UCF rookie team... C'est terrible"

Adam blinks, surprised by this. "Um... Julian Julian?”

"He was a bony saluki who looked freaky and flaunted it?"

"Yeah, and I wouldn't call it flaunting... and dudette, I grew up in Huntington Beach, there's a lot of tattooed people there, and a bunch of other people that you may think is freaky. It ain't bothering me."

"But he was not the usual chill tattoo guy. I'm okay with tats... He came by and tore the team apart. He got MVP when Michaud deserved it. He purposely ignored my plans, threw me to the side in his plans, called me... dyke" She tried to look hurt to manipulate the linsang. "And a guy like him now going to the Draft and making it big, that bothers me... It was all about him. And I couldn't take that amount of tension, so… I had to go..."

Adam pauses... it seems she has some real big issues with Julian, and she's saying things about him that he never knew. Part of him wonders if she's really exaggerating everything due to her more than obvious dislike for him, but she seems very genuine. And Julian didn’t really present him to any teammate so far. It all seemed to, interestingly, match. "Yeesh. I’m… sorry you went through that…"

She sighed again "It's...nice, to have someone that understands..." she let her hand stumble by his.”...You're cool..."

He blinks and while he notes that touch, he doesn't rudely shrink away from her, even if he's suddenly uncomfortable. "You've been saying a lot of uncool stuff about my friend, dudette..." Now he's curious on Julian’s side of the story. But that’s likely left for later.

"I've played with him for years. I know it is uncool of me to say and gossip and all that but… C’est la vie. I have to warn people on what they are risking themselves into. Good thing the rest of the team caught the bad stuff on time and treated him rightfully so..." And in the little time they shared together, she filled him and updated him with the “facts” and “experiences” she had with the saluki, making sure this looker was convinced.

"Adam!" Shouted the saluki who arrived on the court. “Adam!” he walked around, the supply closet, the bathrooms again, behind the bleache… No. Fuck. Utter shock. Worst case scenario unfolding live as he saw him with...her. He walked towards the pair. ("What are you doing here?") He asked in French, an obvious tone of anger.

Adam's ears perk upon hearing Julian and he straightens up his sitting posture, looking back at him in confusion, and not just because of the French phrase.

("Just get out here Julian. Let me chat with your friend...") replied the cat, seemingly not as reserved or melancholic anymore.

("What? And talk shit about me as well?! Like to the whole team?!")

The Linsang looks back and forth between them, confused. "Um..."

"Adam, might you excuse us for a second?" she turned to ask, back in English.

"NO WAIT, STAY!" shouted the saluki almost immediately.

He leans back, realizing how volatile this has become. He raises his paws, palms forward and shrinking away from them a bit. He's still sitting however. "Whatever prob you two got, I ain't wanna part in it."

("Don't talk to him like that! He’s not the issue, you are!")

("You think you own everything? You think you can prance away everywhere and presume how much of a freak you are? Just because you’re Aubret’s boy toy doesn’t mean no one forgets how you really are!")

("Whatever, I'm not the one skipping my recovery classes now! I’m not the one who has to lie in order to get furs on their side!")

("Shut up! You won't boss me around like you did the team back then! ")

(“Stop acting like a colossal bitch! You know what really happened and you STILL believe in your version! You’re fucking mental!”)

Adam's feeling a little mentally dizzy from the snap responses at each other in a language he doesn't understand. After a flurry of angry French attacks that Adam didn't understand, in the midst of it, the cat threw Julian quite the universal middle-finger sign. "Woah! Um... both of you chill out."

None was heard. (“You think you're the shit! Look at your freaky tattoos and that shit on your lip and brow? Who the fuck can take you seriously in the FBA or elsewhere?”)

(“So? I’ll do what I fucking want! That includes getting in the FBA and proving you and the other fuckers that you got in your little damn posse wrong!”)

("Good thing your aunt's dead and your parents are far away, so that bitch and losers didn't see the freak they would end up wi-")

Julian reached boiling point. "FUCK YOU, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE YOU REJECT CUNT!" back in English, teeth bared, utterly mad.

Adam never saw him like this before, and it quite mentally shakes him. He remains silent but only for a moment and stood up. "Enough! Both of you!"

"FUCK YOU, YOUR AUNT, YOUR WHOLE FUCKING EXISTENCE!" she replied in English as well, now leaving the site. "He'll keep his enemies close, Adam! Same shit here, same shit in the FBA!"

"OUT!" The saluki was shaking mad, and Adam swore he was growling teeth bared; a forced inhalation through the nose and exhaling as strong. A minute of silence before he faced his friend "Sorry about that..." he said, visibly shaken.

What... the hell was all that, dude?" He shakes his head. "She was talking about how you ruined the team and then suddenly you two just screamed at each other and... ugh. Headache bound."

"Let's just... head home..." he exited the premises, pinching the bridge of his muzzle, mix of emotions, anger and embarrassment prevailing.”She had to bring her..." he muttered, Adam catching that part. He wants to pry further on it, but resists that temptation upon seeing how emotionally raw Julian is. With a heavy sigh, he nods and heads out to the bus stop with him. "Sorry dude..."

At the brink of noon, the ride back was tense and silent; the linsang watching the saluki storm to his room upstairs as he headed to the guest room. Both of them not speaking for a long while, enclosed in their rooms. Sometime later, the saluki knocked on the linsang's door.

Adam perked his ears and looks up from the book he has been reading. "Sup? Door's unlocked."

Julian’s face looked tired and weary. He sat on the linsang's bed. "I feared that could've happened..." the only thing he said.

"Genesis was in your team... but she left, she said?"

She was the LAST thing he wanted to talk about, but there's no escaping it now."She didn't quit, that's the bullcrap she says. She got booted off..."

"What for, you know?"

He sighed heavily once again. "That was the detonator and the button she was pushing when she created an altercation that got her punched in the face by a friend and had me at two inches of quitting this whole thing...Quitting the team, quitting basketball..."

"Damn..." Adam shakes his head. "She was saying a whole bunch of things and honestly I thought she was legit on it. But I know how perspective can skew things..."

"Follow me..." he said almost without prior motive and led him upstairs, part of the house Adam seldom saw. On the upstairs lounge there was a shelf, and in top of that, a very intricate urn. "Nicolette Unabia" it read.

"You could say this is why I don't talk about my aunt..." voice breaking.

Adam felt a slight chill up his body, seeing that urn. Death is a topic he's very unnerved about, not that he had seen death, but it's something he often worries about, especially with the risks he takes in his life. "Your aunt?" Recalling one of the insults Genesis made in English.

He nodded. "She's… well was my main supporter. She saw I was unhappy back in France and fought for my case against my mom to fly here. She saw that I could make basketball a profitable and enjoyable choice, she..." Julian was on the brink of breaking down. "She's my biggest fan, my toughest critic, and the one that didn't gave up on m… Ugh...I'm sorry…" he stormed off to his room close to where they were and sat on the floor, despondently crying.

Adam sighs and moves to follow, and then sits down with him to give him a one-armed hug from his side. That's all he can do for now, as he's speechless.

"...You saw the SAS leaked report?" random topic change, but the saluki had a point to make and a change from the prior sadness.

Adam can't help but to snerk. "Yeah... after the games. I heard the radio calling for that team to draft me, pfft. Though it's rather harsh on some of the others..."

"Read my part? The tattooing is a distraction thing? The lack of passion thing?"

"You ain't the only one with tats, dude. Hell, that dude who just retired, Shane Rufus? He got ink all over too and he ain't distracted by that. As for lack of passion, I ain't gonna know what he was thinking."

"Point is: that job as an errand boy, and all the tattoo, sideshow and piercing talk were at one point the only thing stable in my life. Between my aunt's cancer and that… bitch badmouthing me since I got picked instead of her girlfriend and making the whole team, THE WHOLE TEAM, to hate me after winning that MVP...It was my haven...Hell, they could've said the exact passion bullshit about half of the damn pool. Theo and his music, Aurora and her commune, Adi and his military career, you and surfing! I don’t have to spew basketball 24/7 or pretend so.I got my paws on the ground and I’ll be myself through all of this!"

He sighs, fully aware that surfing can be a distraction. In his case, that is practically his whole life up to this point, living in the shadow of parents that happen to be pros at the sport and all the hoopla surrounding them. "They could... not sure why they didn't, but it was something other GMs asked me about and certain reporters too. Look dude, the both of us face huge changes in the future. It may be when we're both down in Vegas, wondering what team will pick us. Or maybe later on... but those changes, we have to adjust to or we'll perish. Understand that, dude. If it means I have to quit the very thing I spent a lifetime worshipping... fine. I'll do that. If it means you have to leave behind your haven, sometimes you just have to do it. Otherwise you'll just hold yerself back."

“Argh..." The saluki grabbed his ears to his head. "I know that! I know I'l leave my job, I know I'll leave my family here to start my new life, heck I even joke to Denis that ‘fuck your above-average amazing minimum wage job, I’ll be a millionaire soon’ pretty much every day. I know and want that, to prove I could've made it... But it was just all this fucking unnecessary bane she started due to envy on a world I should be supported most of the time, not...dealing with drama and cliquey crap. I dealt with that all my basketball life, Adam. And it feels...so shitty and unfair to have my crumbling family world be insulted by this basketball world I love. My promise to carry the body mod interest and that world to the FBA still stands strong and won't turn back. Now that I finally love Basketball 100% with buds like you, I won't let anyone tear me down. No one! Any bullying against me or anyone, I'll face it head on. I won't stand for another Genesis or let it happen again."

Adam chuckles, hearing all that "... And that guy said you have no passion. He can see things but he's a blind man, dude. Just listen to yerself, bruh…."

"The Spectrums can choke on a big one. Or the Alphas or whatever the fuck" he seemed more stable, even laughing a bit. He showed Adam his right arm, the sunflower "I got this for her. She loved the things; she got the house full of them, made me sick back at the time. It's not a sissy tattoo as I have heard before..." he laughed. "I want to get drafted, I need to get drafted...for her because, thanks to her, I can say that it's for me as well... She guided me to success while letting me be me. And even with the crap around the sport, I stood strong, and always liked the pure raw sport"

"You're not going to disappoint her, dude. You're going to make it in whatever team brings you in, count on me. And I'm considered a lucky dude, Inkdude... I might as well have a four-leaf clover on my striped and spotty ass." He chuckles. "So if I say you're gonna make it, I'm lucky enough to know that's gonna happen."

He smiled, the pair now sitting on the bed. "So yeah... that's why I was worried of UCF. I didn't want you to spend your last day consoling me and possibly dealing with the teammates that hate me, let alone the fucking puppetmaster...” he laughed. "You could say it was like you taking me to... FCS? SFUC?"

"Ugh... FuSC? People know me, they'll rip my hide apart if I step foot in there and sell the fur on eBay..."

"I get rivalries and all, but the worst rivals are on the other side of the country. Are yours like... on the same block or something?"

Adam nods, sitting on the bed with him. "UFLA and FuSC are within the same city. Just a few miles apart, but different neighborhoods."

"Is one like obviously better? Are they neck and neck?" He was going to continue, but he scoffed. "Who am I kidding; you're going to say yours' better..."

"Heh... FuSC's football team is much better, but in basketball we're fairly even. UFLA won more FCAA titles, but FuSC won the conference championship the last few years... until this year." He nodded knowingly

"You told me that story already. Is always pretty cool to win in enemy territory; and I'm guessing this mad girl of yours is in that other Uni?"

Adam pauses for a few moments and then grunts. "Yesina Sela. Yeah, she's the major star in FuSC, will be a senior next year. She's talented, can drop down three's like candy but goddamn, she's got a mouth. And quite petty as shit too."

“So it's an in-your-face chick. As you may have seen, mine was a stealthy sod. She might've flirted with you or talked shit about me, pretty up her story or some crap..." He just guessed about that entire ordeal that Adam went through.

".... Flirted, yeah... talked shit about you, yeah... prettied up her story, yeah..."

"...Putain, I do know her to well...So she played up to the vice, eh? Not the first time she did so with someone nor she knew beforehand."

"Typical, huh dude?" He chuckles. "Well Yesina is like that, in-your-face, like a Wendy Brown. If she hates you, you'll know it."

"Genesis got mad because I got picked as the SG for the team instead of her girlfriend..." Adam shot him a confused look, he confirmed he said girlfriend. "...And I'm guessing she's mad at your uni choice?"

"Yeah, UFLA and FuSC people are tuned to dislike each other. Mostly it's just college rivalry fun and many know that, but people like Yesina take it a whole other level, dude... I really think she's jealous. Jealous of me and such..." He sighs, massaging his forehead. "She even tried to sabotage my... reputation as a Draft Prospect."

"Wanna talk? Or...was it that bad?"

"Eh, I'll talk about it, since I trust ya and all." He grins.

"I'm still due for a Draft sabotage... I got some more I can say, but...take it away."

"It was during Trent's party at his estate before the Combine... ya know the one where he had a picture of you and used it as a dart board?" He snerks. "Anyway... one of the Harvaardwak cheerleaders that showed up happened to be Yesina's sister."

"Thanks for telling me that by the way..." Sarcasm aside. "And then?"

"She showed up in my room, and tried to seduce. She was close... very close, dude. Then she had a conscious and change of heart, admitted to everything. I forgave her but... damn. I didn't sleep with her but when I woke up the next morning, she was snuggled up in my arms. I wasn't drunk or anything."

Julian raised his eyebrows "Cliffhanger much? Guessing it was to smear..."

"Yeah, it was to smear... that if I had sex with her, she could later claim that I made her pregnant and smear my name all over the news. Ya know what's really funny? Even after she confessed everything, I was still tempted to screw her. Pfft. I'm a sad linsang, I know."

He laughed. "At least you were sober enough to take a precaution...Nothing went on, no?" Julian had to ask.

"As far as I know..." He scratched his head "I fell asleep with her in the room, but I took the couch while she was on my bed."

"Even your dirt campaigns are more fun, no fair..." Julian slapped his arm.

"Dude, could you imagine if she decided to go through it?"

"But she didn't. I think I can arrange for a butt four-leaf clover if you still want one" he tapped the linsang on his shoulder.

"I did tell you that I'm a lucky dude." He smirks.

"All I got so far...On the semifinals of that QC tourney, Genesis put...something on my water that screwed my stomach up. Puking and bathroom and that kind of stuff. She was made the starter and I was made deep reserve in that game"

He makes a face of disgust. "Ugh... dude, that's nasty.

Hey, at least her foot was stomped on by accident and her starter time was cut short. Managed to make some points that game, but definitely not my best one..."

“How did you find out it was her though?"

"Long after, aunt recently died and she gloated and insulted me when I was down... well, all the time, but especially after that. She ended up spilling the beans one day and I was told by others..."

"That sucks though... heh. I'll avoid her if she and I manage to confront again."

"Things really got down after that second QC award, the finals after said game..." Julian winced. "I did ignore a pair of planned moves, but you'd do the same with a "Defend" plan with a 91-90 score against you. Thanks to me, it got 100-94. And I got MVP over her."

"So it's fueled by jealousy..."

"More like it got worse. It was already bad with the girlfriend thing. After that game, coach Aubret told me scouts wanted to meet me... I didn't ask for it, but of course I went, freaking FBA scouts... There it was when she got the team to hate me. After that meeting, no one spoke to me."

Adam sighs. "Yeesh dude. That's so uncool, but hey, haters gonna hate. You just have to shrug it off best you can."

"I did most of the time and did my thing, but it got bad after...yeah... At least the coach knew better and called her on her shit. Is just... damn bullies, damn people like her and Trent just..." Adam saw him baring teeth and growling again.

"Don't give them ammunition, dude, or they'll just use them to fire back at you. They can be like internet trolls, ya know? They like you angry and frustrated." Adam's shoulder pat brought him down.

"Is not me getting mad at their doing... I guess is me trying to be some sort of justice guy and me thinking of them not deserving this. I'm now changing to the 'leave them to die' mentality, thanks to my agent and friends. I know I should not as paranoid as in the Uni and learned I don't have to be at everyone’s throats just because they’re...salopes stupides"

"We don't live in a perfect world where every bad deed goes punished... I do believe in karma though. They'll get comeuppance, heh."

Julian got up from his bed, leaning on the frame of his door."Guess this wasn't the impression you wanted to leave the city with. Fights, me bawling out and depressing you, you forced to tell your story. Sorry man..."

Adam shrugs and looks up at him as he's still sitting. "Dude, I'm having a great time here. And I hear it's healthy and shit to just... vent. Chill out the tension and all that jazz, heh. Got no regrets coming here and you’ve been a killer friend. Guess I should be a killer one in return"

"Aunt used to say that venting thing...Thanks for coming here man. All the friends getting together, the combine, I got a bit lonely... Let me tell you. Getting cleaned, prepared for a last town tour, no drama or bad stuff, ok?" He stretched when his canine senses picking up something foul: himself. "...There is worse stuff to say than seaweed let me tell ya. Sorry 'bout that" he laughed, his arms lowered.

Adam laughs, standing up. "One last town tour! I want some of that poutine again."

"If you manage to order in perfect French, is on me!" he said as they both got out.

They were soon ready. Making everything they could for the afternoon, lunch, sightseeing, even a meeting with Yves Carbonneau, Voyageurs swingfur and fellow local Montrealais, it was like the crazy stuff at morning didn’t really happen. Sunset hit, and they thought it was better to lazy it up at home for the linsang’s last night. Not many days they could do that in their future. "Sorry dude, you were SO close for a free lunch... Maybe another day!" he joked as they got in the saluki's home.

"I just can't get the pronunciations right, dude..." He shakes his head. "Lay menu, sou de plate?" Tried to say 'Le menu, s’il vous plaît'.

The saluki took his shoes off and lunged on the living room sofa. "At least you know flirt and cuss correctly. The must in all languages…"

"There is that, dude." He lied on the floor, stomach down, seeing Julian dialing up and saying something on the phone, maybe it was the city, but all this French didn’t sound so alien anymore. "Man... I leave tomorrow and then we'll probably be too busy in Vegas to really see each other much."

"Maybe, but we can at least sneak a night out with some other guys when bored. Sebastian, Ed, Wes and Ahti, you know the cool ones. Just ask your agent you don't want to dine with Trent and want to have fun instead"

He laughs. "I already dined with Trent and that... cousin of his. That's more than enough for me, dude."

The tail-tugging sensation again, but this time for Julian. "Quoi?" More French babble surrounding the linsang. "Ok, Adam... Mind reaching that drawer? Get one big piece of paper and spread it on the table. Celine wants to play"

Adam perks his ears and rises to all fours. He grabs the piece of paper and lays it out on the table, curious.

Julian stood up too, reaching on a drawer and scattering some crayons around, and the puppy instantly got one and doodled, giggling. "Join! Join!" she said

"Heh, well I ain't an artist but okay." He grabs a crayon and draws something that he holds dear to his heart... a surfboard.

The saluki got into the game too. But his waves to match the theme were just too intricate.

"Dude, it's just a wave. Not a masterpiece." He snickers.

"What you expect from me? C'est mon truc!" he replied. "...I'd lie if I said I won't miss her and thinking of how Jean-Paul would manage. I helped them a lot since... that..."

"You can still keep in touch. Besides, when you get drafted, you'll have decent cash to back here whenever you like when there are no games to play."

"I know, they know, she thinks I'm going to the draft every single time I'm heading out of the house" he chuckled. "Uncle knows good sitters and he isn't that alone. He might be the reason why the French Consulate is so liked..."

Curiosity got the linsang. “I guess Celine’s JP’s and…”

Julian looked down, focusing on his drawing more. “Yes. They didn’t have it easy when wanting a kid, lots of trying until she became pregnant…”

“And she knows that…she…”

Julian whispered to Adam what he was going to say, then turned Celine’s way for a second. (“Celine! Where’s the lady of your dream?”)

“En France!” she replied, focused on her doodling. The linsang looking surprised at the little exchange.

“Yeah… We decided coping by not coping was the best way… Man, never thought I’d miss them this bad if I get out…”

"They'll be fine. JP’s rad and she’s a nice little dudette…" He chuckles and decides to draw a stick figure on the surfboard, namely himself judging by how the stick figure's tail is drawn.

Doorbell rang which the saluki went and returned shortly after. "..Don't mind. I phoned for pizza a while before. Enough for all..."

"Dude, pizza is like holy food for me." He grins. "Bring it!"

"Man... just imagine the kind of pizzas we could order with a millionaire salary..." he laughed, getting a beer can for himself.

"Maybe a single pizza with kobe beef, five kinds of rare cheese, and gold flakes." He snerks, getting a beer as well. "Then show it to Trent and he'll flip out by that abomination."

"Psh. That's poor fur's food for him..."

"Maybe use wine sauce and caviar on the pizza too?"

"Nope. Still to peasanty for him" he laughed. "Oh man... it can be the greasiest one and I'll still have the same build if not less" he joked.

"You have like a fast metabolism or something, dude."

"All salukis are preset on skinny. Not all salukis are preset to be six-footers. At least it's more of an advantage; would be hard to be a Quvianuq-like guard."

"Yah, there is that. I'm rather tall for a viverrid, really... been called a freak back in school before."

"Ever got: “Hey you should play basketball!”" he mocked.

"Just like every day ever? Dad wanted me to be a pro surfer all the way until I decided to play in college. At least I'm not like Todd Hu..." He snerks.

Julian snickered. "Gonna be funny to look up at almost everyone if I get in..."

"Well if you want, you could have Iver Drake around ya..." He snerks.

"Too hyper for my liking, bud..." They both finished eating and let the night fly with fun and talking. The puppy just watched until she felt the need to speak. "Dud! Dud!"

"Dud? Dude?" Adam turned to her.

"And I mean..." Julian turned to her as well. "Quoi?"

"Dud!" she kept saying, to Julian’s amusement. "Bad, bad idea getting you here..." he quipped sarcastically.

"Dude!" He crouched and offered her a low-five.

Celine laughed and replied to the high-five, the saluki sighed. "The trendsetter at the Kindergarten indeed. Celine au lit..." She didn't move, still high-fiving the lisnang. "Seems she likes you..."

"What can I say, dude? Some people call me charming!" Adam grinned.

"Tail..." Julian added, deadpan not long before she was at the tail-pulling again.

He laughs and curls the tail up to tease her. "Man, gonna miss this place when I fly back to Cali..."

The canine looked down and smiled, content. "Thanks...for all...You shouldn't have..."

"Anything for a best bud, dude..."

After some protesting of the puppy, she finally let herself to be guided to bed. And Julian headed to the guest room for a last talk. "...Soon's the deadline. I can only wonder our 'girls' faces. Takes away from the stress..." he snickered.

Adam sits on the edge of the bed, already packed up mostly. "Gonna be a very tense day, that's for damn sure."

Julian leaned to the wall. "You're a shoe-in. Silver at Edmonton, killer Combine, SAS adoring you... Other teams better get a surfer lingo dictionary..."

"While you were rad in Hawaii... impressing two teams and I'm sure the other GMs were looking at that too."

"I would love to be in Santa Ana, but honestly dude, any team can take me and I'll do my most awesome."

"Same on my end...I'm hoping for same conference, though. And who knows... same team?"

He smiles. "If we're drafted to the same team, we'll both go out clubbing and partying to no end.”

"And we'd kill everything on our way..." they both laughed. Julian started to head out. "Taxi'll be here at 8? Ask if anything..."

"Alright dude." He waves! "See ya in the morning."

"No worries for tonight. I'll let the locker room if the team you're picked in joke about the seaweed thing..." he laughed.

He rolls his eyes. "Uh huh... they better get used to that smell then." He chuckles, winking.

Morning rolled in quickly, taxi soon to come, the linsang and the saluki at the door. "So, what you'll be doing pre-Draft?" Julian asked.

"Chilling out back home and then off to Vegas I go." He grabs his heavy duffel bag.

"Now we know enough of each other for FMZ to have a field day..."

Adam laughs, shaking his head. "And that's why it should never leave this place. Gotcha?"

"Oh, absolutely. Absolutement..." he snickered.”But most importantly... now I know that I got a cool friend and a reminder that not the entire Basketball world is about the likes of that dyke, and who knows? Maybe I get a respectful boss?"

"Dude, never let the actions and beliefs of a single person dictate an entire group or sport or anything like that." He slings the duffel bag to make it rest on his own shoulder. "Well she did rest her paw onto mine... not exactly a dyke thing to do, but whatevs, dude."

"She claims bi; by the way...” he snickered. The taxi arrived. "Well, see ya in Vegas, then Au revoir, as we say..."

Adam tosses the bag onto the backseat of the taxi and then turns to give Julian a hug. "We're gonna turn Vegas upside down, dude."

“Literally if we have to..." he said as he patted on his back; his family waving goodbye on the porch.

Adam waves and then climbs into the taxi. "See ya later!" and he rode off. Julian got back inside his house.

(“Pretty nice meeting him…”) said Jean-Paul, free to talk on his mother tongue without feeling the need to repeat what he was saying.

(“I know the visit was unexpected, thank you lots for receiving him”)

(“Glad you found friends in the FBA pup, and hosting guests is good practice if someone ever requests political asylum.”) He joked.

As the older saluki got to the kitchen, Julian pondered something. (“What’s our return date from Vegas?”)

(“September 2nd, why?”)

(“Mind…changing one ticket to take a detour to L.A for two or three of days?”)