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Jake quickened his pace down the corridor, silently cursing himself for sleeping so late. Damn it, he thought, on all the days for his alarm clock to break, it had to be today, just when Jefferson was on his ass about this paper. A quick glance to both sides revealed lecture theatres beyond doors, students packing the seats, telling Jake just how late he was for class. His footsteps echoed loudly up and down the linoleum-lined corridor as he checked his watch, hoping like hell the straps on his bag would hold the huge pile of reference book the course had set him.

9:47? Jake winced as he neared the door to the lecture theatre; he was supposed to have been in the class by 9:25. His heart soared as he saw the lights were off inside the theatre. That could only mean one thing-Jefferson had the slide projector on, showing faded slides of old broken pottery or some other boring crap. As much as he loathed the thought of another two-hour lecture on methods of vase production in ancient Greece, this meant Jefferson wouldn't notice him sneaking in late.

He could sit in the chair closest to the door, the one that was always empty. Then he could claim innocence when Jefferson finished the slideshow. The old bobcat may have been a hard ass on grades and notes, his memory was fading as he approached his autumn years now, and he wouldn't even realize Jake wasn't there until he missed a chance to humiliate him about the poor quality of his work.

It hadn't been his idea to take classics as one of his courses, but he needed it for his bachelor of arts. He thought it might have been fun, but not with the lecturer old Jurassic Jefferson, his ancient, droning voice sending Jake into a mild catatonia as soon as he sat down. How the other students kept their heads up was a mystery, and Jake often found himself being woken by the sounds of the students packing up at the end of the lecture, the only thing on his own page a puddle of drool.

Jake pushed the double doors into the theatre lightly, slipping through the gap and into the darkness beyond. He snuck over to the seats as quietly as his paws could carry him, the sounds of Jefferson's voice filtering through his ears already making him tired. He stifled a yawn as he sat down in the closest chair to the door, freezing as he realized there was something wrong with his seat. They weren't usually this high...or soft...or furry...

"Aren't you gonna buy me dinner first?" a voice asked by his ear, sounding slightly breathless from being sat on. Jake screamed and shot up in the air, turning and falling heavily on his rump. He heard the class break up into laughter and the fluorescent lights above flickered on, showing rows and rows of students laughing at him. He blushed furiously beneath his fur, looking up at where he had sat.

A tall grey-furred wolf sat in the seat, looking slightly bemused, a grin playing about his muzzle. He was wearing blue jeans and a tight white tee that barely managed to conceal his broad chest and thick arms. Jake had never seen him before, and to tell the truth was rather taken aback by the handsome wolf he had so casually used as a seat only moments before.

"No-one sits there." Jake heard himself say, cringing inwardly at such an idiotic statement.

"I do today." The wolf replied not unkindly, shaking his head and laughing. His voice was deep and smooth, like cream over fresh ice. Jake didn't know why that analogy came to mind, but before he could meditate further, he realized Mr. Jefferson, the lecturer, was standing over him and looking rather severe.

"So, Mr. Andrews, you turn up late, disrupt my class, and assault our new student?" The bobcat asked tersely, and Jake glanced at the newcomer, who merely inclined his head and grinned silently. "Any other misdemeanors you'd like to add to this list, or would you just feel content to grace this classroom with your presence?" Jake apologized and hurried to a free seat near the back, feeling smaller and smaller with every step he took, feeling the eyes of the other students trace his shame as he went.

"Oh, and Mr. Andrews?" Jefferson called from down at the front of the class "Your last essay was abysmal at best. For your own sake, boy, get some tutoring!" This remark caused another round of laughter from the students, but Jake didn't care. He had other things on his mind right now then the laughter of others. What the lecturer had said was true; his essay had been abysmal. It reflected his entire grade for the course. If he failed the mid-term for classics, he could kiss his bachelor goodbye for this year.

The class dragged on for what seemed like hours, but eventually Mr. Jefferson let the class go, reminding them about the mid-term coming up. Jake avoided his eyes as he darted through the crowds of students leaving the lecture hall, slowing up his pace as soon as he was outside. He walked the long way back to his dorm room in Durham hall, walking through the park and enjoying the spring scents in his nostrils as he went.

The sunlight, dappled through the fresh green leaves, played on his black and white-banded fur, the cool breeze ruffling through his fur as he went. Jake was a young raccoon, young for first year at Jarrow University, still seventeen and younger than most others on his course. While others had taken a year off between high school and university, Jake's family, more aptly his mother, had pushed him into going straight to tertiary.

Durham hall was a big old brick building, housing around two hundred students on its four floors. Jake's room was on the very top floor and there was no elevator, so he groaned as he had to yet again throw himself at the steep staircase, struggling to get to his room. It wasn't all bad, however, Jake mused as he climbed behind a slim fox, eyes constantly level with his tight ass.

He unlocked his room and dumped his bag on his bed, pushing the door closed behind him with his foot. He crossed the room and struggled with the heavy window, eventually forcing it open and allowing the spring breeze to wash through his room. He leant on the window sill and stuck his head out the window, looking over the campus vaguely, mind elsewhere. He had two hours to kill before his next class, political studies over on the far side of the campus. There was a class he was doing well in; good lecturer, easy to understand...not like classics.

Oh well, he sighed, I'll just have to start my bachelor over again next semester. At least that means I can waste the rest of the semester going out, he thought, brightening considerably. All the work he had bought upon himself meant he hadn't made many friends on campus...life was tough for a young, gay raccoon in a new place. He grabbed his towel from over the back of his chair and threw it over his shoulder, heading for the bathroom to freshen up.

He made his way down the hall and around the corner, nodding greetings to a few familiar faces as he went. As he went to push open the door to the men's bathroom, however, it swung open of its own accord. Jake's hand kept moving by its own momentum, however, until it buried itself deeply into the chest fur of the beast in the doorway. Jake's mouth dropped in a mix of shock and horror, eyes moving from his hand up the chest (the well muscled and strong chest, a part of his brain registered) and to the face of the beast. He almost died of embarrassment right then and there.

The wolf from classics stood there, a bundle of clothes in one paw, the other only just holding a towel around his waist. The same surprised grin was on his face as earlier, his head cocked to one side as he looked Jake up and down.

"Sorry..." Jake stuttered, trying his hardest to keep his eyes from the slipping towel around the wolf's waist. "The door...you weren't...and...yeah." He finished, grinning desperately. Smooth...

"That's alright...I think." The wolf said, nodding. He stood staring at Jake for a few more moments than comfortable, an expectant look on his face.

"Um..." Jake said, unsure of what to say.

"So...can I get past you, or is no-one supposed to be here either?" The wolf asked.

"What?" Jake replied, flustered.

"It's a joke. From before, you know?" The wolf said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, definitely." Jake said, nodding furiously.

"You might need to move, you know. One day soon." The wolf said. Jake gaped for a second, realizing his hand was still buried in the handsome wolf's chest fur. He withdrew it hastily and stepped aside, blushing furiously.

"Sorry." He said, and the wolf looked rather taken aback.

"Geez man, lighten up!" He said, ruffling the fur between Jake's ears, leaving nothing but sheer will to hold his towel up. "You have to be the shyest thief I've ever met!" He turned and went to walk away, leaving a peculiar ringing sound in Jake's head.

"Um..." Jake said, brain reeling in shock that his mouth had acted without it.

"Yeah?" The wolf said, turning, nearly losing grip of the towel in his hand.

"Most people don't walk around here with just a towel on." Jake said before he could stop himself. "I thought you should know, 'cos you're new here and all, and..."

"Don't they?" The wolf replied, thankfully cutting Jake off mid ramble, looking down at his towel, apparently oblivious to the giggling troupe of cat-girls who passed by at that moment. "Well I'm not most people now, am I?" He said, looking up at Jake and flashing him a roguish wink. He sauntered off around the corner, leaving Jake in a state of shock.

Real smooth, he thought as he undressed and stepped into the shower. I can't believe what a complete jackass I made of myself...oh gods he must think I'm a weirdo. Jake paused as he was running a paw through his headfur, staring off into the middle distance. The fur-ruffling...the wink...was he flirting with me?

He shook his head. Now he was just imagining things, there was no way that the handsome wolf was gay too...maybe he was? But how would Jake find out? He put the thought out of his mind as he got out of the shower, drying and dressing himself in the locker room. He wasn't as brave as the wolf, he wasn't going to just walk around almost naked! He wished he could be as comfortable as himself, but knew he could never just walk through a crowded place like that.

He made his way back to his room, passing the mail clerk on the way. He was making his rounds of the dorm, pushing letters under room doors as he went. He nodded a greeting to Jake as he passed, whistling a tune as he continued on his path.

Jake hung his towel out the window in his room to dry, turning and slumping down in his chair as he waited for his next class. Wait...what was that? A paper rectangle was resting just inside his room, as though someone had just pushed it under the doorjamb. Jake picked it up, turning it over and inspecting it.

It was a letter, must have been dropped by the mail man on his rounds. Its address matched the room he was in, but his name wasn't Alex Turnskill. Must have been the room's last occupant, or maybe a wrong address. He poked his head out the door to look for the mail clerk, but he was long gone. He stared at the name blankly as he thought of what to do...maybe someone around here would know who it belonged to?

He noticed the door across from his was slightly ajar and crossed over to it, knocking lightly on the door.

"Hey, sorry to bother you, but do you know a...?" Jake begun as the door swung inwards, but froze at what he saw inside. Facing away from him was the same wolf from before, using one of the low ceiling beams as a pull-up bar. Swirling tribal fur-inks covered his shoulders and back, and he wore only tight white cotton boxers, muscles shifting under his fur as he pulled himself up and down, breath grunting regularly reminding Jake of something else entirely...

Without warning the wolf dropped from the bar, turning and seeing Jake still standing frozen in the doorway, a look of shock quickly followed with that same cute, bemused grin. He crossed the floor to the door, leaning on the frame, towering over the raccoon.

"Well you just turn up in the oddest of fucking places, don't you?" He said, shaking his head and lightly tweaking Jake's nose. Jake's brain froze up again, the only thing in his mind the muzzle of the wolf, which seemed to be getting closer every second. As he thought this, the wolf reached out past Jake's head, his muzzle drawing close to Jake's... and he drew back, his outstretched arm now holding his towel that had been hanging over the door.

"So, there a reason for you being here, or you just come to stare at my ass?" He asked casually, giving Jake a shock. Had he been that obvious? There was no condemnation in the wolf's eyes, however, just a mild curiosity.

"Um...I'm across the hall..." Jake began, holding up the letter defensively. "And I got this letter...it's not for me and I was just wondering if maybe you knew who it was for?" Jake asked, his words all coming out in a jumble. The wolf took the envelope from Jake's unresisting paw, looking at it in quiet contemplation.

"Sorry, It's not for you, I'll just take it and..." Jake began, but the wolf stopped him.

"Alex Turnskill. That's me" He said, grinning happily. "Thanks mate, I was wondering where this got to."

"Glad I could help" Jake said, breathing an almost audible sigh of relief. "Alex." He said, and Alex proffered a paw.

"That's me, Alex Turnskill, born and bred Otago stock" He said, taking Jake's paw and shaking heartily. Alex's paw was strong and rough to the touch, maybe the result of years of hard labor?

"Do I get your name, or shall you remain the mystery thief that seems to stalk me wherever I go?" Alex asked, ducking his head down to look into Jake's eyes.

"Oh, sorry." Jake said, blushing again. "I'm Jake. Jake Andrews. Uh...Minnesota's my home"

"Good to meet you, Jake." Alex said, eyes sparkling. Jake hadn't noticed before, but Alex had the most amazing blue eyes, that seemed to light up when he grinned...

"Can I get that paw back?" Alex asked, and Jake froze, looking down slowly to see his paw still clasping Alex's. He laughed nervously and withdrew his paw, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I should go, I have a class..." Jake begun, turning to run and hide his face in shame, maybe for the next fifty years. How could he be so lame...?

"Wait" Alex said, and Jake turned back, seeing the wolf cross to his desk and take up a slip of paper. "Would you know where I have to go for..." He asked, inspecting the paper, "Political science 101?"

"That's...that's my next class!" Jake said, overjoyed. Alex cocked an eyebrow but said nothing, instead picking a plain white tee from the back of his chair and pulling it over his head.

"Awesome. You can walk me there." He said, pulling on a pair of jeans and snatching up his books. Jake grabbed his own things from his room and followed Alex as he walked off down the corridor, finding it hard to keep pace with the rolling, long-legged gait the wolf had.

He chanced a sideways glance up at Alex, admiring the care-free look on his face, the easygoing set to his stance... it was like he didn't have a care in the world. Jake sighed. He wished he could be as calm and collected as Alex always seemed to be. It was as if nothing fazed him, like he'd keep that confident little grin no matter what.

"So..."Jake ventured as the two of them started heading down the stairs. "Your accent...I'm guessing you aren't from around here."

"That's right." Alex replied.

"Otago...is that down south?" Jake asked, and Alex just laughed.

"About as far south as you can go before you are in Antarctica." He said, looking sidelong at Jake. "I'm from a little country called New Zealand, right down at the bottom of the southern hemisphere."

"Really?" Jake asked, interested. "So how'd you end up here?"

"Long story." Alex said, grinning.

"Aw, come on!" Jake insisted.

"You sure you want to hear it?" Alex asked as the two of them stepped out of Durham hall and into the sunlight.

"We have a bit of a walk between here and the lecture theatre. Why not?" Jake asked, and Alex just sighed, brushing a stray grey hair away from his eyes.

"Alright. I was schooled over in my home country, far away from here. At around fourteen I was a real trouble maker, and that was causing problems at home." He said, still smiling slightly.

"You? A trouble maker?" Jake asked incredulously.

"Oh yeah. Had all my head fur spiked, fur inks, piercings all over the show, ripped leather jacket, angst, I had the works."

"Really? I can't see you with all that." Jake said, using this pretence to stare unashamedly at Alex.

"Sad to say, but that was who I was. A real punk." He said, laughing deeply. "Anyway, when I was fourteen there was a bit of trouble at home, you know." He said, waving a paw vaguely to show he didn't want to talk about it. "Anyway, as a result, I got sent off to a men's boarding school, with a whole bunch of farmer's kids. That was a big change for me. I lost all the accessories and junk by my last year, and I was just another of the boys." He said, staring off into the middle distance as though remembering something.

"And then what happened?" Jake asked, still struggling to keep up with Alex without breaking into a jog.

"Well, after high school, I had no idea what to do with myself. I couldn't of anything I wanted to be, and eventually it struck me. I had spent five years of my life with farmers, and had never set one paw on a farm myself, or done a decent days work all my life." Alex said, shrugging. "So I rang up my uncle, and two days later I got a position as a worker on his farm up north. I moved up there and boy, I'll tell you, what a shock I got!" He said, shaking his head and grinning ruefully. "By the end of the first day both my paws were bleeding and I was ready to die. Still, I thought what the hell else would I be doing, so I stuck to it. I did that for two years, then figured I couldn't do that all my life, so I moved back south and started on my bachelor of art, cause it seemed like an easy option."

"So how did you end up here?" Jake asked, feeling a bit less shy but no less awkward now.

"Settle down, Jakey!" Alex laughed, making the raccoon blush deeply. "Let me get through the story without you piping up every few seconds."

"Sorry..." Jake mumbled, but Alex just brushed it off and kept going.

"Anyway, I kept getting static from my folks to do this and that, so I decided to split the country. I went and saw the course counselor, and he said he could cross-credit all my papers to pretty much any university in the world. I picked a university at random, and here I am." He said, shrugging.

"You just picked a university at random? How much did it cost to get over here?" Jake asked, shocked.

"Hey, I worked for two straight years, and had my board, room and food all supplied by the farm. I had a lot of spare money, and I spent some. No biggie." Alex said, apparently thinking nothing of moving halfway around the world.

"I wish I could be so free." Jake said, looking down at his footpaws. "I'm always being told what to do by my folks."

"What?" Alex said incredulously. "Come on, thief, you're a big boy now, make your own decisions!"

"What, so I should just tell my parents to go and eat shit?" Jake asked sarcastically, but Alex only laughed.

"If that's what they're into." He said, nudging Jake in the ribs with his elbow and winking to him. "But seriously, just tell them it's your life, let you live it. They can give you advice, but never let someone else run your life." He said, suddenly turning serious. "And always make sure you're nice to your family. They may irritate the fuck out of you, but they are the only one you get."

"You believe that, huh? Jake asked, looking up at Alex.

"Course. Nothing more important to this wolf than family." Alex said, nodding.

"Well, the political science block is up here." Jake said, gesturing to the structure they were heading towards. However, as they got nearer, they saw a crowd was gathering outside.

"This usual?" Alex asked, craning his neck to try and see what the focus of the crowd was.

"No." Jake said, and as soon as the words left his mouth, an authoritative voice piped up from the front of the crowd.

"Political Science 101 is postponed for today." The voice said, battling to be heard over the murmur of the crowd. "On grounds that Mr. Davidson has had a stroke."

"A stroke?" Jake said, shocked. The crowd slowly dispersed, a mixture of joy of getting out of class and concern for the lecturer filtering through their conversation.

"Damn.." Jake said, shaking his head. Mr. Davidson was a nice old beast, he hoped he was alright.

"What, you so eager to get into class?" Alex asked him

"No..." Jake said, feeling rather stupid.

"Sweet as then. Free period for us, then." Alex said, yawning widely, grimacing as his stomach growled. "Who, I'm starved! Where does a body get a good feed around here?"

"There's the cafeteria..." Jake began, but Alex shook his head.

"Too busy and loud. Anywhere else?" He asked, and Jake thought for a second.

"Um...there's a diner just off campus..."He ventured and Alex appeared to think this over for a second.

"Yeah, why not. Let's go." He said, turning to go.

"But..." Jake begun.

"Come on, my treat." Alex said, tugging Jake's sleeve. Jake hesitated for a second. A free lunch wasn't to be turned down...and with Alex?

"Alright." He said, and the two of them made their way across the campus towards the diner. Once inside the two of them found a booth to themselves and sat opposite each other, a waitress coming over with two menus for them.

"What can I get you two boys today?" The waitress asked, a middle-aged rabbit with a half-smoked cigarette pursed between her lips.

"You know, I never thought diners like this actually existed." Alex said, looking around the diner. "I thought they were just on American TV all the time. Huh." He said, flicking open the menu and running his eyes down the page. "How's the burger looking today?"

"Probably too big for any off-shore beast to handle." The waitress said, and Alex raised an eyebrow.

"That, m'lady, sounds like a challenge. Fire away on one of those." He said, winking across the table to Jake, who ordered himself French toast. The two of them sat idly chatting until the food came. Alex paused for a second to look over his burger, shaking his head and making a 'tut-tut' sound.

"What's the matter?" Jake asked.

"She thought a kiwi couldn't eat this." He said, shaking his head in mock horror. Jake laughed and tucked into his food, but he soon stopped and merely stared in wonder as the wolf ate his meal. In under two minutes a burger the size of a plate and a side of fries had disappeared into Jake's gullet, who was sitting back with a satisfied look on his face.

"Here's a lesson for you Jake:" Alex said, pushing the plate away from himself. "Never challenge an Otago boy to a contest in eating, drinking, fighting or breaking." He said, cricking his neck with a smug look on his face.

"How did you do that?" Jake asked, still in a state of shock.

"Dunno" Alex said, shrugging.

"No really, did you unhinge your jaw or something?" Jake asked, but Alex just laughed.

****

Over the next few weeks Jake spent every second he could with Alex, enjoying his company, but he always wanted more. He wanted to be able to just reach out and touch Alex, to be held in his strong embrace, to hear him whisper in his ear, but he wasn't even sure if Alex was gay or not.

Sometimes, things he said or did, the way he acted, made Jake think he was gay, and he would almost make a move n him, and he would switch back to straight. He'd be winking and nudging with Jake one second, to the point Jake nearly couldn't keep himself from leaping on Alex, and then be doing the exact same thing to a crowd of girls two seconds later. It was infuriating

Everyone Alex talked to seemed to instantly be his friend, no matter who or what they were. Alex even called himself 'the conversation whore' sometimes, but he still always hung out with Jake. Jake would often sit a few rows back from the wolf in class, claiming it was so he wouldn't be distracted by Alex's antics, but really just sitting and staring longingly at the wolf.

Jake sighed. He was currently in his room at his desk, doodling Alex's face in the back of his classics textbook, realizing he was just procrastinating studying, but continuing anyway.

Suddenly the door flew open and hit his bed with an almighty crash, nearly giving Jake a heart attack. He just had the presence of mind to flick his book closed with one paw before he went toppling backwards into the floor. When the room stopped spinning and settled into place Jake realized it was Alex standing over him.

"What are you doing down there?" He asked, the low vantage point making him no less attractive to Jake. In fact, from this vantage point he could almost see up Alex's shorts...

"Um...studying?" He said, but Alex only laughed. He hauled the raccoon to his feet, picking up his chair and setting it down where it had been. Jake sat back down and opened his book, making it look like he was trying to study.

"Close the book, Jake, we're going out." Alex said, looking over the raccoons shoulder.

"I can't. Mid terms are in a week. I fail these and I have to re-sit the whole course." Jake said, studying his book closely. Alex put his elbows on Jake's shoulders and leant over his head, scanning the paper Jake had written. Jake held his breath, relishing the feel of Alex's fur on his, the feel of the wolf's heartbeat so close to his ear...oh gods, Jake thought miserably.

"You know, Aphrodite was born of the crest of a wave, not from jumping out of Zeus' skull. That was Athena." He said casually, and Jake let out a moan.

"I'm never going to pass! I suck at classics." Jake moaned.

"Hey, I'll help you." Alex said.

"How good are you?" Jake asked, leaning back discreetly, feeling the flow of Alex's breath shift his fur lightly.

"I got an A plus on the last essay, remember? Jefferson wanked on about it for half the class. How could you forget that?" Alex asked.

"Um..." Jake replied. Probably because I've been staring at your ass and sketching you in my classics book since I met you...

"Anyway, how come you're so good at classics?" Jake asked.

"I dunno" Alex said, shrugging "How do clouds stay in the sky?"

"Because they aren't solid matter. They're only water particles..." Jake begun, but Alex just groaned.

"That's your problem, Jake. Always books books books. For once just live life outside!" Alex said, grabbing his classics book and throwing it across the room.

"Hey, I need that..." Jake said, but Alex placed a hand on his shoulder to restrain him.

"Come out tonight and I'll tutor you myself." He said

"Really?" Jake asked

"I promise." Alex said, hauling the raccoon to his feet.

"Where are we going?" Jake said.

"A fox from downstairs invited me to go to the movies with him and his missus. He said he needed the company, and I should bring someone." Alex said. Jake froze...did he mean bring...as in as a partner?

"So I thought I'd bring you along. Too much effort to find a girl at such short notice, and you need to get out more often." Alex said, and Jake nodded forlornly. Of course he wasn't taking him as a date.

"Alright, lets go." Jake said, grabbing his wallet and stuffing it in his back pocket. Alex grinned and clapped him on the shoulder, and crossed to the door.

"Hey, could you be a bit more careful with my door?" Jake asked, checking for any dents that the overzealous wolf may have put in it. "I don't want to lose my deposit on this room."

"Deposit? Room?" Alex said, looking disgusted. "Gods, what are you under that mask, fifty? You're a student! Live a little! Break something for fucks sake!" At this, the wolf looked across the corridor to his own door. He ran full tilt at it and kicked it as hard as he could, the sound of splintering timber filling the air. Slowly, as if moving through treacle, his door fell into his room, hitting the floor with a sound like a thunderbolt.

"Let's go." He said airily, ignoring the crowd that had gathered to see what the noise was.

"How are you going to lock your room now?" Jake asked, looking in horrified fascination at the ruined doorframe.

"What, so no-one gets in and steals my socks? Pfft, material possessions aren't everything, you know" Alex asked, grabbing the raccoon by his shoulder and pushing him through the crowd. Jake couldn't believe it. It was like Alex was from another world, like he was a god, striding about, breaking rules and gathering crowds of admirers. And if he was a god, Jake was one of his worshippers...

The two of them met the fox Adam and his date the tigress Kate on the third floor, and the four of them made their way across the campus. Jake realized with a shock that Adam was the fox whose ass he'd been ogling every day on the stairs, and was having trouble keeping a straight face when talking to the wolf.

When they finally made it to the theatre, a few blocks away, Jake was finding it hard to not stare and Alex, who for some reason was looking especially attractive tonight.

"So what do you want to see?" Alex asked him, taking him off guard.

"You." Jake said before he could stop himself.

"Huh?" Alex said, looking rather taken aback.

"I...I mean...what do you want to see man?" Jake said, grinning nervously.

"Dunno. Adam, what do you feel like?" He asked, looking over the fox, leaving Jake to breathe out a long sigh of relief. Wow...that was close.

"Something stupid, with explosions and extreme ass-kicking." He said, and Kate nudged him in the ribs.

"Always the same, honestly." She said, snarling in mock anger.

"There's a film that fits the bill." Alex said, pointing to a poster hanging on the wall. The four of them bought their tickets and headed through the busy lobby to the dark theatre. They took their seats, and Jake took the chance to look Alex over in the half-light. He had to do something soon, all this tension was killing him...

The screen flickered into life and sent a wave of light across the audience, and Alex caught the raccoon staring. He cocked his head with a questioning look on his face, asking if there was a problem, but Jake shook his head and shrunk down into his seat, burning with embarrassment.

After the film ended the four of them made their way to a pizza parlor a few blocks away, where they found themselves a table near the back.

"You have places like this back home?" Adam asked Alex, after they had seated themselves and ordered drinks.

"Not exactly." Alex replied

"Ah, that's a pity. You're not able to eat like an American then." Adam said, and Jake froze. Oh, bad move Adam.

"That sounded like a challenge." Alex said, grinning rather wider than usual, gaining a hungry glint to his eye.

"Hey, it's not a challenge." Adam said, grinning back. "No-one out-eats a yank."

"Let's settle it then." Alex replied, clicking his fingers. The two of them ordered five large pizzas each, the loser picking up the bill. A few students in the pizza parlor began nudging each other and moving around the table as the pizzas arrived. The word spread quick and soon there was a crowd gathered to see the showdown.

Jake saw a badger he had seen around the dorm begin to take bets, and could feel his heart begin to pick up pace...he hoped Alex won. Adam looked a little pale as the pizzas began piling up on the table, and Kate began massaging his shoulders.

"Jake." Alex said, nodding at Kate. Jake was shocked, but he reached out and began to massage to wolf's broad shoulders, letting out a sigh as his fingers ran through his rich, deep fur. Totally worth any price...

Finally all the pizzas were ready, and the competitors took their places, hunkered over the table with a hungry look in their eyes.

"Ready?" Alex asked Adam, winking as he ran a tongue over his lips.

"I was born ready." Adam growled, grinning broadly. The two of them launched into the pizzas at once, three, four slices disappearing before the crowd even knew what was happening. Both fox and wolf finished the first pizza at the same time, churning into the next one with renewed vigor. However, by the start of the third pizza, Adam was beginning to slow, whereas Alex was still going strong.

By the time the fox had finished his third pizza, Alex was onto his fifth, and with a triumphant cry, the wolf pushed aside the last empty plate and rising to his footpaws.

"Victory!" He roared, the crowd of students all around cheering heartily. He received handshakes and pats on the back from many of the students, wiping his mouth and sitting himself back down.

"What did I tell you, Adam?" He said, but the fox just laughed.

"Shut up." He groaned, looking distinctly sick after all the pizza.

"You did well, foxy, but in the end I came out on top." Jake said, shaking hands with Adam. They both laughed as the fox settled the bill, and as they rose to leave one of the students from before approached them.

"Hey, good show guys." He said

"We do what we can." Adam grunted, belching. Kate looked horrified and clipped him around the ear.

"Anyway, there's a big party on the other side of campus. You in?" The student said.

"Nah, we might turn in early." Adam said after exchanging looks with Kate.

"What do you reckon, Jake?" Alex asked.

"I dunno..." Jake said.

"Oh come on, live a little!" Alex said, shoving him lightly. "We'll be there." He said to the student.

The four of them made their way back to campus, where Kate and Adam separated and made their way back to their rooms after wishing Jake and Alex a good night. The two of them continued across campus to where the party was, finally finding the place after much searching.

"Want a beer?" Alex asked once inside, and Jake nodded. Alex disappeared for a few seconds and reappeared with two tall plastic cups of beer.

"Where'd you get those from?" Jake asked, puzzled. Alex downed his in one go, belching loudly and tossing the cup over his shoulder before answering.

"Keg. It's a kegger." He said.

"A what?"

"Keg party." Alex said, looking surprised. "You don't know what a kegger is?"

"No" Admitted Jake, feeling rather foolish. A slow light seemed to dawn on Alex's face as Jake watched him, which quickly turned into and evil grin, the wolf grabbing Jake by the back of his shirt and dragging him through the party. It was in some poor beasts house, every room full of drunken college students. Jake couldn't even hear over the sound of the loud music and yelling, and the thick throng of bodies pressed in on every side, smelling of an awful mix of perfume, beer and sweat.

Finally Alex pulled Jake out of the press of bodies and into the kitchen of the house, where around twenty beasts were crowded around a keg. Thick, acrid smoke hung in the air from what looked like a tailor cigarette being passed around a group of dogs in one corner, but Alex propelled Jake over to the keg.

"Boys, boys!" Alex called out, bringing the attention to himself, one arm wrapped around Jake's shoulder. "I have here with me a keg virgin! He's never been to a kegger, and you know what that means." The guys gathered around the keg looked blankly at Jake for a few seconds, their faces breaking into the same evil grin Alex had on his muzzle.

"Kegnitiation!" They cried as one, picking up a long hose and motioning to Jake.

"You want to do this?" Alex whispered warningly in his ear.

"Why not?" Jake said, grinning "Live a little, aye?" Alex laughed and pushed Jake into the crowd around the keg, who promptly stuck a chair under him and the hose in his mouth. Jake didn't have time to take a breath before the beer rushed into his throat, and suddenly he was gulping it down, beer spilling down his front, coughing and spluttering as he drank and drank...

Finally they pulled the hose from his mouth, and he choked a little as he fell out of his chair. The cheering of the guys filled his ears and the room span, but he felt happy. He unsteadily got to his feet, searching the room for Alex. He finally had the courage to tell him...

You're drunk, part of his brain said, but he ignored it, stumbling around the kitchen in search of the wolf of his dreams. He found him in the corner with the dogs, smoking that acrid cigarette, a strange smile curling his lips.

"Hey buddy, how you going?" Alex asked, grinning, the dogs laughing loudly. The floor shifted and suddenly Jake didn't feel too well. He wanted to lie down...everything was loud, confusing...

"Muh..." He murmured, and Alex lifted his chin with a paw.

"You alright there, thief?" He asked, still grinning. He exhaled a plume of the intoxicating smoke into the raccoons face, who took one sniff of the smoke and felt everything fading, falling gently to one side.

"Oops, there he goes..." Said one of the dogs, followed by a chorus of giggles. Jake groaned and tried to rise, then giving up and letting everything go black.

****

Jake's eyes felt curiously dry as they flickered open, staring in incomprehension at the sun streaming through the window onto his face. His head lolled to one side then another, and he realized he was in his room...but how did he get there?

Recollection hit him like a sack of doorknobs and he winced, remembering the slow fall to the kitchen floor...aw man...Alex would have had to carried me all the way back here...he must think I'm such a loser.

Jake groaned as he tried to sit up, wincing again as something else hit him, but this time it was the pain of an almighty hangover. He shuddered and fell backwards onto the bed, burying his head beneath the covers. He wished he could just die...

The sound of the doorknob turning gently bought his head out of it's hiding, and Jake watched as Alex slowly entered the room, his constant grin still in place.

"Sorry..." Jake murmured, feeling even worse.

"What for?"

"Drinking too much at the party. You must think I'm a loser."

"What? Of course not! Where I come from, drinking too much and passing out is like a rite of passage to manhood! We do it when we're like fourteen."

"Really?"

"Yeah, that and vomiting."

"Oh gods, I didn't, did I?" Jake asked wretchedly.

"Lets just say a few bushes won't be the same again. No biggie, though."

"Aw man...I'm sorry."

"Why? It's good to see you getting out and enjoying yourself, thief!" Alex said, laughing. I mean, after the number of nights I've spent comatose in a wheelbarrow, your little collapse is nothing!" Jake grinned ruefully, rubbing his head.

"How'd you get me back here?" He asked.

"Carried you."

"Sorry..."

"Hey, I've been carried a few times in my life, and I've carried a few too. Man, at my old school, those boys could drink! And they were farmers-try carrying a friggin' bull three miles in the half-hour before the dean comes to check beds. You, Jake my boy, are an easy job in comparison."

"So...you're not angry?" Jake said, smiling a little.

"Why would I be?" Alex laughed. "It's all part of having fun. And you definitely had fun last night, as most of the campus will tell you." Jake laughed too, and Alex stood up, stretching widely.

"You know, there's something else we do in our country..." He said, standing and leaving the room with a grin. Jake propped himself up on his elbows and stared at the door, wondering what Alex could be planning. The door suddenly swung inwards, smacking into the bed frame loudly, and Alex pounded in, banging a pot with a wooden spoon.

"It's called annoy the hung-over bastard!" He yelled joyously, kicking the door shut behind him. Jake groaned and pulled his pillow over his face, hiding himself from the wolf.

"Shut up!" He yelled, trying hard to keep the grin from curling around his muzzle, the sound of the banging lid pounding in his skull loudly. The pot crashed to the floor and Alex landed on his chest with his elbow, winding him.

"Aw, don't be angry my masked buddy!" He said, prodding him in the ribs. "You know you love me."

"Yeah, I do." Jake said before he could stop himself. He felt Alex freeze on top of him, and slowly pulled the pillow away from his face, dreading what he might find. Alex's muzzle was inches from his own, his brow creased in confusion. They stared into each other's eyes for a second, then Alex's eyes widened, his jaw dropping in shock. He stumbled back from the bed, shaking his head as if in horror.

"Alex..." Jake began, but the wolf didn't appear to hear him.

"Uh...you need you rest, buddy...I'll just go..." He said, making for the door

"Alex!" Jake cried, but it was too late. Alex had gone, the door slamming in his wake.

****

Over the next few weeks Jake tried his very hardest to get on with his work, trying to put Alex out of his mind. He finally got a tutor and just scraped through his midterms, but that seemed a hollow victory having lost his wolf...he couldn't put out of his mind the look on his face when he'd let his feelings slip...he felt like such an idiot, of course Alex wasn't gay.

He'd see him in the corridors every now and then, but as soon as they made eye contact Alex would pretty much turn and run for his life, leaving confused students in his wake and a feeling like a knife to the heart for Jake.

He sometimes would just go and sit in the corner of his room and weep, his tears matting the fur beneath his eyes, his head between his knees as he cried. He couldn't blame Alex, how he must have felt to find out his best friend was in love with him...why did Jake have to be gay? He didn't ask to be, it just happened! It wasn't his fault he loved Alex so much, so much it hurt, so much he thought he'd die without him.

He was crossing the park towards Durham late one night, the full moon illuminating his path as he went, hands in pockets as he thought miserably of Alex. He had been studying in the library and hadn't realized how late it was. He heard voices up ahead and his heart sunk as he saw a bunch of jocks heading across the park towards him.

He kept his head low as they passed by, and his heart lightened as they made no comment, but then...

"Hey you!" Jake froze in his tracks, dreading what was coming.

"Yeah, you!" Jake turned to see he was being addressed by the biggest and ergo the leader of the jocks, a huge tiger in a varsity football jacket. There were four of the jocks, the tiger, two panthers and a lion. They moved quickly, crowding around Jake before he could move

"You're that fag, aren't you?" The tiger said, prodding Jake in the chest. The smell of beer washed over Jake, and he realized that the jocks had been drinking. He didn't like where this was going...

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Jake murmured, and tried to push past the panthers, but they held him fast.

"Yeah, you're that homo!" The tiger growled. "My sister went out with some fox and said you were there. Said you couldn't keep your eyes off some wolf."

"It wasn't me..." Jake insisted, but the tiger just laughed.

"I don't see any other raccoons!" He said, and the jocks laughed.

"Please..." Jake began desperately, but the tiger ignored him.

"You see, I don't like faggots, you hear me, thief?" The tiger said, and the panthers grabbed him under the arms, holding him up. Before Jake could protest, the tiger slammed a fist into his stomach, winding him. He hit him again and again, growling in satisfaction with each hit.

"Fucking queer!" He snarled, drawing back a fist to hit Jake in the face. Jake wanted to flinch, but he couldn't, all he could do was watch as the fist bunched, ready to strike...

A bottle came sailing out of nowhere, smashing into the side of the tiger's head, knocking him to the ground. The lion turned in shock, a grey streak rushing up and grabbing him by the mane before he could do anything. Jake's eyes widened in shock as he realized who it was; Alex!

The wolf grabbed two paws of mane on either side of the lion's face, jerking his head forward, smashing his forehead into the lion's muzzle with an awful crack. The tawny-furred beast fell to the ground, clutching it's muzzle and whimpering.

The panthers released Jake and stepped back, not wishing to get involved. Jake fell to his knees, gasping for breath, looking up to see the tiger striking Alex full in the face. Alex growled and jerked his head back, but too slow; three more blows rained onto his beautiful muzzle. Someone was cut, because suddenly there was blood on both the fighters, spraying through the air as Jake watched in horror.

Alex stepped in close to the tiger, hammering two fists into his face and dancing back out of reach of the tigers claws. In the moonlight a glint of metal flashed-the tiger had produced a switchblade, and was now menacing Alex with it.

"Alex!" Jake called out, trying to warn him to be careful but the wolf didn't look. Probably a good thing, as the tiger slashed out wildly at that point, Alex only just jumping back out of range of the slash, the blade tearing open his shirt. Crimson droplets shone in the moonlight; Alex was cut! It wasn't deep, though, and Alex ducked as the tiger gave another wide swing with the knife.

He rose from the depths like a leviathan, smashing his head into the tiger's chin, knocking the beast senseless in an instant. The tiger crumpled to the grass like a puppet with the strings cut, his blade disappearing into the long grass. Alex turned to the panthers, who were looking on in a frozen horror.

"Take them and go." He grunted, breathing heavily. The panthers grabbed their fallen comrades and dragged them off toward one of the other dorms, swearing profusely.

Jake got to his feet quietly, walking gingerly over to where Alex was still standing.

"You're hurt..." Jake said, raising a paw to Alex's face, where blood was pouring from a cut in his cheek, but Alex shied away.

"I'm okay." He said quietly.

"Oh." Jake said, looking down at the grass.

"Sorry I couldn't get here quicker...I saw you from my room, and..." Alex said.

"You should go get those looked at." Jake said, not looking at Alex lest his heart tear in two.

"Jake..." Alex begun, but he thought the better of it, turning and walking away. Jake didn't even look at his back, just turning and going back to Durham, silver tears spilling down his cheeks.

****

Jake sat on his bed, knees pulled up under his chin, staring off into the middle distance. His tears had stopped now, but the pain inside would last for much longer. Why was life so unfair? Why was it so cruel? To make him love the one beast he couldn't have. The one he could never have...

Jake looked up as the door opened, and Alex came in, bandaged and with a change of clothes. How long had Jake been sitting there for? It must have been hours...

"Hey." Alex murmured, paws in his pockets.

"Mm." Jake said vaguely, and Alex sat beside him on the bed.

"Sorry about the tiger, I should have been there quicker." Alex said.

"You don't have to always be around to protect me." Jake said, and Alex laughed nervously.

"Look, Jake, about the last couple of weeks..." He begun, but Jake cut him off.

"That's fine, Alex, it's my fault. I shouldn't of...done what I did." Jake said, trying to keep the bitterness inside from tainting his tone. "I put you in a tough position. Forget abut it."

"I can't though."

"What?" Jake asked, looking up at the wolf's face.

"I can't forget about it. The reason I was keeping away from you was that I was confused. I felt so afraid, and ashamed, but there was something else. I'm so sorry Jake, that I've put you through all this, I'm so sorry..." Alex said, the words coming out in a jumbled rush, tears in the corner of his eyes.

"It's alright, I forgive..." Jake begun, throwing a comforting arm around the wolf, but Alex cut him off.

"I love you." Alex said, and Jake froze, looking into Alex's tear-filled eyes.

"What?"

"I wasn't sure, I was so afraid, but when I saw them attacking you...my heart almost stopped." Alex said, almost in tears now. "All I could think about, as I ran out there, was what would I do if you were hurt? If you..." Alex said, shaking his head, a smile coming over his face, "and then I realized. I love you."

Jake wasn't sure what to say, but he suddenly realized the feeling of pain and sorrow in his heart was gone. In fact, his heart was almost singing. He just smiled and threw both arms around the wolf, holding him close. Alex shook a little, his breath shuddering, but he returned the favor and hugged Jake close to himself.

Jake felt so odd, finally holding his love so close, feeling so tiny in the arms of the wolf, their hears beating in unison, their fur mingling and intermixing...his heart was so happy he thought it was going to burst...he was in love.

Alex pulled back from the embrace, looking Jake in the eyes. Alex smiled softly, and the two of them leaned in, lips locking together gently, the kiss lasting so long Jake had to fight for breath.

The kiss was soft, and sweet, but Jake pushed closer, sending his tongue deeper, wanting to taste his wolf, after waiting for so long...Alex responded in kind, pushing his tongue deeper into Jake's mouth, until their tongues danced together in a beautiful union, sharing their love for each other.

Jake began to feel a familiar stirring below, his hips bucking and grinding against Alex's thigh, the wolf sending a paw to grope at the raccoon's crotch. Jake slipped a paw down the front of Alex's pant, feeling his rapidly swelling sheath, enjoying the sound of Alex's whimpering. He pulled his hand out and struggled with Alex's shirt, pulling it over his head, admiring his well-formed abdominal muscles. He ran a slow paw from his chest down to his belt loop, hooking a paw into it as Alex unbuttoned his own shirt.

They lowered themselves onto Jake's bed, Alex laying below and Jake above, still kissing passionately, a growl rising in Alex's throat as his swelling member attempted to escape his pants. Jake broke the kiss and rested his head on Alex's strong pectoral as his paw snaked down to the wolf's pants, unbuttoning the and revealing his rapidly growing cock. He took it in one paw and coaxed it out of it's sheath, rubbing it up and down slowly, enjoying the grunts of Alex as he did so.

Alex suddenly rolled Jake over onto his back, leaving a trail of kisses down the raccoon's chest, unzipping his fly as he got to it, coaxing out his penis. He pulled out Jake's pants and then his own, lowering his muzzle onto Jake's cock, taking it as deep as he dared, Jake arching his back on the bed as he did so. His deft tongue wrapped around Jake's cock, sliding up and down it, sucking and nibbling on his cock as he went. Jake moaned loudly, feeling himself nearing climax.

Without warning, Alex thrust a finger into Jake's ring hole, making him cry out in pain and pleasure, sending him over the edge, making him blow his load uncontrollably into Alex's throat, the wolf swallowing hungrily, licking all the spatters and droplets of semen from Jake's cock, making him shiver in pleasure.

"Oh...oh...oh my gods..." Jake panted, pulling Alex up close to him and locking lips with the wolf once more. The taste of his seed was rife in the wolf's mouth, and he loved it, but he broke the kiss off.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, looking suddenly scared.

"Now it's your turn." He said, grinning happily. He leaned over to his bedside table and opened the drawer, pulling out a tube of lubricant. He smeared a liberal amount on his own tailhole, shuddering in pleasure as he plunged a finger, then two into himself to make sure he'd be good and slippery. He then applied a liberal amount to Alex's throbbing cock, eyeing it with hunger.

Alex stood up on the floor, turning Jake around towards him, flashing him the same roguish wink he had flashed him the first day they had met. He hoisted Jake's legs up over his shoulder and pressed his cock into him slowly, Jake letting out a soft moan as he stretched to accommodate the non-too-small wolf.

Alex began to thrust into Jake, slowly at first, letting him feel the full length of him sliding in and out of the raccoon, clenching his muscles and pressing his member deeper into him. Jake groaned in pleasure as the fat wolf-cock plunged into him up to the knot, his own cock growing hard again as he was speared on his lover's cock.

"Tie?" grunted Alex, face scrunched up as he began to ram harder and faster into the raccoon.

"Do it!" Jake moaned, and let out a cry as he felt the fat knot being pressed into his body. Alex began to growl uncontrollably, plunging deeper and harder, and Jake found it hard to keep quiet, the feeling of Alex filling him better than anything he'd ever felt

Jake couldn't take it and came for a second time, his hot load squirting onto his chest, his back arching again, forcing Alex deeper into him as he wrapped his legs around the tall wolf. Alex's growling grew to a climax, his pumping become harder and harder, until finally he drew back and rammed home, forcing his cock deeper into Jake then ever before.

He threw back his head and let out an almighty howl, his cock spewing a torrent into Jake, his leg's quivering from the effort of the orgasm, his whole body throbbing as he pumped again and again, until he was milked dry. He stood there panting for a few minutes, basking in the post-coital glow, tongue lolling to one side.

He finally sunk down onto the bed together, the two them still tied together, covered in each other's fur and juices, sweating as though they had just ran a marathon, but they were happy. They held each other close in their arms until Alex could pull out, then the two of them curled up together on Jake's tiny bed.

Jake pulled the covers over both of them and they lay in silence, holding one another as close as they could, breath and heartbeat as if one.

"I'm sorry, Jake." Alex said.

"Why?"

"That I took so long to admit I loved you."

"I forgive you, Alex, because I love you so much."

"And I love you too, my little masked thief." Alex said, kissing Jake on the brow.

And they held each other close there in the night, and eventually they fell asleep. If the end of the world had come, if everything else had failed, if they were the only two beings left on the world, it would be alright.

Because at last, they were together.

Thanks for reading, remember to vote and post comments!

Peace and love to all furries out there, whereever, whenever