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Just Chilling / Warming Up

copyright comidacomida 2009

With the AHB office closed through New Years, Paul couldn't imagine a better way to spend the last few days of the year with Tanner than on a trip to the mountains. It seemed weird to celebrate Christmas in above-freezing temperatures, but he and Tanner were too busy getting things moved out of the Dog's old duplex and moved into the condo. Paul made the arrangements between shuffling boxes around and found the perfect cabin to rent for the rest of the week.

The total drive was supposed to take about four and a half hours, but Paul's car was far from ergonomic for Tanner and they had to make several rest stop breaks so the Dog could get out and stretch his tail. It was six hours after they left that the two finally came to the last leg of their journey. Paul pulled off the road and onto the shoulder as he paused, taking in the sight of the white-capped mountains ahead of them, "The Sierra Navadas."

"Yep... those are some big mountains." Tanner nodded, "So are you gonna tell me why we came all the way out here?" his voice, thankfully was more playful than annoyed. The Dog got out of the car and rubbed his rump, "Long trip."

"I thought it would be good to get away from everything for a few days... you know... for both of us." Paul replied. Between the life changing events of Tanner losing his job and Paul getting a promotion, he figured it would do them both some good to escape their lives, even if only for a few days.

"Well," the Dog replied, "As long as you're here, it'll be a good vacation." his tail wagged, though he winced once before glancing back at it, flexing it left then right, "I'm not gonna sit right for a week after this."

Paul grinned so wide he was worried his ears were going to fall off, "Now you know what it's like."

"Bastard." Tanner smirked, and did a quick circuit of the car while he worked the cramps out of his body. Paul was just about to join him when his cell phone rang. Looking down at the offending piece of technology, the young man sighed when he saw the number; it was someone from AHB.

"Paul here." he offered as professionally as he could into the mouth piece. He was not happy about his vacation being disturbed, but he made it a point to remove as much displeasure as possible from his voice.

Mateo's voice started in immediately from the other end, going a mile a minute and sounding agitated. It took Paul a minute to understand what his coworker was talking about, but after another series of explicatives and spanish-laced frustration, Paul was finally able to figure it out.

Paul had enough tact to wait for Mateo's venting to blow itself out before he resolutely got down to business. "Okay, Mateo... calm down, and start from the beginning."

"This overhaul of the computadoras... it's driving me crazy!" Mateo replied, "These techs, they're going over everything everywhere-- even things we aren't changing. It's like they WANT to waste my vacation."

"Well, you DID volunteer for it." Paul offered. He inwardly kicked himself when it took Mateo another five minutes to calm down. Once Mateo's rant came to an end, Paul tried again, "So... what can I do to help?" he let out a sigh as Tanner got back into the car.

"Sounds like work." Tanner whispered, and Paul simply nodded in response. Tanner's ears drooped slightly, paw patting Paul's leg in support.

"I don't know... can't you talk to em or something? There are five techs here, and none of em are listening to me at all. I don't know why they bother having an in-house contact if they don't even listen to me." Mateo sighed, obviously quite frustrated with the ordeal.

"Well... what are they having you do?" Paul asked, "I mean... are you showing them around, or are you helping with the update-things?"

"Nada." Mateo grunted, "I'm sitting here on my ass."

"Well... maybe you could use the time to get in your weekly allotment of porn browsing?" Paul joked, hoping the humor gambit would work. Thankfully, it did.

"I've been here two days already, amigo... any more porn browsing and my wrist will be sore--" there was a pause on the other end, "from holding the mouse!" Mateo quickly added.

"I wasn't going to say anything." Paul smirked, glancing to Tanner, who was patiently glancing out the window, watching cars go by. The dog looked back his way, and the human watched as the tip of the Dog's curled tail beat softly against his seat.

"I know how your mind works, Paul... you sure as hell were." Mateo joked back, "Anyway, as soon as they really start doing whatever the hell it is they're gonna do, I won't even be able to use the network, so it's a dead deal." his voice quickly gained an edge of seriousness to it once again, "Oh! There's one of em... here-- I need you to talk to him for me."

"Me? Why? I'm no good with this tech stuff..." Paul complained into the phone, covering the receiver as he let out a sigh. He glanced to Tanner, whose ears were up, "Mateo wants me to talk to the tech." He put the phone back to his ear as he heard talking from the other end.

When Paul put the phone back up to his ear, he heard talking, "-- not my problem. They said a few upgrades, not some full overhaul of the system." it was Mateo's voice. He wasn't talking to the receiver, so it was barely audible. The response from the tech was too far away for Paul to make out, but he could tell that, whatever it was, didn't make Mateo any happier.

Mateo's voice was much clearer in the phone, "Listen... I'm gonna have you talk to this perro... you're better with em than I am."

"What's that supposed to--?" Paul began, but he could tell that Mateo didn't have the phone anymore.

"Good afternoon." came a business-like voice from the other end of the phone, "This is TeeSee with Harrison Pacific. With who am I speaking, please?" Paul could hear the barely audible 'clack' of a muzzle closing at the end of the question; a trait the young man had learned to pay attention to. He realized what Mateo meant, and blushed slightly.

"Uh... Paul. Paul Miller." he replied into the phone.

"And you're Mr. Vargas' supervisor?" the tech on the other end inquired; Paul felt sorry for him immediately. Though he couldn't make out the specifics of Mateo's rant, he was pretty sure he knew the basics.

He waited for the worst of it to die down before responding, "Yes." he winced inwardly at his own answer, but he couldn't think of any real way to move the conversation along by explaining that he was just the target of a desperate man's cry for help. Despite his reservations at the situation, Paul smiled regardless.

"Well, Mr. Miller, I was trying to explain to him that we are doing a comprehensive reworking of the network. Our contract says that we need to improve your network efficiency, and it looks like we need to run some new wiring for a portion of the building. Are you familiar with network wiring?"

"Uh... no." Paul admitted.

"It's like a busy street." the tech continued, completely unphased by the admission, "right now you have a whole ton of cars traveling down two lanes, no stop lights, with everyone trying to make right turns or left turns and it's clogging up the road behind them. We're going to make sure that we widen out that street to give more lanes for network traffic. Does that make sense?"

"It does, thanks." Paul noted, thankful that the tech was able to explain it in terms he could understand, or at least was put into simple terms that didn't go over his head. Tanner gave Paul's free hand a squeeze, and Paul smiled back at his boyfriend.

"And that's really it." the casual voice responded from the other end, "We started yesterday with doing a walk-around. Mr. Vargas has been very helpful in making sure we found all the affected computers, and showed us to the wiring cabinets, but I believe there is a misunderstanding about the scope of the project."

"Does Mateo need to stay there while you work?" Paul asked.

"No... not at all. The janitorial crew should be able to let us out and can help us with any locked rooms we need into." the response came quickly.

"In other words, you'd be thankful if he were to go away." the words exited his mouth before he paused to consider them. Tanner winced beside him.

"I think he would love to get to his vacation." he heard the faintest hint of a canine-like whine on the other side of the phone, "...and that should be good for everyone." came an amiable reply.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Paul covered up the mouthpiece to the phone as he let out a relieved sigh, then spoke into it again, "Okay... hand me back to Mateo, please. Thank you for your help."

"Thank you for YOURS, Mr. Miller." the tech responded, and he heard the subtle cues of the phone being passed back to Mateo.

"So... que tal?" Mateo questioned.

"I think everything's solved... you can leave whenever you're ready, Mateo." Paul explained.

"Finally." Mateo blurted, "You have no idea what it's like sitting around waiting for these guys to do something. I figured I'd be here a few hours, tops... and now I've been sitting in the office for tres dias, and I'm about to lose it."

"Well... maybe you should leave before you do." Paul encouraged, "I mean... they should be able to handle whatever else they have to do."

"Yea... I think you're right." Mateo moved the phone away from his face, but Paul could hear him yell, "Hey, Tech Chimp! You! Fuzzy! I'm leavin! If you get your tail caught in the door on the way out, call paramedics or something-- I'm not comin' back!"

Paul winced at the comments, and felt a little sick to his stomach, but Mateo spoke up in the phone again before he could say anything, "Okay... thanks bro, I'm outta here." and the call ended. Paul stowed his cell and looked to Tanner, who was gazing right back at him, ears up, head cocked to the side slightly.

"It was Mateo, from work." Paul explained.

"It didn't sound like it was the best call." Tanner noted.

"It was... different." Paul let out a sigh, "He wanted me to talk to a Dog who worked for the company we hired to redo our computer stuff."

Tanner raised an eyebrow, head rotating further, "Computer stuff?" a bemused expression slowly slid across his muzzle.

"You know I'm not good with technology, Dog." Paul replied, "They needed to change out some wiring, but Mateo didn't need to be there, so I told him he could go home and that solved the problem."

"What kind of wiring?" Tanner asked.

"I don't know." Paul confessed, "It just has to do with the computers and the network... thingy."

"If it's related to a 'network thingy' then they're probably upgrading the building to CAT5... maybe CAT 6... I wonder if they were using CAT3 before..." he rubbed his muzzle in thought, ears falling slightly as the Dog considered it, "it could have been ARCnet considering the location of your office, but I don't think you guys could have survived with that for so long... maybe Token-Ring, but that would have been spendy... so... yea... probably CAT3."

"Don't start 'geeking out' over there, Tan Paw... you KNOW there's only one kind of 'thingy' I'm good with, and it doesn't involve networks." Paul rolled his eyes and started the car again as Tanner chuckled.

"That's okay... I still like you." the Dog grinned wide.

"And don't talk about that C-A-T wiring again." Paul pointed out with mock-indignation as the car rolled back onto the highway.

"What? CAT line?"

"Right."

"Why not?" Tanner inquired, "It's short for 'Category', and that's the common network line."

"Well... the idea of AHB hiring a Dog to chase CAT all over the building just seems wrong."

* * * * * *

It was another hour for the car to make its way into the mountains to their destination. Tanner spent the time gazing out the window, taking in all the sights of the pine trees, large rock formations, and, later, the snow. Paul smiled when he heard the Dog's tail tip begin to beat against the seat cushion.

"I've never seen snow in real life before." Tanner glanced over at Paul, his voice coming out in a way that reminded the human of an excited puppy.

"Yea... it's pretty 'cool'." Paul grinned, but Tanner didn't even appear to catch the joke, lowering his window and sticking the tip of his muzzle out into the wind. Paul managed to cough back a blurting guffaw as his boyfriend's action seemed so akin to a four legged dog's love of car windows. In the end, he managed a mirthful, "So... any interesting smells?"

"Wow..." Tanner gasped, pulling his nose back into the window before closing it, "That'll wake you up."

Mindful of the road, Paul hazarded the Dog a glance, but quickly looked away, unable to avoid laughing at the sight of his boyfriend's joyful expression, complete with tiny icicles on his whiskers. A huge grin was plastered across Tanner's muzzle, tongue lolling out the side of it.

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." Paul laughed.

"Now I can see why you got me the jacket for Christmas." Tanner noted, reaching an arm back behind his seat to fish for the clothing out of the pile of supplies they had in the back.

"While you're looking, see if you can find my cap and gloves." Paul requested, already wearing his jacket. The Dog shuffled through some items in the back seat before managing to locate Paul's gear along with his own Jacket. Paul grinned when he saw Tanner's new coat. Tanner did not miss the expression.

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?" Tanner questioned, slipping on the black and brown coat that held an uncanny resemblance in coloration to his own fur.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Paul deadpanned. He, in fact, knew exactly what Tanner was talking about. When out purchasing himself a coat, he was unable to pass up on the opportunity to buy a jacket from the same manufacturer for Tanner. While Paul's own jacket was black with green, Tanner's black with brown seemed too good to not get for the Dog.

"Yea... whatever. Just remind me to buy you a peach colored coat next year." Tanner grumbled with mock indignation, but his whole mood changed the moment large snowflakes began to fall upon the windshield. The Dog's ears went up immediately, and his muzzle shut audibly, tail beating out a rhythm once again on the seat as he gazed out the window, "Wow..."

Paul smirked as the comment, keeping his eyes on the road. The human was no stranger to winter driving, and, even though a snow plow had obviously passed through recently, the newly falling snow would quickly turn to slush on the road. He smiled at Tanner's occasional 'ooh's and 'aah's, grinning wider each time Tanner went to point out something new and unusual; after all the things the Dog had taught him, it seemed so wonderful to be able to be on the other side of learning for a change.

As they rose higher into the Sierra Nevadas, the snow came down thicker and Paul slowed the car even more. It became difficult to see too far ahead with the flakes falling all around them. The snow on the side of the road had been pushed into huge walls, making it look, by Paul's approximation, as if they were traveling through a world war one front-line trench.

"Wow... it looks like one of those world war one trench warfare lines." Tanner breathed, his breath fogging up the window.

"Mind reader." Paul smirked. Tanner didn't bother looking back at him, but the Dog's tail picked up tempo at the comment.

The snow finally slowed as the car rounded the next bend. As Paul slowed to a stop, the two got a much clearer view of a man-made clearing that stretched out before them. It was at least two miles long, and half that wide. A fourth of it was paved, and had numerous vehicles parked in neatly arranged lines. Several row cabins were placed in clean succession perhaps 20' apart in small clumps around the scene. Paul's heart sank when he observed the numerous winter revelers partaking in activities ranging from snowmobiling to skiing.

"It's a small city." Paul noted, pulling into the parking lot.

"Yea... way up here." Tanner noted, "It looks pretty popular." he noted causally, watching a snowmobile rocket by. Paul's sigh caught his attention, and the Dog looked back to him, "What's wrong?"

"Well... I..." Paul sighed again, " I was really hoping for something a little more--" the conversation was cut short by a tap on the glass of Paul's window. The young man quickly turned that direction and rolled the window down, revealing a park ranger looking in on them.

"Afternoon, gentlemen." the man greeted them. The ranger looked to be in his mid-50s, lines drawn across his face like a logging-road map. He wore a relaxed smile, which bordered on humorous due to the clumps of snow sticking to his thick, salt-and-pepper beard, "I don't see any park tags on your car. Mind if I see your reservations?"

Tanner could see the tell-tale grin start to peek its way out of Paul's lips, and the human got a light punch in the arm, but it didn't do anything to help, "Well, sir, we're from the Blackfoot Tribe up in Oregon. I'm Laughing-Raven and this is Tan-Paw. I brought some photos if you want to see our 'reservations', but it isn't as impressive as the scenery here." Paul joked.

The smile left the ranger's face, "Listen... these cabins are timeshare and owner-held... as you can see, it's pretty busy here, so unless you have a reservation, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Paul paused at that. The ranger's shift in demeanor held a cold much more prominent than the weather, "Oh... sorry... um..." he reached across Tanner's leg and opened the glove box, pulling out the printed-off receipt for the rental. He handed it to the ranger, "I didn't mean to--"

The ranger accepted the papers, the smile returning, "Relax... I just hear that one so often it gets boring... now... watching you touristy types squirm... THAT'S funny." the ranger chuckled, looking over the print-outs.

"Har har." Paul responded flatly, his sense of disappointment starting to rise anew as he gazed across the populated clearing. He looked back at the ranger, who cleared his throat to get Paul's attention.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but you're at the wrong site." the ranger handed Paul back the papers.

"This isn't another joke, is it?" Paul asked, confused.

"No, sir," the ranger replied, lowering his hat slightly against the increasing torrent of snow, "You have site 18... you want further up. When you come to the split in the road, take a left, and follow it to the top. From the sound of things, you're either more into the rustic style or you're really cheap." the ranger gave him a wink.

"Uh... both." Paul blushed.

"Well... you two have a good stay." the ranger noted.

"Thank you." they both replied.

"No problem... oh... and for the record, 'Laughing-Raven'," the ranger gave him a bemused smirk, "Your presentation was better than most of the ones I hear."

Paul's smile came more genuinely. He thanked the ranger again and pulled out of the parking lot. The final flurry of snow appeared to be the last ditch attempt at the weather to rise up into a full-blown blizzard. Instead, the snow fall petered out before stopping altogether by the time the two got to the fork.

Following the ranger's advice, Paul took the left path. They drove on for another ten minutes before the trees around them began to thin. Two minutes later, and the road came to an end at a simple two-wall shed which housed enough space to fit an SUV alongside a large pile of firewood. Paul's car was no SUV, and it was easy enough to park with plenty of room on either side for them to get out.

"When he said rustic, he really meant it." Tanner noted with a smirk.

"This is just the car park, goober." Paul smirked.

"Car park? Is that some mid-western term for a garage?" Tanner joked back.

"I could have said 'carriage house'." Paul countered.

"Who's the goober now?" Tanner grinned, and got out of the car on his side.

Paul likewise got out of the car and the two each opened their respective rear door. Paul gathered up a few items that had fallen to the floor and put them into one of the 'miscellaneous' boxes he had brought with. The young man watched as Tanner made a quick once-over of the luggage on his side and began pulling some of the bags.

"Woah... wait a minute." Paul quickly noted.

"What?" the dog inquired, looking through the car at him, duffel bag held up in one paw.

"Don't start unpacking anything yet... we need to scout things out first." the human noted matter-of-factly.

"That means making more trips." Tanner noted, pulling the duffel bag out and hoisting it up over his shoulder.

"Spoilsport." Paul joked, grabbing a box.

The two walked to a set of wooden stairs leading up an incline. Paul had never been much for wooden stairs, especially because they were prone to rotting, but the ones present at the cabin were in good repair and appeared perfectly sturdy. The texture of the thick wood grain did a good job of helping the two keep their footing as they ascended the hill. Paul's thoughts left the stairs the moment he crested the hill and saw the scene beyond.

The top of the hill was a long, slightly slanting slope with a full panoramic view of the Sierra Nevadas. Despite the gradual grade in the land, it was easy enough to walk on without any concern for falling, though it did take a good amount of energy to trudge through the thick blanket of snow. Paul came to a stop to admire what would be their three-day abode.

The cabin was a quaint building, made of logs, and relatively box shaped. It reminded Paul of one of the pictures he remembered from an storybook his parents read to him when he was younger, about pioneers. The rental was far more modern than any of those, complete with bay-windows facing the view of the mountains, but he couldn't help but draw the comparison. The young man paused, moving the box he held to his hip, supported by his left arm as he took his camera from atop the mound of gear inside.

Paul took three pictures of the cabin, wanting to have a pristine look to it before he and his boyfriend dug deep tracks into the snow. The small building really did have a rustic appearance about it as it sat, undisturbed, huddling amidst more than a foot of snow. Paul chuckled to himself; if he was one to send out Christmas cards, then the pictures would be just the thing to use the following year.

Tanner had already reached the door by the time Paul had the camera safely stowed. He carefully picked his way along Tanner's already established trail through the snow. Paul blushed to himself as he considered the fact that the Dog's huge reservoir for stamina seemed to have many uses. The blush didn't last long against the cold chill of the air, and the young man hurried to catch up to Tanner, who had already stomped all the snow off of his shoes and had made his way inside.

By the time Paul got to the doorway, Tanner was already coming back from the back of the cabin, "This place is COOL!" Tanner exclaimed, tail wagging rapidly. Although Paul had not wanted to admit it, a great weight had been sitting on his shoulders as he had been concerned that his boyfriend, a city Dog all of his life, would not approve of something so rustic. All those concerns were lifted the moment Tanner came over and licked his face, "How in the heck did you FIND a place like this?" the Dog gushed.

Paul chuckled, giving Tanner a hug before making sure his feet were free of snow. He followed the Dog back into the cabin, "Found it on the internet. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to find, to be honest..." he explained, glancing at the Dog's wagging tail, "But so far I think I'm going to be pretty happy with the choice."

Tanner, who didn't miss Paul's glance, paused at that, his ears going red, "Paul, I don't think there's another person alive that could ever get me acting more like a Burb Dog than you, silly human." and he touched his nose to Paul's.

Paul blushed at that, "Well, I I'd love to stand around all day playing with your 'leash', but I think we have a few more things to unload from the car."

Tanner shot him a wry grin, "What about scouting things out first?" he threw Paul's own suggestion back at him.

"Yea... well... I think you already did a good enough job for the both of us." he chuckled, and walked back to the car with Tanner close behind.

"There's one bedroom you know." the Dog noted on their trip back to the shed.

"I know." Paul smiled, feeling his cheeks flush slightly even in the cold.

"Just checking to make sure you were aware that we'd have to double-up." Tanner noted, glancing back at him out of the corner of his eye, tail wagging.

"It gives you a good reason to snuggle up to someone... helps keep the heating bill down." Paul smirked.

"Like I need a reason to want to snuggle up to you?" Tanner's tail wagged faster.

Paul chuckled in response to that, "Well... let's save that for later-- we still have a few more things to unload."

Paul's statement was accurate enough. In all, the two of them made four trips between the car and the cabin. The cabin's advertisement noted that it was furnished, but that sheets and bedding would have to be supplied by renters, as would food. Two of the boxes Paul brought in were just that. Tanner managed the suitcase with Paul's clothes, as well as the first item he brought: a duffel bag with his own.

Once the two had finished unloading everything, it was that final item that caught most of Paul's attention. Tanner had deposited it on the sofa in the main room of the cabin. "I didn't know you owned a duffel bag." Paul noted, looking at the lettering stenciled on the side, which read PVT. KITTEN CHASER, "...oh." he answered himself.

Tanner leaned against the wall beside the large bay windows, "One of my mementos from when Casey and I lived together."

"Ah..." Paul didn't know exactly what to say at that, letting go of the duffelbag. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel uncomfortable about it, and even less sure if he did.

"You okay?" Tanner asked, moving over to sit beside him on the couch.

"I had a dream that I slept with him." Paul suddenly admitted.

"You're joking?" Tanner smiled.

"No." Paul looked down.

"Oh?" the Dog's ears went up, "When was it?"

"Around the beginning of the month." Paul explained, gazing at his hands.

"Why are you telling me now?" Tanner questioned.

"Because I've been feeling guilty about it?" Paul said.

"Ah..." Tanner nodded silently beside him before adding, "Why?"

"Because it felt like I was cheating on you." the young man answered.

"Have you slept with Casey?" Tanner asked.

"No." Paul answered plainly and honestly.

"Do you want to?" Tanner inquired, cocking his head to the side.

"Not particularly." Paul smiled sheepishly, blushing slightly.

"So do you think maybe your guilt might be a little unnecessary?" the Dog questioned him, a comforting smile on his muzzle.

"I guess so, but I've still felt pretty bad about it." Paul admitted.

Tanner reached across and took hold of one of Paul's hands, "Would it make you feel uncomfortable if I said that I had dreams about sleeping with other people?"

Paul paused for a moment, then looked up at the German shepherd. Tanner's brown eyes were gazing right at him, head cocked slightly, "I don't know... maybe?" he fell silent for a moment before adding, "Have you?"

"Well... yes." Tanner acknowledged.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Paul asked.

"Because it didn't seem important... it was a dream." the Dog answered matter-of-factly, giving Paul's hand a squeeze, "It's nothing against you, just like I know the dream you had with him meant nothing against me. I don't know about you, but I prefer what we have in real life to anything my mind throws my way in a dream." the Dog chuckled.

Paul smiled faintly at the simple comment, "Well... in my dream, you walked in on us."

Tanner grinned a little at that, "Oh did I now?"

The young man nodded, blushing further, "Yea... what about your dream?"

"In my dream, I was knotted inside you when Casey walked in on us... then joined us."

Paul froze in the conversation as his brain locked up, "You mean... he...?"

Tanner nodded, and Paul was unable to avoid an explosion of laughter at the crazy turn the disquieting discussion took, "Well, I can honestly say that I've never been a part of something like that, dream or no dream." In his mirth, Paul looked to his boyfriend, whose ears were rapidly turning a bright shade of red. The young man's laughter subsided, and he smiled at the German shepherd, "I'm not laughing AT you, you know."

Tanner smiled back faintly, and looked down toward the floor, "To be honest, Paul... sometimes I'm worried about what I should or shouldn't say. I know that you haven't been around Dogs all that long, and I get concerned that I'm going to do or say something that you misunderstand." his ears drooped.

"I think we've already been there a few times." Paul offered with a reassuring smile, and he took his turn to give Tanner's paw a squeeze.

"Well... what I mean is..." Tanner looked at him, brown eyes searching his, "Things like that aren't always that strange for Dogs."

"Having dreams about... uh..." Paul paused, wondering how best to put it.

"Not dreams." Tanner noted, ears falling a little more, "Being together with more than just your chosen partner while--"

Paul pulled back a few inches, "You mean... like, orgies?" he inquired, taken aback by the comment.

"No... no... not an 'orgy'." Tanner said, standing up, "Ugh... it's... well... hard to explain."

"I'm still listening if you want to explain it." Paul offered. His heart was beating quickly, and his mind was working even faster. He truthfully never had been involved with more than one person at a time, physically or emotionally, and he was not too keen on the idea.

"It's about the connection between friends, really." Tanner explained, grabbing a chair from the other side of the room. Paul could tell that his boyfriend was using the physical movement as a chance to work through the nervous energy that was awash in his body. At some other time he might have thought it cute, but he was too focused on trying to understand the new development.

"Connection between friends..." Paul nodded, the words a reminder for the Dog as to where he left off.

Tanner took a seat on the chair right across from Paul, watching him as he spoke, "When Dogs are together at intimate times it isn't out of the ordinary to share the moment... not physically, but... you know... being in the same room as a friend and his or her mate."

"So..." Paul paused, "...you mean, voyeurism?"

The German shepherd lowered his head and let out a deep breath, "No... not voyeurism either." Paul realized that the Dog was stressing over trying to explain it to his satisfaction. It concerned him to see his boyfriend like that, and realized he may have had a part in the discomfort.

"Well that's what it sounds like." Paul noted, hoping for a hint of relief from Tanner. He looked to him, smiling... just a little. Tanner looked up, and Paul could tell that his smile made the Dog feel better.

"What I mean is..." Tanner paused for a moment in thought. Paul cold tell the Dog's brain was working furiously to try to find an explanation that would suffice "Do you have anyone you're really REALLY good friends with?"

"I'm looking at him." Paul grinned, smile widening. Tanner's ears turned a deeper red, and the Dog's muzzle split into a smile of his own. The response pleased the human.

"I mean besides me..." Tanner let out a hesitant chuckle, "someone that means a lot to you, that you can talk with and feel comfortable around, and be honest and open with." the shepherd clarified.

Several faces flashed through Paul's mind, and, surprisingly, he realized that most of them were the Dogs he'd met during his stay on the West Coast. He'd had friends back home, but none of them seemed quite as... real. "A few." Paul noted.

"Do you think anything could ever come from those relationships? I mean... like what we have?" the Dog looked at him intently.

"No... because I have you, and that's enough for me." Paul answered without hesitation. It seemed to Paul almost like a canned response, but it exited him before he could assess it. As it hung in the air between them, however, the young man realized that, despite it being cliche, it was also true.

"That's not what I mean." Tanner shook his head, taking a moment to move back to sit down with Paul, "What I mean is..." he rubbed the back of his head with a stressed groan, "I mean... let's say there's a level of friendship between a friend and a boyfriend... can you think of someone that might be more than a friend, but less than--"

"Less than you?" Paul spoke as a wry grin formed on his lips. Severity was not an easy thing for him to handle, and humor was always his first line of defense. It often caused more problems than it helped resolve, but, for the millionth time, Paul was glad that it worked with Tanner.

"You little furless bastard... you're making this difficult on purpose, aren't you?" the Dog demanded, but, to Paul's delight, a smile had snuck across his boyfriend's muzzle. The human reached across and looped one of his arms over Tanner's shoulders, resting his head against the Dog's chest.

"I think I know what you mean." Paul said, "You're saying that there's a certain level of friendship among Dogs that allows for a deeper level of intimacy and sharing than just a casual friendship. So, these friends are more involved with... well... 'all' aspects of your life."

Tanner nodded, "I think you've got it."

"So... with these friends... do they sit there and... watch?" Paul asked, feeling a little sheepish about the question.

Tanner covered his eyes with his paws, and rubbed them down his face and muzzle as he sighed, "We're going back to voyeurism, aren't we?" His paws came to rest on Paul's back

"Well.. what I mean is: how is it anything different?" the young man had thought he understood, but it seemed like such an alien concept. Wasn't having someone watch you have sex the same as exhibitionism and voyeurism?

"They might share a location and each have their own partner," Tanner shrugged, "Being in the same room or, maybe, on the same bed. "

"That DOES sound a little intimate." Paul acknowledged, wondering about how awkward it would be to be having sex with Tanner on one side of the bed while someone they both knew was caught up in the bliss of coupling mere inches from them. he felt himself blushing at even thinking about it.

"But, yea, maybe one will watch the other, but it's usually more involved than that." Tanner's comment brought Paul out of the thought and back to the present.

"Like participating?" Paul asked, looking up at the Dog.

"Yes... like participating-- but not an orgy." Tanner clarified.

"Example please?" Paul finally requested, letting out a sigh as he straightened up on the sofa, seated beside the German shepherd.

"Well... um..." Tanner paused, eyes searching around the room.

"Have you ever been involved with being that 'third person'?" Paul questioned. The two locked gazes, and Paul could see hesitation in Tanner's eyes. An almost inaudible whine escaped Tanner, and the human realized he might have overstepped the comfort zone.

"You don't have to tell me about it... it's okay." Paul noted, looking down to the ground. He felt embarrassed at Tanner's embarrassment. He wasn't even sure he really WANTED to know.

"Do you really want to know?" Tanner asked after a long pause. The Dog looked up into Paul's face, awaiting a reply.

"If you are willing to talk about it." Paul acknowledged. Alright... so he did want to know.

After a sigh, Tanner returned his paw to rest atop Paul's hand, and he began his story, "It was a little after I first started college... first year. I was going to a local community college at the time, and I was getting to know everyone. A few of my friends from high shool were there too, so at least it wasn't an entire change."

Paul nodded, knowing exactly what Tanner meant about a change of scenery and not knowing anyone; the move to the West Coast had been a big one for him, and he could have imagined it being easier with a familiar face or two. "Friends, or 'friends'?" Paul questioned, trying to get a better feel for the difference.

"Well... one of them was my first 'friends-with-benefits' kind of friend. We had... well.. fooled around a little. We were good friends but it was never going to be anything more than that." Tanner explained, "He had always been a bit of a meat-head, but I liked him anyway." the Dog chuckled.

"We didn't have any classes in common, but we both had a free hour for lunch, and we usually spent it hanging around in the food court. About half way through the term, he introduced me to someone he considered very special..." Tanner's eyes gained a far-off gaze that made Paul feel just a little jealous, but he wasn't sure why.

"Who was your friend? Do I know him?" Paul asked.

"It wasn't Casey, if that's what you were thinking. I've known Casey for a few years, but not until after I left college. Nah, you don't know him... he doesn't even live in the state anymore... moved to New York, I think. He was a bull terrier named Jack-Daniels."

"Uh... that's a pretty funny sounding name for a dog... not only is it a HUMAN name, but it's--"

"I know," Tanner interrupted Paul, "His mom used to be really big into booze, and she apparently complained a LOT that she couldn't drink while she was pregnant. I guess his name was the end result of that... and he went by JD. Anyway, can I continue?" one of the Dog's ears pulled back in mild annoyance.

"Please do." Paul carefully avoided smirking.

"JD and I had a lot of classes together in highs cool. I didn't know it at the time, but he and a human in our grade had a bit of a 'thing' going." Tanner noted.

"A... thing?"

Tanner nodded in response, "Well... this one kid, Jason, got picked on a lot at school. I'm not sure why," the Dog shrugged, "but... well... JD was one of a couple of bullies back then who went after him."

"Yea... I was 'one of those kids' that got picked on... I know what it's like." Paul noted, "And JD was a friend of yours, huh?" the comment came out a little more judgmental than the human had planned.

"It wasn't anything serious, more of just an extended hazing, I think." Tanner quickly backtracked, "They ended up getting together because of it, so it couldn't have been all that bad."

"Getting together, huh?" Paul inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Pretty serious, for awhile." Tanner nodded, "JD stood up for Jason junior year, and they were together through the rest of high school and into college."

Paul thought about that for a moment, accepting the explanation, "So... what did this have to do with you?"

"I was getting to that." the Dog snorted, "I'd known both of them for awhile. Always on pretty good terms with Jason, but JD was the one who'd been my friend. We'd... 'fooled around' a little. He had always been on the more dominant side, and, well... I was just learning that I liked males..." Tanner's ears flushed slightly and drooped in embarrassment.

"Was this before or after he met Jason?"

"Before he got together with Jason." Tanner explained, "JD and I were friends, and we fooled around a little, but it was never anything more serious. JD and Jason, on the other paw... THAT was more serious."

Paul nodded at that. He was proud of himself for remaining calm and collected through the discussion of Tanner's 'friends-with-benefits'. The human had never done so well when his prior boyfriends had gone over past 'deeds'. Something about the way Tanner spoke about it made it seem less offensive... almost like discussing a learning experience. He smiled inwardly, realizing that he could have considered all of his past relationships to have been learning experiences... bad ones, but learning experiences nonetheless.

Tanner's gaze brought Paul back to the present. The Dog was looking at him, as if for some cue. "So then?" Paul encouraged the German Shepherd onward.

"Right before winter break of my first year in college, JD called me up and asked if I would spend some time with him and Jason." Tanner stated.

"Kind of ominous, even though it's vague." Paul noted.

"Not very vague if you understood the context, and the tone of voice." Tanner countered.

"I guess not."

Tanner nodded, continuing, "They were undressing by the time I got there."

"Probably an awkward moment for everyone." Paul ventured.

"Not really." Tanner countered, "Jason was pretty familiar with Dog relationships, so it wasn't as weird as you might think." the Dog's ears reddened a little once again.

"So... what happened?" Paul asked, wondering if he had somehow become a masochist over the course of his time with Tanner-- he never wanted to hear about his prior boyfriends' experiences... so why the change of heart?

"I held Jason so JD could find a good angle to mount him." Tanner said matter-of-factly, as if discussing the weather or the results of a sports game, "I let him hold my paw while JD was going in, and..." Tanner chuckled softly, "he almost crushed my fingers when the knot went inside." Tanner's gaze softened slightly, and became unfocused, as if looking toward something far away, "It was the first time they tied, and JD wanted me there for it." Paul saw Tanner's fur rise slightly, puffing out.

Paul swallowed hard against the developing tightness in his throat, starting to realize the importance of the event for Tanner, "That meant a lot to you, didn't it?" he inquired, feeling half jealous, and half betrayed. He fought against the second feeling, reminding himself it happened years before he'd even met Tanner.

"Nothing in my life meant more until the first night we spent together." the Dog looked directly at Paul, smiling warmly.

"That..." Paul responded, pausing to let his brain process everything, "That... isn't exactly what I was expecting."

"What wasn't?" Tanner asked, entwining the fingers of a paw with the fingers on one of Paul's hands.

"Well... when you said 'involving a third person', I really thought you meant something a little more..." Paul paused, searching for the right word.

"Raunchy?" Tanner inquired, humor to his voice, but not in his expression.

"Yea..." Paul smirked, "raunchy." and the two shared a chuckle.

"It shouldn't have to be." Tanner noted, "I mean... once they were tied, JD and I nuzzled, and I stroked Jason's hair until they were able to separate."

"It sounds like it was 'intimate'... just like you said before." Paul nodded, the smile spreading across his face as a calming warmth suffused him. He leaned against Tanner and closed his eyes, "Thanks for explaining."

"Thanks for listening." Tanner rested his muzzle down over Paul's head, and the two slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * * * * *

It was mid afternoon by the time Paul awakened and he found himself laying on the couch alone. His shoes were on the ground, less than an arm's reach away from him. He was covered with one of the blankets he had brought from home, and he felt warm as he smiled. Although he did not awaken next to Tanner, seeing the little reminders that the dog cared was the next best thing. He sat up, gazing about the room, but saw no signs of his boyfriend.

Paul quickly donned his shoes and laced them up. He picked up his jacket from the arm chair where it had been left, and he grabbed his gloves and his cap. Donning the last articles of clothing, he went outside to look around. Tracks winding this-way-and-that through the snow were the first signs that Tanner was somewhere about.

"Marco!" Paul grinned wide, shouting into the crisp air.

"RUGBY!" came a loud shout from off to the right. Glancing that way, Paul watched as Tanner came trudging up the hillside, breath coming out as thick puffs of mist.

"You're supposed to say 'polo', genius." Paul smirked.

"I never liked polo much." Tanner answered with a grin and a shrug.

"So what are you doing out here?" Paul asked, glancing around. The scenery was as beautiful as it had been at mid-day, though the elongating shadows coupled with the gray, cloudy sky gave the whole area a colder feel than the snow alone would have.

"Are you kidding? This is amazing!" the Dog wagged, "Outdoors for me usually involves smog and concrete... and snow?!?! Yea right!"

"Oh, come on... you've seen snow before." Paul laughed.

"Yea... on TV." Tanner snorted, "And that's a LOT different than actually having it falling all around you, and walking through it, and feeling it..." Tanner knelt down and dragged his open paws through it, creating little lines through it. Unlike Paul, Tanner didn't wear gloves because his paws were naturally furred. The grin on Paul's face grew wider and wider as he waited... and waited... and waited... and--

"GEEZ! THAT'S COLD!" Tanner yelped, pulling his paws back out of the snow and thrusting them beneath his armpits as he worked to warm them back up.

"Heh... told you gloves would have been a good idea." Paul grinned.

"Oh shut up. If you wanted to gloat, you should have brought an extra pair to dangle in front of my muzzle while I--" Tanner's rant slowly petered out as Paul pull his hands out of his pockets, holding up a new pair of gloves, "Did I mention that I hate you sometimes?" Tanner smirked.

"And I hate you too." Paul crooned softly with a wide smirk, "Here." and he tossed the gloves to the Dog. The wind did a far better job than Paul had expected in helping the gloves to reach his boyfriend, and they sailed over the Dog's head, landing a few yards beyond.

"Between a jacket and gloves, some people would start to think that you were spoiling me." Tanner noted, tail wagging as he trudged off to get get his newest articles of clothing.

"Actually, I have another gift for you too." Paul didn't bother hiding his devilish grin since the Dog's back was turned. Kneeling down, Paul scooped up a huge handful of snow and began shaping it into-- "It's an aerodynamic, spherical weapon of icy doom." he noted to his boyfriend.

Tanner's ears swiveled back toward Paul, "Oh... you better not have a snowball or Paul, so help me--" but, by then it was too late. The German shepherd turned around just in time to take the snowball square on the bridge of his muzzle.

Tanner stood there for several seconds, blinking numbly as if confused. He crossed his eyes, looking down at the chunks of snow and ice that clung to his facial fur. Paul doubled over laughing, barely able to remain on his feet. He was laughing so hard that he didn't hear the sound of Tanner break into an all-out run. His eyes were full of humor-induced tears that he didn't see the streak of black and brown bearing down on him. A resounding "BANZAI!" was Paul's only warning... but, by then it was too late.

The human didn't know what happened to his hat-- somewhere between the impact from the rocketing mass of fur and vengeance and the cushioning-but-icy grasp of the snow, Paul somehow was separated from it. In the end, it didn't matter that much, as he ended up face down on the ground with a good amount of Dog weight situated on his back.

"My snowball has a rock in it." Tanner noted from atop him, tail wagging against the human's back.

"Your snowball is the GROUND!" Paul mumbled up through the snow, unable to rise due to the Dog's weight on his back, not to mention the paw placed firmly between his shoulder blades. Paul struggled to stand, but he was pinned without recourse. "Uncle."

Tanner chuckled, and slowly slid off of him. He reached down and grabbed hold of the back of Paul's jacket, helping him up. Paul turned around, looking at the Dog, and smirked when he saw the snow still clinging to his boyfriend's muzzle. He reached up, using the back of his glove to wipe the snow away. Tanner, still wagging, did the same for him.

"Well... now that you have that out of your system," Tanner panted happily, "What's for dinner?"

"I was thinking... snow." Paul noted, bringing his other hand to bear. Tanner had that much of a warning but, by then it was too late.

The snow warfare lasted nearly another hour, until the sun had begun to set and each combatant was near exhaustion. They trudged up the steps to the cabin and stomped the snow off of their shoes before entering. Paul closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of the hot air blasting him the moment the door was opened, as if it were jealously reminding him of everything he gave up by going outside. All in all, however, he considered it a fair trade.

"I got snow in places I didn't think snow could go." Tanner chuckled, following him inside, "I should have learned to expect it with you around." The Dog clenched and unclenched his paws, "WOW that's cold..."

Paul grinned, "Told you... should have put on your gloves."

"It's hard to make snowballs with gloves on." Tanner admitted.

"You just need more practice." Paul noted, "I've had years of experience on my side."

"Yea... well I had gravity on my side." the Dog retorted, brushing a few clumps of snow out of Paul's hair.

Paul chuckled at that, "Here... let me." he batted the Dog's numb paws away from the zipper, and undid Tanner's jacket for him.

"You ARE treating me like a Brub Dog... I knew it." Tanner smirked as he gave the verbal jab, "Next thing, I'll be wearing a collar that says 'Fido'."

"To be honest," Paul grinned back, sliding his hands underneath the Dog's shirt once the jacket was open, "I'd probably name you 'Spike'." and his grin widened as his fingers slid down into Tanner's jeans.

"So first you give me the cold shoulder, and then you get me all hot and bothered." Tanner smirked, bemused. The grin on the Dog's muzzle widened to match Paul's as the human deftly popped the front button on his jeans, and lowered that zipper as well. Tanner pulled his legs closer together, giving his pants room to fall as he undid the button behind his tail, and stepped out of the soggy garment.

Paul chuckled, saying nothing as he took Tanner's coat and put it up on the coat rack by the door. He was just about to turn around when he felt Tanner against his back, bare, furred arms embracing him from behind, "My turn." warm breath spoke into his ear, and Paul blushed slightly as the Dog's paws pulled his coat zipper down.

"I can handle it myself." Paul offered, but made no attempt to struggle.

"But you've got to admit, 'handling it' yourself is no fun. it's always better when someone else is willing to 'handle it' for you." a cold nose pressed against the back of his neck, making Paul tense up just as Tanner slid the coat off of him and tossed it across the rack next to the Dog's own.

The now-warm paws slipped under his shirt, trailing across his chest as Tanner embraced him from behind. Paul let out a wheeze as the soft paw pads traced across his nipples before Tanner trailed them lower, changing the angle of his touch so that his claws would lightly rake down the human's abdomen. Paul's teeth were chattering, but not from the cold.

"You know... I always heard that old rumor about humans and cold weather..." Tanner joked playfully, his paws slipping the button on Paul's jeans free before unzipping them, "And I have to admit that I'm a little curious--"

"Too late, pup." Paul chided, "You've already done too good of a job of 'warming me up'."

Paul's pants fell to the ground, and Tanner's paws found their way underneath the human's underwear. The Dog chuckled behind him, lightly nipping the back of Paul's neck, "Well why don't you find something for us to eat while I get the fire started... then we can both 'warm up' even more."

"You know," Paul noted, rotating around in his lover's grasp to look him in the eye, "I heard it's possible to get a fire started by rubbing two sticks together."

"Is that so?" the bemused expression on Tanner's muzzle suggested that the humor wasn't lost to him, "Well it's a shame I have matches, otherwise that might have been an interesting experiment." he winked, "Now go find something to eat-- your Dog is hungry."

"See?" Paul grinned, heading off to one of the boxes, "Proof that I'm not cut out to be a Leasher... not only do I let my Dog go hungry, but I can't even control him."

"You know perfectly well how to control me, Paul... you just need to use the joystick." Tanner grinned wide when the young man turned to look back at him. Tanner stretched in front of the unlit fireplace, the dog's naturally athletic body rising up to the tip of his paws, back arching slightly. Paul smiled, enjoying the site of Tanner's body in motion.

The Dog's muscles contracted and bunched beneath his fur, creating little rippling motes of light as his fur reflected the electric glow of the fluorescent bulbs. Paul smiled wider when he saw the little hint of pink peek out from the tip of the German shepherd's sheath. He blushed slightly when he saw Tanner staring at him.

"You mentioned something about voyeurism earlier today, didn't you?" the Dog's tail wagged with the comment.

"You should consider charging admission... it's a show I'd go to see every night." Paul smiled, holding up a can of Beefy-Noodle-Roni.

"You got fat, salt, and meat... that's three of the four food groups right there." Tanner smiled, "Now we just need sugar and we'll have a balanced meal." In response to Tanner's comment, Paul held up a package of Oreos. "You're a culinary genius." the Dog noted theatrically.

Tanner got the fire started while Paul located a can opener. The human never considered himself a nudist, and wasn't one to walk about naked. On one hand, he found the experience to be quite freeing, while on the other, he kept worrying that he was going to accidentally get 'something' shut in a cabinet... especially the kitchen, which was full of drawers, bins, doors, and appliances that would cause a very quick turn-for-the-worse in an otherwise pleasant night. He retrieved utensils, and spent no more time in the kitchen than necessary.

The two ate dinner on the floor in the living room in front of the fire. Paul retained control of the can, using a single fork to feed both himself and his boyfriend. Tanner, bemused at the sport despite it being at his expense, willingly complied and allowed himself to be fed. He even managing a sheepish smile for the duration. The roles changed, however, when it came to the Oreos. Tanner was quick to grab the bag, and began to divide them out.

"One for you; one for me...." he gave Paul one and gave himself one, "Two for you; two for me..." he put another Oreo into Paul's palm and stacked two more for himself, "Three for you; three for me..." he deposited another Oreo onto Paul's two, and gave himself another three, increasing his total to six.

"I don't think that's exactly even." Paul objected, but Tanner silenced him with a quick kiss.

"Oh relax... that isn't the real 'dessert' anyway." the Dog grinned, and kissed Paul again, his muzzle working against the human's lips, parting them. Paul's head swam as his lover's tongue explored his mouth. The warmth of the fire was nothing compared to the hot flush that came over Paul as Tanner pulled him into his lap.

Their kiss broke as Tanner licked his throat, his whiskers tickling the human. Paul laughed, turning his head sideways as the Dog gently nibbled at his neck. He raised his hand up to gently caress the side of his lover's face, running his fingers through the fur on Tanner's cheek. One of the German Shepherd's arms wrapped around Paul's back, cradling the human where he sat in the Dog's lap, while the other gently gripped the wrist of the human's hand that lay against his cheek.

Paul let out a giggle at the touch of Tanner's cradling paw on his side, making himself blush when the sound escaped him. "I like hearing you laugh, Paul." Tanner smiled.

"Well, just so long as you realize it doesn't mean you have permission to tickle me all you want." the human countered, laughing and closing his eyes as the resolute Tanner responded with a good-humored lick to his face. Pauls' smile widened as he felt his lover's erect flesh slide against his own member, and the tell-tale eagerness in the way Tanner's paws held him.

Paul pulled back for a moment, as much as the Dog's firm grip would let him. He meet the gaze of his boyfriend, whose warm, loving expression was punctuated by a devilish little glint of mischevous humor in one eye. It was Paul's only warning... but, by then it was too late. Paul would later wonder if his squeals of laughter were heard halfway down the mountain, but, at that moment, he was more concerned with not pissing all over himself as Tanner's paws tickled him without remorse.

It took some pulling for Paul to escape the Dog's grasp but, by then, Paul's laughter caught on, and Tanner was rolling on the floor laughing as well. "Are you about done?" the human asked of the squirming Dog with mock annoyance, "Keep this up and you'll be sleeping on the sofa." Paul remained by the arm chair which still held their bags, unattended since they were deposited there earlier in the day.

"Alright... alright..." Tanner blurted between gasps for air, slowly catching his breath, "I'm done.... I'm done..." he continued breathing heavily, his laughter slowly abating, "No more tickling."

"You promise?" Paul requested again, moving back over to the Dog, a small tube of gel in one hand.

Tanner's tail started wagging again, "For tonight... yes." a mischievous grin stretched across his muzzle.

"How about at least for the whole trip?" Paul countered, straddling his lover's hips before sitting back down into the Dog's lap.

Tanner's paws slipped around Paul's back again, though they made no move to tickle him. The shepherd's tail beat out a lazy rhythm on the floor and the impish grin faded... just a little, "Alright... but deal's off if you throw a snowball."

Paul smiled back at that, "Sounds fair to me"

"Are you going to ask me to shake on it?" Tanner grinned.

"I had something else in mind to seal the deal." Paul offered with a conspiratory wink and he leaned forward to kiss Tanner's muzzle. The Dog let out a soft mrrr, and licked back, tongue languidly washing across the human's lips. Paul leaned forward against Tanner, pressing one hand against his furred chest, but the Dog did not let the human push him back.

"Oh no," Tanner's mischievous grin returned, "You've led this dance long enough tonight." he touched his nose to Paul's, and the human almost began to flail as his lover's arm loosened its grip on his back, causing Paul to lean backwards in the Dog's lap. Tanner leaned forward further, lowering his arm to the ground until Paul was laying on the bare floor.

"Just what did you have in mind, hmm?" Paul inquired, bemused. Tanner's ears both fell sideways for a moment before the dog recollected his resolve, and the grin returned in force, revealing every tooth in his muzzle.

"Nothing too out of the ordinary," the Dog noted, his paw sliding across the lubricant tube in Paul's hand, taking possession of it; Paul let it go without a fight, letting his newly unburdened hand join the other one on his lover's chest, gently caressing it, running his fingers through the tan fur.

"So long as you're careful." Paul spoke softly, the humor having left his voice, replaced with a sense of anticipating, and eagerness for whatever it was Tanner had planned.

"You're worth treating right." the Dog replied, mischievous grin replaced with a tender smile as the German shepherd's gaze drifted up and down his body. Paul closed his own eyes, resting on his back, hands playing across the fur of his lover's body as it hovered over him. He heard Tanner change positions along with the sound of the lube bottle being set off to the side. A dry paw caressed the inside of his right thigh, and Paul shivered at the paw pad as it traversed from his knee to beneath his groin.

"You... are... perfect." Paul whispered, his voice trembling as Tanner pulled his chest away from the humans's grasp. Eyes still closed, Paul slid one of his hands down the Dog's shoulder, moving it to gently grip the wrist of the paw on his thigh and give it a squeeze. He released it, and let his arm fall to the ground. His other arm stretched out to the side, hand finding a few tassels of the throw rug that was situated underneath the coffee table to his right. He gripped the cloth as he felt hot breath on his groin.

"I try my best." Tanner responded, a hint of humor in his voice a moment before Paul's breath caught in his throat at the touch of a very cold nose right on his scrotum, "Sorry." the Dog chuckled and, before Paul could have a chance to say anything, his breath was stolen away again, this time by a lubricated paw sliding down the length of his flesh. Paul could respond with nothing but a moan. "Ah... I thought that might make up for it." the Dog's mirthful voice noted.

"All is forgiven." Paul breathed. Tanner's paw pads, though smooth, always had a very faint abrasive texture to them, almost like extra-fine sandpaper. The slickness of the gel changed that, making Paul's toes curl at the difference, "Just... slow down..." Paul's breath was coming faster, the Dog's thumb was pressing up along the underside of his member, stimulating him with each slickened movement.

"That would ruin the fun." Tanner noted, nosing Paul's scrotum again. The human tensed with a start, but said nothing, tightening his grip on the wrist and the carpet instead. The Dog's muzzle moved lower and, with calculated precision, a tongue pressed up against his rump just as he started to relax. The young man moaned from the joint stimulation of the paw on his shaft and Tanner's tongue as it slowly corkscrewed itself against Paul's rapidly accomodating ring of muscle.

Paul writhed on the ground as Tanner's tongue slid inside him, all the while the Dog's paw worked his eager shaft with slickened speed. The sensations were almost overpowering, but the young man was unavoidably caught. Each time he moved his hips forward, the waiting paw was there to caress and stroke his member; each time he pulled back, he found himself impaled even more on Tanner's probing tongue. Just when he thought he wouldn't be able to take any more-- Tanner stopped. The Dog's muzzle slowly withdrew from between his cheeks, providing one more caressing lick against his opening, and the paw that had been furiously working at his erection simply came to a rest against his groin.

"W-what?" Paul almost whimpered the words. He finally opened his eyes, looking to Tanner, who was gazing down at him. The Dog's entire body was quivering as Tanner held his own erection in one paw. The human could see it dripping with excitement, and only then did he realize that Tanner had been stimulating himself even as the shepherd had been stroking him. "Get me a pillow." he smiled warmly to his lover.

Tanner's paw on the human's groin left it for a moment, just long enough to grab a pair of discarded jeans from nearby. The resourceful Dog used them like a grappling hook, lashing out at one of the pillows on the sofa. After only two tries, the cushion fell to the ground and rolled to within reach of Paul. "You good?" Tanner asked, gazing down at him.

"Never better." Paul smiled, arching his back slightly so that he could slide the pillow under his tail bone, allowing the angle of his hips to rise upward, "Come here." once the pillow was in place, he reached his right hand up to caress the Dog's muzzle, and brought Tanner's head down for a kiss. His lover's hips lowered as well, and Paul lowered his left shoulder, reaching with his hand until he cradled the Dog's furry scrotum in his palm.

Walking his fingers further up Tanner's groin, he took gentle hold of his boyfriend's knot with his thumb and index finger. "Ready?" Paul smiled, looking up into the soft, brown eyes gazing down at him with full devotion.

"Can't you tell?" the Dog grinned sheepishly. Tanner walked his hips closer, his knees inching along the ground closer and closer until Paul felt his lover's member press up against him a few inches too far to the right. With careful control, Paul guided Tanner's shaft to his saliva-slickened opening. The young man felt the Dog's tip slowly spread him open, and both lovers moaned in unison as Tanner gently rocked his hips forward.

The angle of the human's hips allowed for easy entry, and the Dog leaned down to lick the side of Paul's face. Both of Tanner's paws were resting against the floor on either side of the young man's head, and the German shepherd's hips rocked slowly against Paul's, causing more and more of Tanner's member to impale him with each successive thrust. Paul let out a grunt the first time the Dog's knot hit his opening.

"We're going to end up sleeping here, aren't we?" Tanner asked softly, tip of his muzzle against Paul's ear.

Paul wrapped his feet around the small of Tanner's back, spreading his legs wider as he moaned in response to the Dog's next thrust, knot parting him further, "Maybe for a half an hour..." he chided back, "or more if you're too excited to..." he shivered for a moment, eyes clenching as he felt a wave of pleasure start to build within him, "...untie." he wheezed, feeling his impeding release stalk his body like a predator ready to pounce. He gripped Tanner's head, pulling it down beside his own as he hugged his lover close... a moment of childishness playing through his mind as he leaned up and nipped at the tip of Tanner's ear like the Dog always did to his shoulder.

Tanner's resounding moan almost bordered on a yelp, "GOD, Paul..." the Dog's entire body shook with a resounding response to the stimulation of the human's teeth on his ear, "Do that again and I might be tied to you all night." his lover mrrred.

"Promise?" was all Paul could manage, words leaving him as the Dog's unrelenting member stroked his prostate for the final time, dispelling his resistance, and forcing his body's most-desired response. The human gasped, gripping the back of Tanner's head, pulling the furred form against his own as his hips shook in release. The muscles within his opening spasmed in time with each jet of semen, and a perfectly timed thrust by Tanner forced the Dog's knot into him.

Paul bit down again in response, and Tanner cried out, the sound something between a groan and a howl. The Dog's blunt claws dragged thin grooves in the hardwood floor, and his thrusts lost tempo, becoming disjointed and desperate as the thick knot was caught within the human. One final thrust, and Tanner was unable to resist any longer. Paul's body was just recovering from his orgasm when he felt the Dog's flesh within him quiver, and then pulse.

The two moaned in unison as Tanner began to pump his seed into Paul. The human slowly released his hold on the Dog's head, turning it slightly as they shared a deep kiss. He felt Tanner's tense tongue respond in kind to his own, the shepherd's whole body tense in the rolling bliss of his release. Paul slowly pressed against Tanner's shoulder, pushing off of the floor. Relenting, Tanner finally rolled to the side, ending up on his back as Paul rolled onto his top, hips pressing down on the Dog's as he spread his body over the furry form of his lover.

The two remained in one another's arms for nearly an hour. Paul rested his head against Tanner's chest, watching the soft flicker of the fire, willingly succumbing to the hypnotic sound of the Dog's breath occasionally punctuated by a pop or crackle from the fire. "I love you..." Paul said inaudibly, for his own benefit, content enough to hear it in his own voice.

"Hmm?" Tanner inquired drowsily from beneath him.

Paul smiled, looking up toward Tanner's muzzle, "I said you are not an addiction I could give up easily."

"You're an addiction I wouldn't WANT to give up." the Dog smiled back down.

"Junkie." Paul smiled warmly, reaching up to gently rub the tip of Tanner's ears, making the Dog shiver in response. Paul tensed as he felt Tanner's softening knot firm up again almost immediately.

The sleepiness in Tanner's gaze disappeared, replaced with a newly resurrected sense of lust, "I thought I warned you about that, silly human."

Paul stammered slightly, more than a little surprised, "I... I didn't think you were... serious." but the surprise quickly began to dissipate as it was replaced by another feeling; Paul's own flesh was starting to harden anew.

Without another word, Tanner managed to get to a sitting position, and then, with a great amount of lower body strength, pushed himself up into a standing position, holding Paul in a tight hug against his body with one arm, the other paw gripping the pillow from the sofa.

"Bedroom?" Paul asked.

"Yea..." the Dog noted with a rakish grin. I think my last dose is wearing off... I might need another."

"Good." Paul replied, "because earlier was just a warm up." Tanner did not respond, "From being in the snow..." Paul pressed, but again Tanner did not comment, simply walking them both into the adjoining bedroom, "It was a pun. Get it?"

Tanner tossed the pillow down on the mattress, and slowly lowered Paul down onto it, spreading his arms out to either of the human's sides, holding his weight as he looked down at Paul with a broad smirk, "If I didn't 'get it' before, I'm about to now."