FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Note: This is an older story. It is, in my opinion, my best written one to date. It is also pretty long, so be forewarned. Still, it's a nice sappy romance story with some sex in it. :) I know you guys love that stuff.

***

Balancing Act by Sanada

Click.

The payroll schedule opened and tired eyes scanned through the list of names beyond a pair of spectacles. Payday wasn't for another week, but he couldn't help but follow through with the daily routine he had done everyday since starting at the office. He would always check to see just how long it would be before the next set of payments were issued and he was free to spend his money as he pleased. At least until after the rent on his apartment had been paid. Though, there was another reason he had the list open on his monitor. He was the one whom had to calculate everyone's salary. A dull job, but someone had to do it.

Liu leaned back in the chair, the fine leather squeaking beneath him as he shifted about to make himself comfortable. He would be at this for a least a few hours. The company; 'Innaro Tech', was rapidly growing, with offices popping up around the nation. A software building company, though he hardly had any expertise in the field of design. No, he was the one to make sure everyone got their dues.

The work day was barely an hour old, and he still had seven more to go. Liu sighed quietly, adjusting his glasses and starting to work. At least the pay was decent.

The bespectacled otter dropped his whiskered muzzle into a paw, giving his cheek a light scratch as he typed in a few numbers on the calculator. Most of his fur was a heavy, earthen brown; slick and glossy. Under his chin however, a patch of beige began and ran underneath his blue collared shirt and through his chest, between his legs and down his tail. Despite his small stature, his fur hid a fit body; years of swim practice during high school and college. Though, the only water he set foot into now was generally that of his shower back home.

Julia Sanders was going to be making over a grand next week. Zhang Lu, the tiger from upper management was going to pull in two. Just looking at the jumble of numbers caused Liu to roll his eyes, wondering why on earth they wanted to do something as important as payroll manually. For all their software and their gadgets; the Innaro Corporation certainly could have spared the expense to have it done electronically.

No complaints, at least I have a job, he thought to himself. Though it certainly wasn't where he was expecting to find himself after college, where a masters in journalism was slowly going to waste.

His thick tail swung about behind him while he worked. When he had first entered school, he never would have imagined his life would turn out to be so dull. He watched as his friends landed careers in their chosen fields, but not himself. He was in a place where there was little need for another newspaper, or interviewer, or newscaster. Instead, he got stuck with a job counting numbers and dealing with a company's growing success. A success he didn't really give a shit about.

Liu groaned, leaning back in his chair and massaging his temples. Only forty minutes had gone by so far, and there was still a great deal of work to do. Let alone the following days. God, he didn't even want to think about tomorrow. Today still had plenty more to go.

Idly, he picked up an unsharpened pencil on his desk, tapping the eraser against the wood in sync with an imaginary beat. He was bored; there was little else to describe it as. His song was interrupted however, when a paw knocked against the side of his cubicle.

"Working hard?" the dog asked.

He was taller than Liu, though his frame was nearly as thin as his own. With a shaggy coat of brown, red, yellow and white fur; the mustelid had a hard time trying to figure out just what Corvy was other than the floor manager. He was sure he was a dog; the smell alone was enough to tip him off to that. The best word he could have used to describe the almost comical canine was that he was a mutt. A conglomeration of mixed and cross-bred species. Liu was certain there was a touch of husky in there, somewhere anyway. Though, his only assumption to that came from Corvy's tail, which seemed to have a natural curl to it when he walked.

"Hard as I can be," Liu replied, draping an arm over the chair's headrest and grinning. "I'm about a quarter done the payroll; I should be finished a little after lunch or so."

"Good, good. I just wanted to make sure people were going to get paid." He always came by around 9 o'clock to check up on his progress.

"Not to worry. I'll have them done. Just like any other day," Liu assured him. The mutt took a sip from the coffee mug in his paw and nodded.

"Alright. I'll see you at lunch then?" he asked with a flick of his ear.

"Yup. See you then," Liu stated as the dog walked off to bother someone else. Despite being friends at work, he didn't like the fact that Corvy had to come bother him every single day for the same reason. He was just doing his job Liu knew. It still didn't take away from the fact that it was practically unnecessary. He always got the payroll finished well before it was home time.

Leaning back in his chair, Liu closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. There was still so much work to do and far too much time to do it in. If he finished the payroll, he would have to go and assist Corvy in his managerial duties, and that was even less exciting than working with the gaggle of numbers and dollar signs in front of him. It was part of the reason he never much cared to go up in Innaro Tech. He would have been driven insane to have to deal with clerical duties every day.

He let his gaze drift around his cubicle. It was sparse, with only a few minor personal effects doting the otherwise grey square. A few knick-knacks, like the bobble-head of a rather crazed looking fox resting on top of his computer monitor and a poem his sister had written for his high school graduation almost a decade ago. It was neither of those objects that brought a smile to his otherwise placid muzzle. A picture of him and his best friend Westin, though the rather flighty border collie despised the name. Wes was the dog's preferred moniker.

Liu picked up the polaroid; the lights hanging overhead causing the photo to appear glossy. Wes and himself had taken a vacation to Europe three years ago, backpacking around the countryside. It had been an experience to remember, and the otter had plenty more pictures where this one came from. He kept it here because, at least he thought so, it was the only thing that kept him sane through work each day. Knowing that afterwards, he would call or get a call from the dog and they would grab dinner or catch a movie. Life would be perfectly normal and not dominated by salaries.

Liu looked to his cell phone, photo still between his webbed fingers. He could call Wes now and see what was on the agenda; their usual coffee night, or something else. He decided against it. If Corvy came by again and caught him on the phone during work hours, he would be in serious trouble. No, better that he just keep his nose to the grindstone and get the payrolls done. Wes could wait until lunch time.

***

His paws tapped the keys a few times, bringing up Wes' number and the screen from which he could text him. Lunch break was in full swing and the company cafeteria was packed; tables and benches full of off-duty workers, programmers, and designers. Liu sat by himself in the corner, wanting a bit of privacy; though his ears remained perked from the cacophonous roar of a myriad of muzzles jabbering all at once.

Hey, what is the plan for tonight, he punched the keys in. His phone chimed as the text message was sent halfway across the city. He knew it wouldn't take the collie long to respond; Wes was fast at replying, almost ridiculously so. Until then, Liu took a bite out of his sandwich, scanning over the crowded room.

Corvy had already come and gone, mentioning off hand about how everyone was going to be receiving a pay increase thanks to their increased productivity. The otter was both pleased and a little perturbed at the words. More money meant he could be a little freer with his spending. Hell, maybe he could afford a new apartment soon enough.

On the other paw, more money meant new calculations. He would have to go and alter everyone's salary; for the second time that year, which meant more work on his part. He silently cursed the company once more for not installing some kind of automated payment system. Still, it meant that he was employed, and he certainly wasn't going to argue with that; however dreary cubicle life was.

As he was about to take another chomp out of the pastrami sandwich; his phone buzzed on the table, rattling about before he got his paw on it.

Same as always. Java Star after work.

Coffee sure sounded nice at this point. Liu considered going up and grabbing a cup from the counter, but when he took a glance at the line-up, he decided against it. He could wait until tonight for their usual Wednesday tradition; coffee at 'Java Star', the shop just down the way from his apartment.

Wes and him had frequented it for years, and had quickly become another one of the 'regulars' according to the staff. So much so, that they didn't even need to place an order (unless of course there was a new trainee at the till), they simple held out their paws for the coin and exchanged a nice, warm paper cup of steaming java. There was also another aspect to the place that Liu enjoyed; the eye-candy. Specifically, eye-candy in the form of a white-tailed deer who worked there.

His name was Adraen. He was the friendly sort, and he seemed to enjoy hanging around with We and himself on his breaks. He was also very cute and seemed to like to try to pull him from his working shell; something that didn't go entirely unappreciated. Liu looked back at the screen of his phone, thinking of what to say.

I'll need to shower before hand, he typed back while taking a sip from the bottle of spring water he had brought along. Another moment passed before the buzzing started again.

Yea LOL, you stink after working in a stuffy office all day!

Liu rolled his eyes, a smirk painting his whiskered muzzle. With a finger, he pushed his glasses back into place before firing a retort.

At least I don't have spunk all over my fur.

Despite their good-natured ribbing, Liu couldn't help but feel jealous of his friend at times. Though the remark about spunk and fur was both part in jest and truth. Wes was a carefree spirit, prone to acting on a whim and shamelessly flirting with any cute guy he came across. Himself on the other paw was quiet and reserved; maybe even a little pessimistic sometimes. Whereas Wes was likely getting laid every two or three days he reckoned; Liu was coming up to a year and a half.

Girl, don't blame me for not being a stick in the mud.

Liu laughed quietly. Wes could also be a bit of a queen sometimes. Yet, the bespectacled otter wondered if that was his charm. Wes didn't care what people thought, he simply acted in his best interests. He did likewise; though more often than not, those interests tended to fall more on work than on sex. He sighed.

A year and a half was certainly a long time.

He eyed the screen on his phone for a moment, trying to come up with something witty to say. He drew a blank. Despite Wes' good intentions with the remark, he couldn't help but feel at least some truth to the words. For the longest time, he had wrested with the knowledge that he liked boys. When he had finally come to realize that, with Wes' help, everything seemed to slip slowly downward.

He leaned back in his chair, a mixed smile on his lips. He remembered those fun, carefree days going to the clubs with Wes and picking up guys like it was going out of style. Those were the days before he had graduated from school and landed himself this boring job. Since then, nobody seemed to catch his interest. The few people who did flirt with him were generally not appealing or not his type, and vice versa; those whom he had tried to get with were not interested in an otter like himself.

Liu looked down at his sandwich, quickly losing his appetite. Wes just had to go and remind him, however indirectly, of how much of a workaholic he had become. When he tried to think back to the last time he even went out for a night on the town with the collie, he couldn't. Sure, they had nights on the town frequently, but not one of those kind of nights for a very long time.

He looked back at his phone, taking note of the time. He still had another half hour of lunch left to get through before he sat back at the desk and stuffed his eyes full of numbers and dollars again. Liu sighed audibly this time. Today was just dragging. He flipped open the keypad again, stabbing at the keys with blunted claws.

I'll pick you up at your place around 6:30, he typed.

He shut his phone off afterwards, pocketing it before finishing off his sandwich. If he went back to work now, perhaps he could knock off a half hour or an hour earlier than usual. Knowing Corvy though, he'd probably just ask him to do some menial task to fill that last hour up anyway. Despite that, he didn't feel very much like sticking around the busy lunch-room any further. With a final swig from his bottle, Liu started back towards his desk.

***

After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Liu hoped back into his car and made good progress towards Wes' place. Despite 'Java Star' only being a block away from his apartment, Wes had the unfortunate distinction of being clear across town from it. Still, the drive went quick and his mood was already improving much more rapidly now that he was out of the office for the night.

Liu drummed his paws against the steering wheel as the music played, his fingers following along with the beat before a red light forced him to focus his attention on the road again. He took his time, knowing that Wes would take every possible second he could to get ready; finding the right outfit and dolling himself up. Liu thought it perfectly absurd that he would even bother to get his long, stringy fur in order for something as simple as going out for their Wednesday coffee.

When he arrived at Wes' apartment, the canine was already outside and waiting. The otter slapped a paw to his face as Wes came around the side and climbed into the passenger seat.

"What in God's name are you wearing?" Liu stammered, his eyes going wide. Wes stuck his tongue out at him, before reaching a paw over and pushing his glasses back along into place along his nose.

"I bought it yesterday! Isn't it cute?" the frivolous collie asked, turning in his seat so that Liu could read the words written on the pink shirt. He groaned.

"I kissed your boyfriend. Seriously?"

"Like you've never worn something like this before," Wes laughed, playfully swatting him on the shoulder.

If their personalities were a contrast, their appearances were more-so. Liu was clean-cut and well dressed, preferring his usual button-up dress shirts with a tee of some kind underneath, with a loose pair of blue jeans and a pair of brown shoes. Wes on the other paw, was the opposite. Pink, magenta and cherry red were his favourite colours and most of his tops fell under the category of 'fabulous' more often than not. A pair of low-cut shorts graced his lower half and a simple pair of rope sandals covered his footpaws. The one thing that seemed to catch most people's attention however was the simple golden hoop at the base of his tail. Finely polished to perfection, Wes thought it the perfect accessory; especially on those nights at the clubs. Liu begged to differ.

A quick U-turn and the pair were off down the road again. Wes was quick to change the radio, finding the latest poppy song that he could find. The otter groaned when the painful screeching of Shanaleigh Foxtrot blared through his speakers.

"Can you not, for one day, play with my radio?" Liu muttered.

"Nope!" came the almost expected reply.

"Well, can you at least tell me where you've been the last week? I haven't heard from you all weekend and more. I was hoping to hang out on Saturday or something," Liu asked, giving the steering wheel a spin and pulling into the next lane. Wes shrugged, flicking a floppy ear from his face.

"I've been out of town. Rory wanted me to come visit for the weekend."

"You spent a weekend with that dyke?" Liu laughed, though he was rewarded with another slap to the shoulder and a faux pout.

"She isn't a dyke! Leave my sister alone," Wes chided playfully, succeeding in pulling a chuckle from Liu's stout muzzle.

"Fine, fine. How is your sister doing anyway?" the otter felt inclined to ask, at least now that the topic was there. Wes sat back in his seat, his bushy white and black tail brushing against the door.

"Oh, she's fine. Same old sis; she never changes. She has a new boy-toy again. He's a real cute one this time."

"Another one? What is that, like, number eight now?"

"Ten," Wes stated evenly. "I don't know why she has trouble finding the right guy. It's like she can't commit to anything."

"I wonder where she picked that up from," Liu teased. He smirked, glancing over at the dog. The collie frowned at him with those damn puppy-dog eyes of his.

"God, you are such a bitch sometimes," Wes said after a moment, throwing his paws in the air. Liu knew the canine wasn't upset though, for once he brought his arms back down to his lap he could see the amused grin on Wes' muzzle.

"Shut it, you stuffy old queen," he fired back. Wes barked a quick, high-pitched laugh.

"You're older than me!"

"Oh, by a year!"

The ribbing continued the entire way over to 'Java Star'. However, instead of parking in front of the squat, single story building, Liu passed it and parked in his space behind his apartment building. It was a short walk down the street, and Wes would just have to suffer through it.

As per usual, the brown painted building was packed, as it always seemed to be around this time of the evening. It was home to the best coffee and cappuccinos in town, and the amount of people that it attracted sometimes boggled the otter's mind.

"They really need to expand," he muttered, leaning over to the collie. Wes readily concurred. For all the patrons who got their cup of joe, the managers seemed adamant on refusing to expand the building, or even opening a new one. For what reason, Liu wasn't sure. He pegged it down to laziness on their behalf. At least the line-up moved fairly quickly.

"Hey boys," came a familiar greeting from the register. The deer was smiling, two cups of coffee in his hands, each with their name written on it. "Haven't seen you for a bit!"

"Oh, Adraen! I love what you did to your antler!" Wes barked, resisting the urge to reach up and touch the silver ring around the base of the buck's left antler.

"I just got it put on the other day! I think it looks fantastic," the younger male said. He handed Wes his espresso before turning to the less excitable otter. "And for you monsieur Liu."

"Thanks. It does look pretty cool," Liu added, taking the coffee and handing over a five dollar bill. Wes looked at him, and then the bill. He shrugged. "It's on me tonight; you can get next week."

"So where have you two been lately?" Adraen asked, glancing sideways at the line-up still forming behind them.

"I've been too tired from work to drop by lately, sorry. Their changing payroll again, which means I've got to go and fix up the whole system," Liu explained. Adraen blinked.

"They don't do direct deposit?" he asked incredulously. Liu shook his head. "Well that's just dumb."

"Hey, it keeps otter-boi here employed at least! Come on; let's get out of the way before people start getting pissed at us!" Wes said, taking hold of Liu's shoulder and guiding him away. Adraen nodded to them.

"I'll come chat when I'm on break or something!"

Miraculously, their usual spot at the far back corner was free. Liu took note that, despite the traffic in the store, most people were grabbing their coffee and heading right back out the door. Wes sat across from him, dropping his muzzle into his paw and giving him a wry grin.

"What?" he asked, a brow raising questioningly. Wes just barked another quick laugh.

"I just find it really funny how flabbergasted you get around him. You need to loosen up and step out of the closet a little further," the collie replied, shaking his ears from his face. Liu looked out across the store, back over to the register where Adraen was working. A wistful smile crossed his short muzzle.

Unlike most guys, Adraen seemed to be the one exception to his long running list of failures. He was cute, though he was a few years younger than Wes and himself. With a thin coat of short brown fur that practically clung to him like a second skin and sporting a pair of immaculately bleached antlers, the white-tailed deer looked as if he would be more at home working as a nightclub bar tender or DJ, rather than some simple cashier at a busy coffee house. Liu nearly jumped right out of his fur, tail stiffening and ears going flat against his head when Adraen saw him staring. The buck smiled and offered a quick wave before handling the next customer.

"Saw you?" Wes giggled, taking a slow sip from his espresso.

Liu didn't need to explain anything, his ears going bright red from the rush of blood, but he offered an embarrassed smile. Wes shook his head.

"Why don't you just ask him out? It's not like we don't know he's into guys. I think he's made enough passes at you to make that perfectly clear."

"I...don't know. I just don't know if I'm really all that interested. With work and--" Wes cut him off with a raised paw.

"Girl, if you mention work as an excuse to let some cute guy get out of those little webbed paws of yours, I'm going to slap you upside the head. Adraen likes you, and I know you can see that," the dog said, taking another sip from the steaming paper cup. Liu held his between his paws complacently, staring down at the stuff through the open spout.

"I know. I like him too. I just don't know if I want to commit to anything. Come on Wes, you know how I work. I don't want to hurt him if it doesn't work out," he took a long slurp. Wes rolled his eyes, throwing an arm over the back of his chair and sighing.

"Liu, you'll never know unless you try. Don't be such a stick in the mud. You complain about me sleeping around, but honey, I can see that you're jealous."

"Jealous?" Liu echoed, shooting him a glare. "I'm sorry if my priorities keep me from going out to the clubs and picking up guys like we used to. I've grown up Wes. This isn't like four years ago where I could drop everything for the sake of a night cruising."

"How long has it been?" Wes asked out of the blue. Of course Liu knew what he was referring to, and Wes knew the answer as well. Still, it was a shot a little too low. The otter growled at him, but remained seated.

"Far too long," the mustelid muttered, adjusting his glasses with a stubby claw. He let his gaze drift out the window to the street, watching the steady stream of cars whizzing by. Wes followed his gaze, though Liu wasn't looking at anything in particular. Anything to get Adraen off his mind for a moment or two.

"You know," Wes started. "It wouldn't hurt to just cut loose every once in awhile. Not like we used to, but I mean...to just liven things up. I know work gets you down, but that's no reason to be miserable all the time."

It was the way he said it that struck Liu the most. Wes wasn't trying to be argumentative or condescending. The border collie was talking to him like they had been best friends for years; which they most certainly had been. Hell, if he really wanted, he could probably get a pity fuck out of the dog. It wasn't though. Wes and him were friends, and despite their orientations, they were just.

Liu didn't say anything. Instead, he just took another long sip of his coffee and watched the world going on beyond the window. He couldn't help feeling that Wes was right about him. For the last two years, he had done nothing but work and spend off time with either the collie or himself. He couldn't remember the last time he just went out and had some fun.

Tearing his gaze from the street, he looked back over to the counter where Adraen was chatting up a young mink. The girl giggled when he said something, a smile spreading across his snowy muzzle while relating some unheard story to her. He was so very much like the collie in front of him, yet there was something different. Adraen was young, spunky and out-going. More often than not, he would spend time trying to coax him from his inner shell whenever Wes and himself came for coffee. He liked him, that much Liu was sure. He just didn't know if the feeling was entirely mutual or not.

At least the coffee was good.

***

The otter was quick in wheeling about and heading back home after he had dropped Wes off at his place. It was getting late, almost 11:30. Work started at eight, but he always gave himself enough time to get showered, dressed and to grab breakfast, which meant he was up an hour and a half earlier than his punch-in time.

He was tired and thoroughly fed up with the topic of why he was being so dismissive about Adraen's advances. Even after the lull in conversation, Wes made it pointedly clear, almost painfully so that he disapproved of the way he was pushing people aside for the cause of work. Liu didn't think of it as such. On the contrary, Wes was the one being unrealistic. He had a job to do, and he didn't much feel like sharing what little personal time he did have with someone who would need to be cuddled and consoled. At least that was the impression he normally had about relationships.

The door to his drab, one-bedroom apartment shut with a thud. He scanned the dark expanse of his living room with ocean blue eyes before flicking the switch of his kitchenette, light spilling into the room. Aside from the well stocked kitchen, the rest of his flat was sparsely furnished; a single, worn couch with brown upholstery resting against the wall, a circular coffee table in front of it and the cheap entertainment system against the opposite wall.

Kicking off his shoes, the otter padded onto the tiled floor of the kitchenette, pulling open the fridge and grabbing the carton of milk from within. His broad, thick tail dragged along the floor, but he made no effort to have it otherwise. Liu grabbed a glass from the cupboard over top the stainless steel stove and poured himself a glass of the creamy stuff before tossing the now empty carton into the garbage.

"What a day," he mused to himself, flicking the switch off and heading out onto the balcony, though not before double-checking the lock on his door.

Cold, night air assaulted him when he stepped onto the stone patio, plopping himself down in the foldout chair. A myriad of scents and colours hit his senses; the intermingled smell of fur, exhaust and the almost tangible scent of the local greasy-spoon restaurant down the street.

Despite the small accommodations, Liu loved the place simply for the view. With a balcony overlooking the back of the building, he got an eyeful of downtown Labora City. Despite it being almost midnight, the place was alight with colours. Neon signs illuminated the night-life within the central square and the skyscrapers that soared overhead, some of which had their own spectacular optics along the sides or at the very peaks of their foundations, casting the towering buildings in subtle blues and violets.

Liu took a sip from the chilled glass before sighing contently. These were the moments he cherished, the quiet (as quiet as a city could get anyway) solitude of his own home. Sure, he enjoyed spending time with Wes, but nothing could compare to the relaxation he felt through simply gazing out over the city. The city which he had hoped to make it big in. His smile vanished from his muzzle when he remembered work was in the morning, and so he reluctantly pulled himself from his cozy chair and plodded back inside, shutting the screen and glass door behind him.

After polishing off his milk, he placed the glass in the sink before making his way down the short, carpeted hall towards his bedroom. Already he had begun stripping off his attire, meaning to set his alarm and simply conk out for the night. Walking in through the open doorway, Liu tossed his shirt into the laundry hamper, the piece of clothing quickly being followed by a pair of socks and his pants.

Sleep sounded fantastic right now, and the otter placed his glasses on the night table before setting his alarm and crawling under the sheets. With a sigh, he nestled up against the pillows; pulling the thick, warm blankets over top of his frame. His tail poked out the side as he laid there, eyes closed and welcoming the arms of slumber.

Yet they never came.

"This day just keeps getting better, doesn't it?" Liu spat, resting his head on his arms while staring up at the ceiling. Wes' words continued to echo in his mind, and his muzzle fell into a scowl. "Fucking dog."

What Wes had said, about getting out and having some fun for a change bothered him. Did the collie think he was so much of a workaholic that he had forgotten how to have fun? Liu couldn't help rolling his eyes in the darkness, but a part of him couldn't help but believe so. Then there was the issue with Adraen.

Liu growled low, grabbing one of the pillows and holding it overtop his head to push away the night-time visions of the buck. He was cute, with a finely toned body much like his own. Years of track meets during high school he remembered Adraen saying on a Wednesday long ago.

As he had said, the deer had joined them at their table when the evening rush had died down. He sat with them for close to half an hour before his manager pulled him back to work, sharing in the stories and conversations. As always, much to Liu's dismay, he couldn't help bring up the topic of why such a good looking, well-off otter like himself still remained single.

"He's too picky," Wes said, drawing a chuckle from Adraen's muzzle. Liu just rolled his eyes, when a reassuring hand placed itself on his shoulder.

"Nah. Liu just knows what he wants. I mean, if he weren't picky, he'd turn out like you!" Adraen teased, grinning at the collie. Wes put on a shocked expression, placing a paw above his heart and looking as if he were about to faint in classic Wes dramatical fashion. Liu remembered the wink and the playful smirk Adraen had given him after that.

"But I don't know what I want," Liu said into the empty bedroom. Pulling the pillow away from his face, the otter tried to forget the tormenting thoughts and fall asleep. Something kept him awake, and the otter groaned when he figured out what it was. "You can just shut the hell up," he said to his growing erection. Thinking about Adraen and that inviting smile of his had quickly gotten him hard. Not that he could blame himself; the deer was hot.

In a way, Adraen reminded him a lot of Wes. Not so much because of his appearance, or even a lot of his personality. What he did share though was the collie's zest for life and enjoying every minute of it. His fun, flirty ways and his playful, teasing nature. He used to be like that, when he was younger and not stuck in a job that he could barely tolerate.

Liu rolled onto his back, a paw drifting down to his boxers and he gently wrapped his fingers around his stiffening member. Adraen had made it well known, some time ago, that he found him desirable. Why then didn't he just go for it; take a shot in the dark and hope for the best.

His fingers slipped past the folds and took hold of the supple, warm flesh beneath. A shallow sigh escaped his whiskered muzzle as he stroked along his otterhood, thoughts of the stag dancing before his eyes. It had been so long since he had last felt someone else's paw down there, let alone a muzzle or otherwise, that he had almost forgotten what it felt like.

His imagination reared to life, fuelled by his arousal. He was quick in slipping off those confining boxers and tossing the bed sheet aside so that his sex was tickled by the cool air circulating about the room. He could almost feel the buck's hot breath against his dick, the feeling of his slick tongue sliding along the flesh and sending shivers through his spine.

Liu groaned; shutting his eyes as his paw grabbed at the root of his member before slowly gliding along the length, stopping to tease his tip for a moment before slipping back down. Adraen's lips were around him, the warmth of his mouth surrounding him and pulling a quiet moan from his whiskered muzzle.

His free paw ran along his chest, stubby, blunted claws rustling the fur as he worked himself closer to orgasm. He could just imagine that Adraen was real good at what he was imagining, knowing all the right places to flick his tongue and suckle on intimately. Just thinking about the deer's tight-lipped seal around his member made him grunt and buck his hips, pushing the hot rod of flesh along his paw.

His breathing became heavy, forcing Liu to huff through his nose as he drew himself closer to the brink. Already he could feel his beige-furred sac tingling from the excitement he gave himself while fantasizing about the almost twinkish deer going down on him. Oh, how Liu just wanted to wrap his paws around those antlers, to trail a finger along the silver ring at the base and pull him in for a kiss.

The otter gasped as he felt himself tense up, a sticky warmth splattering against his chest and along his paw in short, quick spurts. He groaned, arching his back as he climaxed, the images of Adraen's antlered form disappearing from his eyes. Despite his afterglow, the otter frowned when the last vestiges of the deer's phantom presence slipped away, leaving him alone once more in his bed.

He crashed back against the pillows, sighing as he sunk comfortably against the cushions. His eyelids felt heavy and he could already feel himself feeling more than just a little tired now after his play. The smell of musk and spunk filtered around the room, but he didn't care. He could clean up in the morning, there was plenty of time before heading back to the office.

Liu shut his eyes, curling up under the blankets once more. It really had been far too long since he felt another male's intimate touches over his body, or the feeling of another person sharing his bed. His frown remained, even when he finally slipped into a deep sleep.

The deer was back again.

***

Click.

Liu tapped at the keyboard with a claw, feeling just as miserable about being here as he did yesterday. It had only been two hours since he had walked in through the doors, and already he couldn't wait to just catch a break for a bit at lunch.

Corvy had swung by again to let him know that he needed to get everyone's salaries changed before the end of the week. Although payday wasn't until next Wednesday, the task still needed to be completed as quickly as possible. The mixed mutt had made that perfectly clear, and when he had walked away, Liu rolled his eyes dismissively. Of course he would get it done, he always got the job done.

With a sigh and a quick adjustment of his specs, the otter continued to plug away at the task at hand. His stomach gurgled, and he regretted missing breakfast this morning. After his private time last night, the otter had fallen into a deep sleep. So much so, that when he had woken up, his alarm had been ringing for the last half hour. He was running late and so, elected to skip breakfast entirely. He was regretting that decision, as his stomach issued another boisterous grumble.

He ignored the hunger pains, trying to focus himself on his work. He had a great deal more ahead of him, and he had barely gotten any of the calculations done for practically everyone's new salary. With so many variations of numbers and payments, he would have to spend sometime simply figuring out everyone's new income before he could even input it into the mainframe database. Going into one of the many drawers to his left, the mustelid pulled out his calculator and started to work.

Despite having a program built into the computer, he always felt better able to assess and calculate values by hand; as such, his paws tapped at the keys in rapid succession, only stopping to take a look at his monitor now and then for reference. When he had found the new total for every person, he typed it out onto his spreadsheet before starting on the next. From there, it would be a simple matter of copying the sheet over to the wages program.

Only a few more hours to go before I can shut you up, he thought to himself while eyeing his stomach.

His head swam with the onset of a headache, brought on by a lack of food. He only had to get through another few hours before he could satisfy himself. Yet, as he worked on Jora Kymins wages, he found his gaze drawn to the picture of Wes and himself again.

"Fuck off dog," he muttered aloud with a half smile. He envied him. While he was stuck in an office, Wes was off doing his own thing; namely, being a photographer for male models downtown. A job the flirty collie took immense pleasure in.

It wasn't hard for the otter to imagine that, right now, Wes was likely snapping some really attractive photos of a husky or fox. He seemed to get a lot of foxes coming through his doors. It also wasn't hard to believe that a lot of those models ended up in bed with him afterwards. The otter chuckled at the notion, but still couldn't help feeling a little depressed about it.

When was the last time he ended up with someone in bed? Leaning back in his chair, Liu thought back to the last time he had actually had sex. It was with a weasel that he had met on one of those now painfully rare times when Wes and him had gone out for the night. The vivacious little mustelid had been shamelessly flirting with him practically the entire night, and despite being somewhat annoying, he was pretty cute.

A grin spread across Liu's whiskered muzzle; recalling that night of rough, passionate sex. Arty, as that was his name he remembered, seemed to enjoy being rutted hard and fast. Liu remember the dent he had left in his wall; a result of his headboard slamming against it repeatedly. In the morning though, Arty left, and despite seeing him now and then when he went out with Wes, that was the last time he had ever bedded someone.

Liu dropped his head into a paw, rubbing his claws through the sleek fur of his cheek. He looked at the screen blankly, barely remembering where he had left off. A quick check of the spreadsheet told him where, but now the otter was feeling distracted. Thinking about Wes had eventually lead his mind to think about yesterday night at the shop, when Adraen had found the time to come to their table. The buck was as flirtatious then as he was the first time they had met, or at least when they had discovered that he liked other guys as they did.

It wasn't so much the deer's presence that was distracting him, it was something he had said. The otter leaned back in his chair again, recalling how Wes had been criticising him for being so uptight. Adraen, although not as directly, had agreed with the collie's sentiments.

"We need to get you out of that office more. Y'know, to just loosen up and have some fun," the antlered male had said. Liu felt his gaze drop from the table to the floor.

"I dunno. It's been so long. I don't think I even remember how to properly flirt," Liu muttered.

"Oh honey, that is the dumbest excuse you have ever given me," Wes chimed. The collie flicked a piece of hair from his eyes, leaning against the wooden table-top. "And trust me, I've heard a lot of excuses."

"Maybe I just don't want to then," Liu snapped back. He had a real job and responsibilities to handle. He didn't have time in his schedule to make for a trip to the clubs. Wes had just rolled his eyes; a gesture he knew meant that he thought the otter was being childish. It wasn't his reaction that really caught his attention. It was Adraen's.

The deer had placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing it firmly.

"Well, you don't need to go out to have a good time. At least not out like hitting bars or night clubs. Sometimes, simply sharing someone's company is enough. You know I'm always willing to hang out or something whenever."

Those words had caused Liu to stop and think about them, digesting what they really meant. Had Adraen been asking him out or was he simply being a friend and saying that if he wanted to just shoot the shit and relax together, that it was fine to hit him up.

A quiet growl rolled up the mustelid's throat and he took his glasses off to rub his eyes. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but it certainly seemed like Adraen had meant it in more than just a friendly way. Wes had stated often enough that the deer liked him, but Liu just couldn't see it. Adraen was a friend; of that much he was certain. How much of a friend, the otter didn't know. Just how much did the buck like him? Enough to try and casually ask him out?

Liu replaced his specs back along his snout, his little ears twitching to the clacks and clicks of keyboards. He could always just ask him; it wasn't like he was so afraid that asking a simply question of 'did you mean you wanted to go out sometime' was as nerve wrecking as the first time he flew on a plane.

A shudder rolled down his spine and along his thick tail as he leaned forward, intent on getting back to work and keeping the distracting thoughts out of his mind.

Maybe his nerves weren't as strong as they once were.

***

His palms were slick with perspiration and he stared nervously out the front window for a few moments, trying to collect his nerves together. His heart thundered in his chest and Liu thought several times over in rapid succession that maybe he should just forget the whole thing and go home. Kicking back and watching TV was starting to sound more and more appealing by the second.

"Get a hold of yourself, otter," he mumbled aloud into the empty car.

He had parked at the lot behind 'Java Star' with the purpose of going in and asking Adraen exactly what he meant about last night. He needed to know if he meant it as a 'we need to hang out more in a date format' or 'I'm your friend, let's just chill'. His knuckles gripped the wheel tighter.

Never before had he felt so nervous over something as simple as asking a question. He had never felt this way even when he had asked people out before or hooked up with any of the guys years before. It was different this time around. Liu knew why, and he huffed quietly through his nose, trying to steady himself. This time it might have actually meant something.

The minutes ticked by and he watched as cars pulled in and left the lot. Some people went to other ports of call along the street, though the majority headed inside the coffee house. With a nervous whimper, Liu rested his forehead against the steering wheel, his glasses almost falling from his snout in the process. He knew that he was over-reacting; Adraen was an accepting, gentle guy. There was no reason to feel nervous. Besides, even if he simply meant that he wanted to hang out as friends, than he was perfectly fine with that as well.

With a final, steadying breath, Liu pulled the keys from the ignition and stepped out onto the gravel filled lot; slipping the collection of cut metal into his pocket and starting off towards the front of the building. The scent of coffee tantalized his nose and caused his mouth to start salivating. At least ordering a cup would serve as a good cover up for what he truly intended to do.

He brushed his sweaty paws against his jeans before stepping inside, his sense of smell assaulted with an even stronger scent of strong, freshly brewed java mixed with a host of intermingled smells from the gaggle of patrons within. It was another busy night, with a line-up stretching nearly right to the door and most of the chairs had been taken already. That was fine. Liu didn't intent to stay very long anyway. Grab a coffee, ask the deer what he really meant, and leave while he still had some dignity intact.

Adraen was there as he had expected him. The buck was working the register again, but he looked not at all bothered by the amount of people waiting to be served. No one else seemed to mind the wait either, and it was obvious to Liu as to why. For a cup of their home brew, anyone whom had been to the place before knew that it was worth the wait. The otter breathed a sigh of relief, noting that he hadn't been spotted, yet anyway. He was too hard at work.

Adjusting his glasses, Liu stepped up behind the next person in line; a golden retriever with remarkably well-kept, glossy fur. With the close quarters, he wasn't surprised when the wagging of the canine's tail caused it to brush up against his leg. Liu didn't bother to say anything.

When he finally came up to the register, Adraen greeted him with a smile.

"Hey you. I wasn't expecting to see you back again so soon," he said with a playful smirk. Liu tensed under his fur, drawing a quizzical look from the deer. "You feeling alright Liu?"

"Uh. Yeah. Yeah I'm doing okay. Just off of work," came the hesitant reply. Adraen raised a brow.

"Well, I can see that from your outfit. You want your usual?"

"Oh, right. Yes, please," Liu said. When Adraen turned his back for a moment, the otter slapped a paw to his face, almost sending his glasses to the floor for a second time.

Real smooth, he thought dryly to himself.

"You sure you're alright?" Adraen asked when he turned around. A look of concern was splayed across his visage. Liu sighed, feeling bad for setting the buck into a state of unease. He shook his head.

"I...no. There's something I wanted to...wanted to talk to you about," Liu felt his gaze dropping to the floor, and already he could feel his palms becoming slick with sweat again and his heart pounding against his chest.

Just spit it out you dumb otter. Tell him you want to know what he meant!

Adraen moved as if to say something, but he stopped. Liu followed his gaze to the line forming behind him and understood what he was likely about to say.

"Meet me after work?" he asked, taking the coins from Liu's pay and handing him a paper coffee cup, a sleeve already wrapped around it. Liu nodded.

"When do you finish?" asked the otter, sounding a little bit more hopeful now. The register popped open and the sound of coins falling on each other followed.

"I'll be done at eleven tonight. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. Sure, that's totally fine," Liu stammered with an embarrassed smirk. Adraen smiled back, tipping his head to the side in a polite way of saying 'I've got work to do. I'll see you later.'

Liu nodded, stepping away from the register and headed back down the line and out the doors. He would just have to hold off and wait until later before he could get this off of his chest. It would only be a few hours longer.

***

The digital clock on his radio struck eleven and Adraen walked out the doors of the shop a few moments after, waving goodbye to some of his co-workers. A quick flip of the switch and the locks on his car doors popped open. Liu watched as the deer started over towards him, but he stopped just outside the door. The otter sucked in a sharp breath. Adraen opened the door a moment later, ducking down to speak to him.

"Um, I kind of forgot. It's going to be really tight in there for me," he said with a chuckle. Liu blinked, unsure of what he meant until the sparkle of that silver ring caught his attention.

"Oh! Well, damn. I'm sorry, I totally forgot about the antlers," he said. Adraen laughed, crouching down and keeping his head bowed. It was a tight fit, and he had to lower the seat back a great deal, but he managed to get in. The otter shook his head. "Well, you got inside at the very least."

"That I did. It's a bit snug, but it's not really that far to my place. I mean, did you want to talk there?" the stag asked, smiling coyly. Liu grinned at his embarrassed expression, noting how self-conscious he had become with the presumption.

"That'd be fine, if you don't mind me hanging around there."

Adraen shook his head, as best he could anyway.

"Not at all! You're more than welcome anytime," he assured him. Liu smirked, a few of his whiskers twitching before he turned the key of the ignition and sprung the car to life.

As Adraen had stated, he only lived a few blocks away and the only trouble came when Liu took a turn that he shouldn't have. A quick five minutes worth of back tracking and they were on 4th street again and heading to his place.

Liu listened as Adraen explained that he lived with a couple of friends of his in a three-bedroom apartment near the center of the city; on 4th and Concourse to be precise. It was an area Liu knew fairly well, having travelled down that way towards work everyday.

Soon enough, Liu was parking the small car in front of the massive apartment complex and stepping out onto the sidewalk. Adraen followed behind after a moment, struggling to dislodge his antlers from the roof of the vehicle. The otter just shook his head, a grin painted on his muzzle when Adraen stepped around his car.

"Well, here we are," the buck said while spreading his arms wide. "Home, sweet home. In all seriousness though, it's just your average apartment. Come on, the roomies should be asleep by now. We'll just need to be a little quiet."

"Fine with me," Liu replied, shrugging his shoulders and following after him into the apartment's lobby.

Through the heavy glass doorway, and then another (this one locked Liu noted) and into the main lobby they went, Liu tailing closely behind the deer. Both sets of shoes clomped loudly against the highly polished, tiled floor and the otter wondered just how someone like Adraen could afford to live here, roommates or not. The place seemed fairly posh for a simple apartment complex, glass vases brimming with flora standing to either side of the elevator doors. The sweet scent of the flowers tickled Liu's nose as he breathed in.

Adraen stabbed a finger at the 'up' button, which was quickly followed by the chiming of a bell as the doors slid apart. He paused mid-stride, turning around and placing a hand against the elevator doors to prevent them from closing. He flashed a smile at him, tipping his head backwards.

"You just going to look at an empty lobby all night, or didn't you want to talk to me?" he chided playfully. Liu blushed, rubbing the back of his head as he shook the near-awe from his eyes. He had a significantly better paying job than the buck and yet, Adraen's place was immensely nicer than his own.

The gold-plated doors slid shut behind them, and Liu leaned up against the shining banister surrounding the elevator, gripping the bar as the carriage climbed up to the seventh floor. Another chime and shoes found recently vacuumed carpeting. He followed the set of bobbing antlers down the hallway, his tail brushing against the floor as they went. Unlike the lobby, the actual apartment hallways were barely decorated, though the paint job was fine and even, in a calming shade of pale taupe.

Door number '716' was the one they stopped at. Liu leaned up against the wall, paws buried in his pockets as Adraen unlocked the door. When that heavy wood swung open, a rush of scents drifted around him; of rat, horse and recently cooked chicken. Dinner, Liu figured.

Adraen shut the door behind him when he stepped inside, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. He could barely make out the sounds of someone snoring coming from down the hall, and the hiss of static from the TV in the living room. The deer locked the door before kicking off his shoes and waltzing into the apartment, Liu behind him.

"Well, this is it. Nothing to really write home about," Adraen chuckled, splaying his arms out to either side in grandiose fashion. Liu stepped around him, his eyes taking it all in.

There was a small kitchen to his right, much like his own. The difference was that it was sectioned off into its' own little space, unlike his own which was attached to his living room with barely a dividing wall. Beyond the kitchen and into the main section of the apartment was the living room, fully furnished to perfection. A worn, black sofa hugged the far wall, with a massive plasma television across from it. Liu guessed it to be at least 45 inches. A number of game systems lined the bottom half of the entertainment system, with a multitude of games spanning various genres filling the shelves, and some off to the sides. A thick, brown shag carpet clung to the floor and a coffee table sat directly in the middle of it all.

For a place that three guys called home, Liu couldn't help but notice that it was immaculately clean.

"Oh, trust me. We take turns cleaning. If this place became a sty, I would freak," Adraen said when he mentioned that. The deer padded into the living room, grabbing the TV remote and flicking the giant screen off. "I like my living space to be clean."

"You and me both," Liu replied, stepping onto the carpet with webbed footpaws. The material was incredible soft, and he couldn't help but scrunch up his toes. "Wow, that's nice."

"My roomie says he can sleep on it," Adraen laughed, replacing the remote back onto the table. "I think it's alright." The deer started towards the hallway, motioning for Liu to follow. "Just going to need to keep things hush-hush. Derek and Ali are probably sleeping. I'm sure you can hear the snores."

Liu grinned, nodding as they padded quietly down the hallway towards the white door at the end. Liu figured it was probably Adraen's room. The deer grabbed the knob and gave a quick twist before reaching over and flicking the lights on.

The room had a cozy feel to it, despite being relatively small. A large, queen sized bed rested up against the right wall, the comforter dishevelled as if Adraen had simply hopped out of bed this morning and forgotten about it. A night table with his alarm and phone sat beside the bed and a large bookshelf stocked with comics and fantasy fiction rested against the left wall. Just under the window was a large glass desk with Adraen's computer resting on top, the tower buzzing and humming quietly.

It was the room of a typical, fresh-out of college nerd, but Liu could appreciate it all. A smile spread across his muzzle as he thumbed through the old comics, still in plastic sleeves to prevent them from being damaged. It was like walking back in time four years, when he was just out of school himself and feeling like he could take on the world.

The door shut behind him and he watched as Adraen plopped himself down onto the bed, his body bouncing atop the plush mattress. He rapped his hand on top of the blankets, patting beside him in a motion of Liu to join him.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?" the buck asked, smiling lightly. His antlers and the silver ring glinted with the light cast by the revolving ceiling fan. Liu gulped nervously, his brave front quickly melting away.

"Uh. Well," he started, rubbing the nape of his neck sheepishly while sitting himself down beside him. Adraen leaned back, resting on his hands and listening intently. His paws started sweating again.

"You're looking nervous again," the deer grinned, placing a reassuring paw on his shoulder. "You know you're free to say whatever to me Liu. It's not like I'm gonna bite you or anything."

The otter sighed, pulling his glasses from his snout and rubbing his eyes. He dipped his head in a nod.

"I know. It's just...well; I haven't done this in years. I was...kind of curious about what you meant last night."

"How do you mean? I think it was sort of self explanatory," the buck laughed lightly, pulling a blush from the elder otter, the insides of his ears going pink.

"Uh, I...I wanted to know how you meant it. The whole 'hanging out' thing. It's a little...well, embarrassing to say, but I didn't know if you were just being a friend or actually hitting on me," he admitted with a nervous smile. Adraen blinked, before a wry grin spread across his lips.

"Considering how often I make passes at you? I'd say it's a sure bet that it can be both. I'm kind of surprised you weren't able to figure that out for yourself," he teased. Liu felt his gaze drop to the floor before that hand was on his shoulder again. 'I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or anything."

"You didn't," he replied. He slipped his glasses back along his nose, whiskers twitching. "I just needed to clarify, for my own sake. It's been a long time since anyone--"

"Asked you out?" Adraen finished for him. Liu whined meekly, but nodded. The white-tailed deer smiled gently. "Yeah, I was asking you out. I know you're pretty uptight about the whole idea, because of work and such. I thought that maybe I could make you smile a little more, or something."

"It's pretty easy to do," Liu chuckled nervously. In his mind though, the otter was in a panic.

He was right; Adraen had been asking him out all along. What then did he do next? Should he go for it, or should he shoot him down? The otter growled to himself. On one paw, maybe a fun little date with the deer was just what he needed to relax and have a good time. Adraen was good company, friendly and out-going. He seemed to be the only one that could pull him out of his working shell. It would also give him something with which to shut Wes up.

On the other paw however, he wasn't sure about it. Adraen was younger, and he wondered if he could even keep up with the spunky youth. This was the first time he had ever spent time with him outside of work. What if he proved to be someone totally different? This 'date', if that's what it was going to be called; what if everything took a nose dive and bombed? Wes wouldn't let him hear the end of it, and then a period of awkward silence would likely foster between himself and the antlered male. He'd need a new place to hang out on Wednesdays.

"So? What do you say? We can grab dinner and maybe head out somewhere else. Oh! There's a nice little spot in town that I'd love to take you," Adraen exclaimed, getting a bit excited at the potential prospects. Liu's heart thundered against his chest, but he couldn't help but let the infectious mood get to him, right under the fur.

"Sure. Why not give it a shot?" he replied, forcing a smile to his muzzle. The gesture would have been entirely genuine if he wasn't so damned nervous. Adraen squealed (a sound that brought a chuckle from the otter) and leaned over to peck him on the cheek, the soft lips of his muzzle pressing up against the smooth fur of his cheek.

"How about tomorrow, after your done work? I've got the day off, as well as Saturday," the deer asked while pulling away. If Liu's ears were burning before hand, the kiss had set them entirely ablaze.

"Y-yeah. That works great. I can pick you up here around...6:30 or so?"

"Sounds like a date!" Adraen laughed, giving him a hug and causing Liu to chur happily.

After getting the question off his chest, the two sat there on Adraen's bed chatting about their day to day lives. Liu listened about all the interesting, and sometimes down-right quirky people that walked in through the doors of 'Java Star'. It was much more fascinating than his own job.

His eyes eventually found the alarm clock. It was almost half past midnight. Liu frowned, thoroughly enjoying the company Adraen offered.

"I'm going to need to get going," he muttered sadly. Adraen tossed a look to the digital display and sighed.

"Yeah. You got to work in the morning. I shouldn't keep you any longer."

"It was worth the tiredness that will follow tomorrow morning," Liu grinned, pulling a blush from the deer. Reluctantly, he got off the bed, Adraen following behind him towards the front door of the apartment.

"So I'll see you tomorrow then?" the buck asked. Liu nodded, a bit of a smile on his muzzle.

"You will. I'll pick you up downstairs."

"Alright. Have a good night then," he leaned down and this time, kissed the mustelid muzzle to muzzle.

Liu felt his glasses slipping, but Adraen stopped them with a finger as he pulled away, pushing them back into place and giving him a mischievous smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

Liu walked away from the apartment with a spring in his step and a sappy grin on his muzzle. Maybe things were starting to look up after all.

***

"You're being a wet sock. Just suck it up and go for it!" Wes snapped, slapping him across the shoulder. Liu glared at him, but the anger didn't hold.

"Hey, you don't need to get violent. I just wanted your opinion is all," the otter growled back, rubbing a paw over where the collie had struck him. Wes rolled his eyes.

"Honey, you already know what I would say. Adraen is a catch, and if you let him slip out of those little webbed paws of yours, you're being stupid."

The otter sighed, slumping down in the booth a little further and dropping his head between his arms, his nose pressing up against the smooth, wooden table top. Wes had sent him a message earlier about grabbing lunch, and not wanting to have to listen to Corvy or his cronies in the cafeteria, Liu had readily agreed. Besides, it was the perfect opportunity to get a second opinion.

His mind still wrested with the potential outcome of his date tonight with Adraen. He hadn't slept much, having tossed and turned about it all night. The collie was certainly right about one thing, he was being stupid. There was no reason to get worked up over it so much, it was just a date. Why did it affect him so much then? Liu shut his eyes, fighting back the creeping fear of something terrible happening. He had considered calling Adraen up and cancelling, but he just didn't have the heart. No matter the outcome, he knew deep down that he would go. He just wanted his best friend's support.

Wes remained silent, chewing the burger between his paws and swallowing before taking a sip of the coke he had ordered. Liu's own appetite had quickly vanished when he brought up the idea of possibly calling it all off, which had lead to that inevitable slap.

"Why're you getting so worked up about this?" Wes asked in between mouthfuls of bun, vegetables and meat. He reached a paw up to scratch an itch behind one of his floppy ears. Liu looked up at him from his mopping on the table.

"I don't know," he mumbled quietly. To practically anyone else but a canine, the words would have been neigh inaudible. Wes however, just shook his head, resting his elbows up on the wood.

"Well, it's obviously something. Otherwise you wouldn't be blowing this out of proportion. It's just a date."

"You make it sound so simple," Liu whined back, sitting up and grabbing his fork before stabbing at the french fries on his plate. "Adraen asked me out because he likes me, possibly as more than just a friend."

"Uh, yeah. Girl, I swear if your head wasn't stuck on your shoulders, you'd lose it from fretting so much."

"Shut up."

"No, you just sit there for a moment and let me finish. Last time I checked, asking someone out to dinner, that you like is called a date. What, do you not like him or something?" Wes asked, starting to sound a little annoyed at the bespectacled otter's growing pessimism. "Because he really likes you."

"I do like him!" Liu exclaimed, his paws clenching into tight little fists. "I just...I don't know if I'm ready for something like this."

"You haven't been ready for this for almost two years now!"

Liu went to say something smart, but he clamped his muzzle shut quickly. There was no use getting mad at Wes; the dog was trying to help. He just wished he would do it in a way that didn't scream 'if you don't do this, you're an idiot'. He sighed, mulling it over in his head while munching on the fired potatoes. He liked Adraen, probably more than anyone else whom he had met in the last two years. They communicated well, got along and everything seemed like a good set-up for a nice, possibly romantic date. The first date he'd had since the end of college almost five years ago.

The deer was different than the gaggle of other guys whom he had spent time with. Sure, he was flirty and playful, much like Wes was. Yet, there was a kind of innocence about him, one that made everything he said sound almost genuine. Maybe he was worried that it would work out too well, and he would find himself in a relationship. Liu remembered that his last relationship hadn't worked out so well.

"So, what are you going to do?" Wes asked; any trace of anger gone from his voice. He placed a reassuring paw on Liu's arm, causing the mustelid to smile weakly.

"I'll probably just give it a shot. You're right; I'm being silly about this whole thing. A date is a date. I'm just a little worried; it's been so long since I've done something like this," he explained. Gripping his soda. Liu leaned forward and took a long sip through the straw. "I guess I'm just worried about it is all. It's the first time where I've actually...well, connected with someone. Adraen's real nice. He's fun, he's charming, and he's really cute too."

"You weren't expecting a guy like him to go for someone a little older?" Wes chuckled, going back to his burger.

"Maybe. It's been a while since someone actively hit on me. Someone whom I don't mind hitting on me, I should say."

"Well there you go! You've got every reason not to bail out on him. Damn chicka, you're pretty lucky to have someone like Adraen flirting with you. He's a doll," Wes grinned, pulling a broader smile from the otter. "I'd trade in all of the guys I've been with for a shot at him."

"Yeah, well...from a being single stand-point, you've got it going on. I've lost count of all the guys you've slept with, you dirty queen."

"It's not that many, I swear!"

"Nearly every guy from your photo shoots end up in your pants or you in theirs! I don't know how you do it," Liu laughed. Wes blushed under his fur, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, a gesture that seemed odd coming from an insatiable flirt like himself.

"In any case," Wes said, trying to change the subject back to him. "Go for it. You don't want to regret it, because you probably will if you don't do this."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll give it a shot."

"Good! Now tell me...how good of a kisser is he?"

***

Liu huffed contently as he swallowed the savoury combination of rice and fish. His paw shot up to his muzzle in a heart beat, quickly stifling the belch that tried to break out. He was full, completely stuffed.

After he had finished word, the otter had gone home to shower and change into something a little more 'date worthy' in his eyes. A thin, blue dress shirt; unbuttoned at the top to show just the barest hint of fur, and a pair of black jeans. On his feet, he sported a pair of matching black sandals. Snappy, but not over doing it. A quick text to the buck later and Liu was out the door to pick him up.

They decided to go for something a little different and ended up at one of Liu's favourite restaurants, 'Yojimbo Grill'. It was home to the best sushi in town, at least the otter thought. When Adraen had suggested it, Liu couldn't hide his grin. He never would have pegged the deer as someone who enjoyed raw fish wrapped in rice. On the contrary, Adraen seemed to enjoy it just as much as he did. A pleasant surprise.

"I take it that it was good?" Adraen smirked, popping a seaweed-bound morsel into his mouth. Liu leaned back in his seat, resting his paws on his full stomach.

"Very. I haven't come out here for a long time now. Work's been keeping me a little too occupied," he said, reaching over and picking up the small ceramic cup. The pungent smell of warmed alcohol stung his nose, but Liu sipped the glass of sake eagerly. It burned down his throat, but it didn't detract from the wonderful taste. "Ah. Sake hasn't tasted better!"

"Work keeps you from coming out for sushi?" Adraen laughed. The small set of tea lights on the table caused the silver ring on his antler to sparkle, and Liu found his gaze drawn to it for a moment.

"Well...yeah. I'm usually too tired afterwards to come out. I have a lot of work to do."

"So you've said before. I don't get it...if you don't like your job, why do you stay?" the deer asked, chewing on a piece of sashimi. His face contorted into a look of mixed glee and pain. Quickly, Adraen grabbed at his cup of sake and downed it entirely before letting out an exasperated gasp.

"Too much wasabi?" Liu laughed. Adraen coughed, blinking away the tears that had formed at the corners of his eyes.

"Ah. God. Yeah, maybe just a little. Whew! Tasty though and totally worth the pain."

"I hear you there," Liu agreed with a smile. Picking up the small jug, he poured some more of the potent drink into the deer's cup. "As far as work goes, well...it pays really well. I'd be dumb to quit and not have a back-up plan. It's not so bad; it's just really boring sometimes. My manager is a bit of a prick too."

"That dog you mentioned?" Adraen asked. Liu nodded.

"Yeah. He comes by every damn day to check up on how I'm doing. I've been there for a few years now; I don't think I need him breathing down my neck all the time," the otter said with a frown.

"I guess. He is just doing his job though," Adraen stated. The deer grinned at him before knocking back another wasabi-coated piece of fish. "I don't know. It just seems weird to me to stay at a job that I can't stand. I mean, in my case, I love the customers and my co-workers. It's not the most glamorous job in the world, but I don't mind it."

Liu sighed, resting his arms on the table before reaching over and grabbing his cup again. Adraen's hand fell over his paw, giving it an affectionate squeeze. The otter looked up at him, seeing the smile on his face.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," he said. Liu shook his head.

"No, it's not you. It's me. I didn't want to have work interfere with our date. Things have been going well so far; I don't want to ruin it."

"You aren't," Adraen assured him. Liu smiled back at him, his whiskered twitching.

Aside from the brief mention of work, dinner had gone exceedingly well. The conversation flowed easily with talks of life and the places they had been and things they had done. Liu told the buck about his trip to Europe with Wes a few years back; relating the sights, the people and the culture that the two had seen and experienced. Adraen was captivated, and he listened to the stories with rapt attention.

"Sounds like it was an amazing trip," the stag said while the waiter cleared their table. The diminutive linsang inquired about them needing anything else, but Liu shook his head. With a bow, the long-tailed male walked away with the small collection of dishes.

"It certainly was. I'll be going back again some day, I'm sure of it," Liu grinned. Adraen winked at him, giving his paw a gentle pat.

"Maybe next time you'll bring me along. I'd love to get out of this city once and awhile," he dropped his muzzle into his hand, leaning against the wall to his left. "Just to see the sights and sounds of the world. I don't mind my job, but sometimes it does get a little monotonous and boring, I'll admit."

"I know how that feels," Liu muttered, pulling a chuckle from Adraen's muzzle. The linsang was back then, setting the bill between them. As Liu reached for the paper, the deer snatched it up.

"I'll get it."

"You sure?" the otter asked. He had a lot more money available to himself than the deer did; in no small thanks to his lack of spending habits. Adraen shook his head, smirking slyly at him.

"Why don't you cover it next time?" he asked with a wink. The otter felt his ears burning, and it certainly wasn't from the sake.

"Yeah, okay," Liu could think of to say. A dopey smile spread across his whiskered muzzle.

"Besides," Adraen started with a shrug. "I want to take you somewhere else after. Out of the city."

"Oh?"

"Yup," the deer said, slapping his credit card on top of the bill. "I think you'll be able to appreciate it."

"What is it?" Liu asked with a curious smile.

"If I told you that, it wouldn't be much of a surprise," Adraen replied, giving Liu a wink and sticking his tongue out just a little in a seductive, teasing manner. Liu churred in excitement, and he quickly readjusted his slipping glasses.

"Where abouts is it?"

"You'll see," was the only answer he was given.

***

The temptation to reach out and grab Adraen's hand was strong, but Liu kept himself in check. The air was clean and sharp and the sun was beginning to dip low; setting the sky aflame with fiery oranges and muted pinks and purples. A few clouds lazily drifted overhead, cast in the same pallet. It was a spectacular sight, and as Adraen said, Liu could appreciate the natural beauty of this part of town.

The deer had brought him to a river-side park, the churning waters rolling along the brook to his left as they walked along the old cobblestone path. It was one of the few places in the entire city that kept the old architecture intact; the stones cracked but well maintained. Though, there were a few occasions where Liu's sandals caught the edge of a risen stone and he would stumble, only to have the spry, younger male catch him.

"Not a lot of people come out here anymore," Adraen said as they walked, hands stuck in his pockets. "It's kind of why I like it. It's quiet, peaceful."

"I can see why," Liu replied, looking up and watching the clouds slowly cross the expanse of sky. There was a bit of a chill in the air, but nothing his windbreaker couldn't take care of. The material rustled in the early autumn breeze; a few leaves falling from the trees as the wind buffeted their branches. Much like the evening sky, the leaves had begun to change to brilliant hues of green, yellow and red. Liu smiled. "I can see why you like it I mean."

Adraen chuckled, giving him a smirk. Liu couldn't help but return the gesture and this time, he knew it to be entirely genuine. The night had gone smoothly, so much more than he ever would have expected. He was also very impressed. Not only was Adraen cute, flirty and a fun guy in general, but it was refreshing to see such a romantic gesture on the first date. It made all the problems and worries about work drift away. Almost.

"I come out here to think sometimes; just a short bus ride away from downtown so it's pretty easy to get to. It's nice to just get away from all the noise and work sometimes," the deer said. They came to a park bench and taking the opportunity, sat down; Adraen kicking one leg over the other and resting his arm over the back of the weather-worn wood.

"Anything to get away from work is a God-send," Liu answered, plopping himself down beside him. He adjusted his glasses and looked out over the small river.

The park stretched for a bit before coming to the Labora River; the city resting on the peninsula across the way. The buildings sparkled under the setting sun, casting them in a golden hue. The otter sighed happily, his gaze moving from the city to the great bridge that spanned across the way. If he listened well, he could just barely make out the hum of car engines as they drove across the expanse.

"Hmm," was all Adraen had to say to his response about work. Liu blinked, seeing the deer's pensive expression and bit his lip.

Was he being too much of a bitch about work? He had already agreed to stop talking about it on their date, yet he kept bringing it up. The deer was probably getting sick of his damper mood about the subject. What if the rest of the night turned out badly now? It would all be because he just couldn't lighten up and relax. Liu sighed, pulling Adraen's attention back to him.

"What's wrong?" asked the stag. Liu looked up at him sadly.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you're probably getting sick of hearing me moan about work."

"It's okay, really. I know your job is important to you, but I just wish you would be able to loosen up a little. I don't want to see you mop about; it isn't your style," Adraen explained.

"You think so?" Liu asked, giving him a curious look. The buck nodded.

"Yeah. When I look at you, I can see this fun otter just waiting to come out. Yet, you're letting your job repress you. I want to see the real Liu; the one Wes used to tell me about. That's the Liu I could really come to enjoy company with."

Liu dropped his gaze to the ground, looking at the old cobblestones. He knew Adraen had been trying to coax him out of the shell he had created around himself; he had almost succeeded even. If he could just let go, could just lighten up and see the world as something other than a giant career like he used to. An arm fell across his shoulder, and he looked up into Adraen's smiling face.

"You don't need to think about it right now. Tonight, let's just have some fun and enjoy each other's company. Alright?"

Liu smiled, leaning up against him, his whiskers brushing just under Adraen's chin.

"Okay. I can do that; for you," he whispered. The otter's ears started burning again when he felt Adraen's muzzle against his cheek, planting a kiss on him.

They sat in silence for a time, watching the sunset. It was nice, calming even. They didn't need any further words to communicate between each other. The two simply shared in the other's company.

"So, do you like it then?" Adraen asked after a time. The otter nodded.

"Yeah, it's really nice. I don't think I've ever been to this part of the city before."

"Well, probably because it's not really part of the city, so much as owned by it. Still, it gets real nice out here at this time of year."

"It sure does," Liu replied, resting his head on the taller male's shoulder. Adraen's eyes found his own and he couldn't help but stare into those shining blue orbs, trying to discern just what the buck was thinking.

He got his answer when Adraen slowly leaned down and placed his muzzle against his in a kiss. It was quick, but enough to cause Liu's heart to jump before the comforting feeling of being out with someone special washed over him like a fine mist. When Adraen pulled away, he gave him a fake pout.

"Wes wanted to know if you were a good kisser," Liu blurted. The deer blinked in surprise, rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Why would he want to know that?" Adraen asked, feeling more than just a little embarrassed. The bespectacled otter tossed him a disarming grin before shrugging his shoulders. It was cute to see the bold, young male quickly lose his composure like that.

"Ah. Well, you know Wes."

"He asked you that?" Adraen stammered.

"Yup."

"What did you say?" he laughed lightly, leaning back against the bench again. The otter winked at him.

"I said you were pretty good."

Adraen blushed, a nervous smile spreading across his snout. He looked at Liu out of the corner of his eye, antlers catching the last vestiges of sunlight upon them.

"Really?" he asked. Liu nodded, and in a moment of uncharacteristic braveness, the otter scooted closer to him.

"I think so," he whispered into the deer's ear.

Despite all of his previous worries and fears about how his date with Adraen would go; even after the complaints and moaning about work; Liu took hold of his shoulder with a webbed paw and slowly spun him about. Adraen blinked again, but was quick to meet his stubby, whiskered muzzle halfway this time.

***

Liu had him pressed against the door as soon as it was shut and locked behind them, their muzzles interconnected again. He had to stand up on the very tips of his toes to reach, but Adraen slouched down to meet him part way. He felt the deer's hand slip under his jacket and shirt to brush along the slick coat of fur beneath, while his own paws placed themselves firmly on the younger male's hips.

His tongue flicked inside that smaller, slimmer muzzle as he held him against the wood. A dull chur escaped between the seal of their lips and Adraen groaned back his own appreciation.

After the sunset stroll through the park, Liu had asked if he wanted to come spend the night at his place. The deer grinned, tipping his head in a nod.

"I thought you wouldn't have the nerve to ask," Adraen had giggled, making the otter's ears burn.

"I just did now, didn't I?"

"You did," came the reply, the deer tapping his black nose with a finger.

The car ride back had been full of seductive looks and cute smiles amidst the conversation. Despite being afraid that it was simply a one-time deal, Liu fully intended on getting those clothes off of the buck. He knew that Adraen entertained similar thoughts, more so when the deer's hand cupped his rump during the short walk into the building.

The elevator ride up had been where the sparks started to fly. A teasing grope, a delighted whimper and a tickle of the ears. It was the start of what transpired now behind his door.

Adraen began slipping off his jacket, sliding it off his shoulders and tossing it to the floor without breaking their heated kiss. Liu churred happily, kicking off his sandals at the same time. His tail swung about behind him, and he grinned when Adraen pushed him back with surprising ease.

"Maybe we should take this into your bedroom," he whispered, winking slyly and slipping his shoes off. Liu grinned, tipping his head in a nod.

He took hold of the deer's hand and led him through the dark hallway towards his room; past the kitchen and beyond the door. When Adraen threw himself onto the bed of his own will, Liu knew there was no turning back now, especially not when he noted the bulge under the cerval's pants.

"Seems like you've been anticipating this," Liu chuckled, unbuttoning his shirt. With each clasp unfastened, a bit more of his chest fur exposed itself to those watching and waiting eyes.

"I could say the same," Adraen snickered, pointing down to the otter's crotch. Liu blinked and took a look down at his own tented jeans.

The otter grinned nervously, but he pushed away his encroaching fear. There was no way he was going to bail out now. Not after waiting for so long; a year and a half. The last time he had gotten any type of action aside from his own paw. Swallowing down the building lump in his throat, he gave the most flirtatious look he had in his repertoire, slinking over and placing a webbed paw on Adraen's shoulder, the other trailing along a bleached antler.

"I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't thinking about this all day," he said. Liu squeaked when he felt Adraen's hand wrap around his growing erection, trapped beneath the material.

"You and me both," he replied, nuzzling up against that tent.

Liu sucked in a sharp breath. He knew he was a flirt, but it was still a bit of a surprise to see him pressing his snout up against his crotch like that. Dextrous fingers slinked up his legs to his belt and unfastened it with startling quickness. His fly followed soon after.

"Ho damn," Liu muttered when he felt that hand snake into his pants and take hold of the thick root of his cock.

"Wes told me it's been a long time for you," Adraen admitted, fishing the otter out. "I'm...kind of happy you're letting me do this."

Liu looked down at him, his glasses sliding along his nose. His paw left the antlers, trailing down to his cheek and cupping the side of his face, forcing him to look at him. Adraen snatched up his glasses with his free hand, folded them up and placed them on his night table. Liu shook his head.

"I'm kind of glad too."

He leaned down and pressed his lips against Adraen's again, the supple flesh of his tongue flicking with the stag's own. The deer moaned quietly, his hand gripping his shaft a little tighter. With another, more dominant growl, Liu pushed him back onto the bed and climbed over top of him, their bodies pressing together in a tangle of fur, paws and antlers.

"Maybe I should get these off," Liu stated, pulling away after an intense moment. Adraen smiled at him, his hand running through the smooth fur of his chest.

"Maybe you should," he replied, his voice carrying a playful tone that hinted of things to come. Liu grinned, sitting up on his knees and slipping his pants and boxers down before kicking them off. His tail fell across the younger male's legs when he tossed the heap of clothes onto the floor. "And if that's the case, I should as well."

Adraen pressed a paw against his chest in a sign for him to step back for a moment. Within short order, the buck was standing stark naked and looking almost exactly as Liu imagined he would. Adraen kept in good shape, though he noted just a slight pudge to his belly. He thought it was cute. His short fur turning a mixed grey-brown over his chest and down between his legs. Liu whistled low, causing him to blush.

"I'm nothing special," the stag insisted, looking away and feeling somewhat embarrassed about the compliment. Liu was on his knees again and he took hold of his hand.

"Sure you are," he stated, tugging him back onto the bed.

When the deer was beside him, Liu knelt down and flicked his tongue over the tip of the deer's member. Adraen whimpered quietly, more so when the otter cupped his sac and slipped his lips around his warm length.

His tongue traced along the underside of Adraen's rigid sex, swishing and swirling around the exposed flesh and taking great pleasure in the delighted sounds he coaxed from his muzzle.

God it feels good to do this, Liu thought to himself. He couldn't even remember the last time he had his mouth around someone's cock.

His lips slid along the hot shaft of the deer and he felt Adraen place a delicate hand on his shoulder as he started to bob slowly. He looked up at him, his muzzle full of salty flesh and was happy to see the warm smile etched on Adraen's muzzle.

"Oh God Liu," he whined, tipping his head back and issuing a low, content groan. Wet slurps were his reply as Liu bobbed along his member.

He was surprised he still knew how to get someone off so well with his mouth after so long. As Wes always said, 'blowing someone is like riding a bike, you never really forget how'. For once, the mustelid found himself agreeing with that statement when the salty tang of precum drooled over his tongue.

Minutes slipped by and Adraen eventually pushed him off.

"Keep that up and it's going to be over sooner rather than later," he panted, knocking the otter onto his back and leaning close, their muzzles barely inches apart. "Now it's my turn. You've no idea how long I've wanted to do this."

Liu squeaked when he felt a hand trail along the underside of his thick shaft, stopping to tease and play with his precum smeared tip. The buck's hands were impossibly soft, his short fur feeling exceptionally nice along his most sensitive of places. He watched in apt silence as time seemed to come to a stand-still, Adraen hovering his muzzle just over his member and his tongue about to take a long, slow stroke along his cock.

His groan was one of pure bliss.

Adraen's lips were around his length, suckling slowly as he dropped his muzzle further along his shaft. Liu crossed his arms behind his head, using them as a makeshift headrest as he watched the younger male slide along his hard sex. The warm passage offered by his mouth was nice and slick and he could feel his tongue gliding along the underside of his dick. He was good. Really damn good.

Liu huffed through his nose, his eyes shut tight as he rode the sensation of that sweet muzzle sliding up and down along his cock. Adraen had a lot of practice; probably much more than him (though certainly less than Wes) but it let the buck know exactly what to do and where to tease with his tongue and lips. He felt Adraen's lips stop at his tip and that damned tongue flicked just underneath it. Liu moaned, his paws falling to the bed sheets and scrunching the material between his fingers.

"Oh God," he panted, sitting up and watching as the grinning stag continued to bob on his cock. He placed a paw on his head again, more to steady himself than anything. His ears perked to the sounds of Adraen's lips smacking against the wetness upon his cock, and he couldn't help but grin at the sight and sound.

Soon enough, the buck had him worked to the point where Liu knew that if he went any further, he would blow. He didn't want to; not yet anyway. The otter smirked, lifting his head up with a single finger placed under his chin. A tiny, thin trail of saliva hung between Adraen's muzzle and his shaft, the deer quickly wiping the back of his arm across his mouth.

"What've you got planned?" he asked, seeing the devious grin on the otter's whiskered face.

"I think you know."

Liu slipped off the bed for a moment and reached into the drawer on the night stand. He rummaged around through the piles of books and papers until he came to a small package at the bottom. The thing had gotten buried over the last year and a half and it felt strangely good to be able to hold his supplies again.

Adraen dropped his muzzle into his paws, kicking his feet in the air behind him playfully. Liu smiled, seeing that spark of playfulness in the deer's eyes when he slipped his paw into the bag and pulled out a bottle of lubricant and a condom, the rubber tightly sealed in a small, square package. Liu dropped the bag back into the drawer and slammed it shut before flicking the cap of the small bottle with a finger. The lid snapped open and he placed it on the table-top before starting on the rubber.

"I guess I don't have to ask who is going to top then, huh?" Adraen asked with a mischievous smirk. The buck crawled up along the bed, dropping his head against one of the heavy pillows. His antlers rested up against the headboard, but he was careful not to scratch it.

"Do you mind? 'Cause I totally want to get in you," Liu said. When Adraen nodded, he ripped the package open and started to slowly massage the latex skin down over his length. "Geez, it's been a long time since I've gotten to do this."

"Same."

"Yeah? I could have sworn you'd have gotten more action than I ever did," Liu laughed. The stag shrugged.

"I flirt a lot, but that doesn't mean I sleep with most of the guys I have messed around with. Even if I do that, it's very rare I let someone top me. You, on the other hand," Adraen said, sitting up and brushing his muzzle along his cheek as he whispered into his ear. "You can ravage me as long and as often as you like."

Liu turned his head, catching Adraen's lips with his own as the deer sat back down. The younger male blushed slightly at the gesture, despite their heated and numerous make-outs already.

"I just might need to take you up on that," Liu stated, getting the last of the condom over his thick, pink shaft. He reached for the bottle again, squirting some of the wet gel onto his palm before rubbing it along his dick. "You ready?" he asked, climbing up onto the bed and lifting the deer's legs, resting them on his shoulders. He pulled him down a little; he didn't want his headboard getting gored while he was thrusting.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think so," Adraen whispered, giving him a seductive smile. The smirk vanished, replaced by an open-mouthed groan when he felt Liu slowly start to ease himself into his rear. "Oh God Liu."

He was tight, and he had a touch of difficulty getting in; fumbling slightly from a lack of practice. When he did get his tip inside Adraen's pucker though, the going became smooth and much easier. He was warm and deliciously tight, clenching down around his member as he slowly pushed inwards. He huffed again through his nose, stifling the groan that so desperately wanted to release itself from his muzzle. He waited until he had hilted himself, where both he and the buck moaned in their mutual pleasure.

Placing his webbed paws against his thighs, Liu began to slowly rock his hips. He would give him some time to adjust before, or even if he felt like going harder or faster. He wanted this to be special, like the rest of the evening had been. Maybe a slow, steady pace would fare better. The delighted moans and grunts from their mouths certainly said something to that effect.

His fingers brushed through Adraen's short fur, down his thigh, to his cute rump and the tuft of thick fur that was his tail. All the while, his cock slid in and out of his hole with growing ease. At times he would pull out entirely, only to reinsert himself a few seconds later to experience that initial penetration all over again. The antlered male seemed to like that, his face contorting into a blissful smirk when he felt the otter slide back in.

Eventually, Liu leaned forward over-top the antlered male. Their muzzles were close and he could smell the deer's clean scent with every breath he took. His hips pumped forward, sliding his member into his warm confines, his climax steadily building.

Taking hold of Adraen's own rigid sex with a webbed paw, Liu began to jerk him off in time with the rocking of his hips. The deer whined and moaned from the double sensation, his head thrashing against the pillows and his pointed horns threatening to tear a gash into the headboard. His chest rose and fell, his breathing becoming heavy. Liu saw it coming, and just before Adraen blew, he pressed his muzzle against his.

A salty spray fell across his paw and splattered over his chest. Adraen gasped as he came, pumping his hips into Liu's small paw with wanton desire.

"Oh fuck," he stammered, short of breath. Thick ropes covered his chest and the otter's paw, the pearly white seed clinging to their coats. Liu could smell the scent of sex around the room, and when Adraen's orgasm hit, the scent increased a great deal. The otter licked his lips and went back to thrusting.

Adraen's squeals and groans were stronger, his body much more sensitive during his afterglow. He was close, and using the sounds as a focal point, Liu buried his shaft deep inside of him, slumping forward as he expelled his juices into the condom. He grunted hard, clenching his eyes shut and gritting his teeth as he milked himself, filling the rubber.

When it was finished, Liu pulled out slowly, slipping the cum-filled condom off of his shaft and laughing.

"Damn. I must have been pent up," he said, holding it up for Adraen to see. The deer grinned, shaking his head.

"Apparently! Oh, that felt so good Liu," he whispered as the otter slipped from the bed and tossed the spent condom into the garbage before slinking back over to him.

"Yeah, it was great. It's been too long since I've gotten to do that with anyone, let alone someone I like," Liu said, rolling onto his side and trailing a finger over the buck's stained chest. Adraen blushed at the words.

"Me to. Liu?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. Thanks for tonight. I'm...really glad you decided to go through with it. I had a great time."

"Me too," he said, resting his head against the stag's chest. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulder, pulling him close. The feeling of having someone there to cuddle with was comforting, something that Liu missed.

They lay there for a time, not saying a word and simply sharing in each other's company and presence. When Liu's ears twitched to the sound of rhythmic breathing, he knew the buck had fallen asleep. It had been a long, busy and very enjoyable day that had ended magnificently.

He reached down, grabbing hold of the blanket at the edge of the bed and pulled it over top of them before snuggling back up to the deer. Adraen stirred, giving him a sleepy smile. Liu smirked back, leaning up and kissing him on the lips; a gesture that was returned in kind.

"You want to go out again next Friday?" Adraen asked, his eyelids heavy with slumber, though his smile was no less genuine.

There was no hesitation this time around, not even for a second. Liu nodded, resting his head back across his chest.

"Yeah. I'd like that very much," he whispered, getting comfy.

"Good. It's a date then."

Liu smiled to himself as he slipped into a deep, restful sleep. It was a good feeling, to be in bed with someone he liked; someone whom he connected with. It was nice to feel wanted, and for once, Liu wanted back.

***

Liu leaned back in his chair, cracking his knuckles as he stared at the computer screen. Payroll again, and even after three months, 'Innaro Tech' still didn't have a direct deposit program. The otter sighed in frustration, reaching for his calculator again, glancing back at the screen now and then to double check his numbers.

It had been another dull day, but at least it was almost over. He would be able to head out in about an hour; enough time to head back to his apartment and grab a shower before heading out with Wes for coffee.

Thinking about the dog brought a smile to the otter's whiskered muzzle, recalling their trip to the theatre last weekend. The new Tie Daniel's movie had come out, and Wes had practically dragged him along to go see it. The collie had a think for the swarthy, big screen doberman, though Liu could hardly blame him. Tie was hot as hell, with short black and brown fur and this sexy little industrial piercing in his right ear. There was also a rumour floating around that seemed to insist that the macho canine liked guys. Liu didn't really care, but when he told that to Wes, the collie insisted that they pack up and head to Los Angeles right away.

At least he wasn't alone when they were at the theatre. On the contrary, Liu spent most of the movie cuddled up beside Adraen, the deer's hand wrapped around his webbed paw. Liu smiled, looking from his computer to the two pictures hanging on the small shelf above his desk.

There was Wes and himself in Europe again, fond memories of that trip flooding his memory. It wasn't that photo which brought a smile to his lips though, it was the one beside it.

Adraen had his arms wrapped around him, giving him a hug from behind. The snapshot caught Liu mid-laugh, one of his arms wrapped around the deer's waist, while the other held onto the tiki cup filled with some kind of nameless alcohol. It was fruity, that was all he could recall. They were standing on a boardwalk, a massive, white sand beach behind them and sapphire blue waves crashing against the sand further back. Liu sighed happily, pulling the photo off the wall.

"Has it been a month already?" he asked aloud to himself, looking all the details on the picture; the straw huts that served as shops along the walk, the myriad of other tourists walking about the pristine beach, but most importantly, Adraen's smiling face.

It had been a spontaneous trip, and one that had been one to remember.

'Let's go to Hawaii' he said one night. It had been more of a joke to begin with, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought it was the right thing to do. To get away from everything; from work, the city, even Wes. It would just be the two of them; Adraen and himself.

Liu replaced the photo back on the wall before returning his gaze back to the monitor. He had found a balance, one that brought him immense enjoyment. Work was still work, but he had something to look forward to every night when he got home or went with Wes for coffee. No matter what was going on in the office, Liu knew that his deer would be there for him.