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Shelter from the Storm

By XP Author

Two figures ran up the long path to the front of the mansion. Only moments before, they had been debating if they should even bother the owner, but then the rain started to fall. In the brief seconds it took them to travel from one end to another, the pair had been nearly soaked through their clothing. The storm had come with such sudden force, as most did these days. A result of the recent wars having done something to the atmosphere. It was not just rain, but tiny pebbles of ice barraged down at the two as well. Staying is storms was incredibly risky, as the small hail could grow worse without warning, and the threatening rumble of thunder overhead meant lightning was another risk. All were great motivators for the two in making their decision.

Both took a moment to catch their breath on the front landing, the overhang in front of the main door providing at least some shelter from the pelting precipitation. It did little to shelter them from the biting wind, however. With a nod to her traveling companion, Reyaa reached out and pulled the chain for the ringer. Somewhere inside, the cheetah heard small bells chiming in response. It was impossible to hear if there was any other response over the din of the hail clattering around them, and the ominous thunder rumbling overhead.

Max looked at her, his sandy hair dripping wet. "I'm still not convinced this is a good idea."

She frowned at him, her own fur soaked and matted to her thin but shapely body, along with much of her clothing. "Would you rather stay in this?" She motioned to the storm just past the landing. "Feel free to walk back to the academy if you don't mind risking illness or worse." The dog opened his mouth to respond, but she continued. "Provided you even make it that far. The river will likely have washed over the road by the time you reach it. If you even make it that far."

He closed his mouth, not having an acquitted retort. She was right, of course. He looked to the door, still closed. "Well, that is assuming not only someone is home, but willing to shelter two strangers."

She smirked, reaching over to nudge his shoulder gently with her fist. "Think positive, Maxi."

He grunted. "I do wish you wouldn't call me that..." He still could not help but crack a slight smile at her wide, toothy grin. Her smile was infectious, as was her positive attitude. She was someone he aspired to emulate.

The two jumped as a loud CLACK sounded from the door, a heavy bolt being shifted open. The door swung open a moment later, only far enough for the face of a middle aged fox to poke his head through. Grey eyes sized the two of them up, a frown appearing on the man's face. "A bit of a foul day for door-to-door salesmen, isn't it?"

Reyaa chuckled at him, flashing her big smile once more. "Hardly, sir. We are simple travelers that got caught in the storm. We only seek shelter until it passes." The man grunted. "We could compensate you." Max gave her a disbelieving look, but she subtly shushed him with a wave of her hand. They didn't exactly have a lot of coin to their name, and certainly did not carry much on them. However, he let her do the talking. Being in debt for a time was preferable to risking a walk in the worsening storm.

The fox looked them up and down once again, then let out a heavy sigh. The door closed, but only so the chain could be unfastened before it opened again, this time wide enough for entry. "Very well." The man took a step back. "Just be sure to take your shoes off. I don't need you tracking mud through my house." He motioned to a coat rack, his voice sounding more bored than annoyed. "You can hang your jackets there. I'll go fetch some towels." With that, he turned and walked down the hall, vanishing around a corner.

The two happily stepped inside, Reyaa closing the door behind her and setting the chain in place. Max gave her a questioning look. "What? He's clearly very particular about his security." She shrugged out of her coat and set it to hang by the collar on the rack. "A nice gesture can go a long way."

He nodded. "Fair point." He likewise removed his coat, hanging it beside hers. He frowned as the water dripped from it onto the floor. "We should probably offer to clean the puddles, too..." She gave him a smile in response, already unlacing her boots to slip them off, setting them aside near the door. The dog had also slipped his socks off, as they had gotten quite wet. Reyaa was more fortunate that her stockings were not much more than slightly damp, as they would be harder to remove. The two waited, barefoot and in just their shirts, no less sodden than their coats, the light fabric clinging to their bodies. Max made a point not to stare, as the pale cloth had gotten somewhat translucent, showing the yellow fur of his companion through it in places, as well as her undergarments.

The fox returned after a few minutes. Before either could say anything, a heavy towel was thrust into each of their arms. "Here. Dry yourselves before you catch death of cold." He turned again, then paused. "Oh, and I put the kettle on for some tea. You can join me in the sitting room once you've dried yourselves."

Before the man could leave, Reyaa called out. "Thank you, Sir. Oh, my name is-"

"Introductions can wait for you to finish." He interrupted, though his tone was a little lighter now. Not quite playful, but he seemed to have resigned himself to playing host. "The sitting room is just on the left. You cannot miss it." With that, he was down the hall again, vanishing around the corner once more.

Max scoffed a little. "Not the friendliest sort."

His friend smirked, but shook her head at him. "Don't be rude. He wasn't exactly expecting guests for the evening." She tousled her now loose hair with the towel to try and dry it a little. "We must be thankful that he even let us inside."

The dog frowned, working to try and dry himself as well. "Yes... but about the compensation part..."

She waved at him dismissively. "Hush, Maxi. We'll worry about that as we have to. I'm sure we can come to some kind of agreement. Our host seems gracious enough. I'm sure he'll be reasonable."

He sighed heavily. "I hope you're right."

Once the two decided they were sufficiently dried to not track water through the house, they followed in the direction the fox had gone. The hallway stretched around a very large set of stairs leading up to the second floor and farther. The hall was dim, but bright enough for the two to see. Wooden walls were lined with paintings, most of them of people posted in various ways. They saw a ballerina, what looked like a lawman having just taken down a bandit at his feet, and more than a few tasteful nudes, none showing anything explicit. Max marveled at each, as if he could see the movement within the paint.

As the fox had said, the sitting room was indeed hard to miss. An open doorway on the left led to a large room with several chairs near a crackling fire. The walls were lined with bookshelves, though most of the shelves were fairly barren. Above the fireplace was a massive portrait of a woman that looked very similar to the fox, possibly a relative, scowling out at the room as if it somehow disappointed her. The table positioned between the chairs had a tea set upon it, complete with several cups. The fox was sitting in the a large chair with red fabric over the cushions, waiting patiently for his unexpected guests to join him. "There you are. Please, have a seat." He motioned to the chairs across from him. Two had fresh towels draped on the seats. "Please, one of those. Easier to wash than the cushions, and I don't want my sitting room smelling of mildew."

They both nodded politely, Reyaa speaking up. "Thank you." They entered and sat down on the chairs. They were actually quite comfortable. "I want to apologize again for putting you out like this."

The man just smiled, though it was not quite a friendly smile. Instead of acknowledging the apology, he motioned to the tea. "Feel free to help yourselves. There is sugar in the bowl beside if you wish, though I have no milk. It does not sit well with me, so I don't keep any in the house."

Max finally spoke up, smiling to the man. "That is perfectly alright." He reached out and started to prepare the tea for both himself and his companion. They had spent many a night talking at the academy, so he knew how she liked it.

Reyaa spoke again. "Now, we should probably introduce ourselves to our gracious host." She cleared her throat, but the fox did not interrupt this time. "I'm Reyaa, and this is Max. We are scholars from the Royal Academy." She paused, but the man simple nodded to her. "...May I ask your name, sir?"

The fox smiled a little wider, and again it did not look entirely friendly. "Bastion. Bastion Emress." It was his turn to pause, as if expecting to get some reaction. Instead he got silence and blank looks. "You've not heard of me?" They both shook their head in response. He sighed, but nodded. "I see. Perhaps you heard of my mother..." he motioned to the massive painting on the wall. "Emalea Grantine-Emress."

Max looked up at the painting. "Grantine..." He stared into the woman's disappointed expression, narrowing his eyes. "I've heard it..." Suddenly it came to him. "Wait, yes, I have! She was the famous painter for the old Dutchess before the wars." Bastion nodded, though his smile faded. The canine continued, turning to his companion. "Only a few of her paintings survived when the capital was burned. They're all stored in the Royal Museum now, if I recall."

The man nodded again. "Yes, that is all correct. All of her surviving art is currently housed there."

The dog blinked a few times. "Wait, all of it? So... none of the art here is by her?"

Bastion shook his head. "No. She lost her ability to paint when the last war came to our shores. Her right hand was severely burnt in a fire, and she was never able to hold a brush the same way." He took a breath. "Though that is also how she met my father. He was the doctor that treated her. So I suppose, I would not be born if not for that tragedy." He glanced to the painting. "Something she never let me forget..." There was a clear note of bitterness in his voice. One both guests thought better of than to ask about.

Reyaa set her cup down on the saucer in her hands. "So, all the paintings here were done by someone else? They're all very good. Did she... or you... collect them?"

He smiled, turning to look directly at the cheetah. "Oh, those are all mine." He nodded at the painting beside them. "Even the portrait of my mother there."

Both stared in disbelief. "All of them!?" Max blurted out, for a moment forgetting his manners. Bastion nodded. "They're... incredible! They each seem so life-like. You've clearly gotten your mother's talents."

The fox winced, but kept his smile. "Thank you." There was the note of bitterness again. He quickly changed subjects. "Now, about the offer of compensation for shelter..."

It was Max' turn to wince. Reyaa spoke before he could. "Yes, we did offer that to you. Though right now we are... not carrying much money with us." She continued quickly, her words coming rapidly. "However, you have my good word that once the storm clears, we have funds back at the Academy that we can use to pay you back."

He shook his head. "I have no need of monetary compensation. I have more than enough to suit myself."

She let out a slightly nervous laugh. "Ah... well... I am also a qualified medic, and Max is a botanist, so we could provide you with medicines if that would be preferable?"

Again, the man shook his head. "No, that won't be necessary." He reached out and set his now empty cup down before standing up. "No, I have something else in mind." He paused, seemingly for dramatic effect. "I would like the both of you to be the subject of my next work." As if on cue, a loud clap of thunder crashed outside, shaking the whole house slightly.

Reyaa cleared her throat. "Well... I suppose-"

"We'd love to!" Max interrupted. He gave an encouraging look to his friend. "We just have to sit still while he paints us. This way we can pay him back for his kindness right away." He nodded his head in the direction of the doorway. "It's not like we can go anywhere while the storm is raging outside, anyway." Outside, the storm seemed to have worsened even more, the clatter of hail bouncing off the windows easily heard among the spattering torrent of rain.

She bit her bottom lip for a moment. Something about this whole situation seemed off to her, but she really could not put it into words. So she just let out a soft breath and nodded. "Alright. You're right. It doesn't sound like the storm is going to clear up any time soon." She turned back to the fox. "Very well. We accept."

Bastion gave the two of them another not-quite friendly smile. "Of course. If you'll follow me upstairs, I'll show you my workspace." After glancing for a moment at the painting of his mother, he turned and walked out of the room, though waited in the hall for the two to follow. The two, of course, got up and moved to follow.

As they walked up the stairs, Reyaa spoke up again. "Are... we to pose in our current clothing, or do you have other dress for us?" She felt suddenly quite self-conscious in just her shirt, even if it had dried to the point it was no longer partially see-through.

The painter just chuckled. "Don't concern yourself with such trivialities." The vague non-answer had her second guessing this arrangement again. Max seemed completely unconcerned, more interested in the paintings that lined the walls along the stairway and hall at the top. Though even he had to admit that some of the paintings on this floor seemed slightly... off. Most depicted some form of violence, from one soldier standing over the body of a slain enemy, to what looked like a woman stabbing a man in her bedchambers, and many more. Still, he had seen many more at the museum and even academy of similar category. Normally they depicted something historic, or a tale form myth. He simply assumed these were variations on that theme.

"Here. Here is where the magic happens." Bastian said, rather suddenly, and with a much brighter tone than he had carried the whole evening. The room he led them to was very large, the walls lined with shelves, each well stocked with paints, brushes, and other tools of his trade. A small stack of blank canvases sat leaning against one wall, from small ones that could fit on a table, to much larger, including one the same size as the portrait above the fireplace. In the center was an easel, facing towards a sofa of bright red fabric. There were no windows in the room, and yet it remained quite well lit.

Looking up, Max discovered why. The domed ceiling was covered in mirrors, the chandelier hanging from the center pointing it's light not down at the room, but up at those to reflect as much light around the room quite evenly. "That's quite ingenious."

The fox nodded. "Yes. One of my previous subjects was something of a designing wizard. Showed me this little trick to enhance my inspiration." He motioned to the sofa. "Now, if the both of you would sit there. As naturally as you could, please."

The two did as they were told, each taking a seat on the sofa. Max repositioned himself a few times before he felt like he could sit comfortably and relaxed without seeming rude. The feline took a little longer before finally settling on a cross-legged pose at the other end of the sofa. "Like this?"

The fox glanced in their direction, then nodded. "Yes, that should do." He turned to his pile of canvases, picking one of the multitude of medium ones. "This should do, as well." He set it onto the easel, then donned an apron with a set of pockets along the front. Many brushes and tools were crammed into the pockets before he started selecting the various paints he would use. The two waited patiently as he seemed to know exactly which colors he wanted, a large dollop of each placed onto a paint tray.

He returned to the canvas, then poked his head around it. "Please, sit natural. And do not worry about keeping perfectly still. I cannot capture movement if there is none." His head vanished around the canvas again, and the two heard him going to work. Reyaa looked at her friend, giving him an awkward smile, but did try to lean her posture back a little more. For several minutes, they sat in silence, hearing the strokes of brushes and scrapes of metal against the thick fabric. Every so often, the man's head would poke around again before vanishing.

Bastion started to grumble to himself, too low for either to catch the words. When his head poked around again, he frowned. "No... this isn't quite right." He looked at what he had done so far. "No, this won't do at all." There was a sudden tearing sound, and the canvas was suddenly sliced from corner to corner by a sharp knife. "This is all wrong." The fox picked up the ruined picture and tossed it to the side. "No, I must start again." He quickly retrieved another canvas and set it onto the easel. He also caught the concerned looks on the faces of his guests. "Oh. This is just part of the creative process. You would not believe how many failures I've made in my attempt to make just one piece worth keeping."

Max nodded. "That... makes sense." He shrugged at his friend. Neither were artists, so they could only assume.

After several more minutes, this painting was also sliced through. "No, it's still wrong!" He tossed this one to the side with the other. "Ugh..." He rather violently slammed a new canvas down onto the easal this time, a slightly larger one.

Reyaa spoke up. "Is... it necessary to completely destroy the old? Can't you just... paint over it? I'm sure those aren't cheap..."

Bastion shook his head. "They are not, but as I said, money is not a concern to me." He poked his head around the thing once more. "And yes, it is entirely necessary to destroy them. Painting over would only muddy the work." He narrowed his eyes then. "Though perhaps the problem is not mine. I think you two need to shift how you sit." He pointed to Max. "You, sit a little closer to her. An arm around her if you could."

Max nodded slowly. "Oh... alright..." He gave an almost apologetic look to her, then moved closer and gingerly put his arm around her shoulder. "Like... this?"

The fox frowned. "Come on, boy. Hold the girl like you mean it! She is your lover, is she not?"

Both nearly choked, looking at one another. The man blushed, and he caught that the feline did the same. She spoke up. "N-no... we're just close friends..."

The painter blinked. "Oh? Could have fooled me. The way you act, I would have thought you wed." The two blushed even more, now not even able to look at each other. He shrugged. "Well, it is neither here nor there. For the sake of the painting, you're lovers. So please, act like it." he pointed again at the dog. "Put your arm around her and hold her close." He then pointed at her. "And you, lean into it." The two shifted awkwardly, Max getting closer and holding his friend more endearingly... or as best as he could. For Reyaa's part, she did lean against him a little more, not quite resting her head on his shoulder, but she was much closer now.

Still, the man was not satisfied. "No, it's still not quite right." He peaked around the canvas several times, despite having not started anything upon it yet. "You, Reyaa. Open your shirt a little more."

She balked. "What!?"

He ignored her sudden protest. "Or better yet, just remove it entirely. You, too, Dog. Really sell that you're lovers in an intima-"

"I will not!" She continued, standing up in a fury. "I agreed to be a model for your portrait, not give you a show like some street tramp!"

Bastion just gave her a withering look. "Please, my dear girl, don't be so prudish. I'm an artist. I've seen more naked men and women than most brothel rooms. It's for the art, not for my pleasure." He motioned behind him. "But if you would prefer to leave my house and risk the walk back to your academy in this, then by all means, be my guest."

For a real moment, she debated doing just that. It was not until she felt the hand of her friend on her shoulder that she calmed. "Rey, please. If we don't do this, then he have no right to stay here."

She scowled back at him, but he could tell she was wavering. "True, but I did not agree to put myself on display like that..."

He smiled, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I know..."

Bastion sighed. "If it will put you at ease, I'll obscure your faces. Then none will know it was either of you. Does that put your minds at ease?"

Reyaa sighed, but nodded. "Yes... alright. Fine..." She reached up to take hold of the top button of her shirt, then looked at her friend. "I want no comments from you! We will never speak of this!"

He smiled, nodding to her. "My lips are sealed." He took a step back to start unbuttoning his own shirt. A moment later, both had removed their top clothing. Max sat down again, now with the short tan fur of his chest exposed. He had to slightly adjust himself a little. It was the first time he had ever seen his friend without a shirt, and he could not say it was not something he had never imagined. She had a lovely figure, the yellow fur dotted with dark brown spots along her back and sides. When she sat down beside him, he was able to see for the first time her uncovered chest. The yellow fur continued along her belly, but the spots ended along her sides. Her breasts were not overly large, so were still quite perky. He saw her nipples poking through the fur, as well.

He caught himself before he stared at her for too long, shifting instead to stare more straight ahead. Though he still put his arm around her, hesitantly at first. He felt her tense at his touch, but relax into it a moment later. If she was going to be forced to be humiliated, she would at least enjoy the warmth he provided. His touch against her was not entirely unwelcome, either. Provided he behaved himself, though she had little doubt he would. Max was nothing if not a gentleman. Probably why she... no, best not think like that right now.

The two awkward friends sat like this for a while while Bastion finally started his painting. Finally, he seemed satisfied with it, though still grumbled from time to time. Reyaa was not exactly getting comfortable being exposed like this, but after the first few minutes the awkwardness seemed to fade a little. She felt her friend's fingers on her shoulder, gently brushing against her, playing a little with her fur. He never reached for more, despite being well within reach. She even dared to enjoy the moment, a slight smile on her face.

A smile that faded when the fox suddenly swore. "God fucking dammit, this isn't working either!" The two were snapped out of their awkwardness as they heard the man suddenly curse like that. He stepped from around the canvas, a look of anger on his face. "It's close, but not it." He frowned, then pointed at Max. "You. Fuck your girlfriend."

He blinked several times, unsure he heard just what was demanded of him so suddenly. "E-excuse me?"

Bastion scowled, dropping whatever act he had been holding before, now showing his anger fully. "Are you deaf, you stupid dog. I said fuck the cat!" It was like a totally different person was in front of them, his tone and mannerisms completely shifted. "This is a painting of lovers, and you two are just sitting there like a pair of awkward teenagers on their first date! Fuck her like you love her!"

Max felt his friend tense up with anger, but he stood up before she could say anything this time. "Sir, you have overstepped yourself. Posing is one thing, but I will not force myself upon someone! That is asking too much!" He took a step forward, fists balled at his sides. "This is not how someone of your standing should act! Think of what your mother would sa-" He cried out as pain suddenly exploded upon his face. He was sent stumbling to the side, grabbing at his cheek. When he looked at his hand, he saw blood staining the palm.

Bastion held up the knife he had used to slash so many of his previous paintings today. "Don't you DARE speak of my mother, you little shit! You don't know her!" He moved closer, holding the knife threateningly at his bleeding guest. "What would she say? She'd say that my work is abysmal! And she'd be right. Because my models are useless at simple directions!" He swung the knife over to the cheetah the moment he saw her moving from the corner of her eye. She stopped the moment the dangerous blade was pointed at her. "You stay right there, or I slash your pretty face, too!"

Max stood back up again, though he also took a step back. Blood ran down his cheek, but the cut was not deep. "We shall leave then. I think risking the storm is preferable to-"

Again the fox interrupted him. "You will do no such thing, boy!" The knife was again pointed at the canine. "If you leave, the painting will never be finished. The muses talk, but I need them to sing! You will stay, and I will finish this painting. Only then can you leave!" He had a crazed look in his eyes. Neither Max nor Reyaa was a trained fighter, and the fox had a few inches on both, and several pounds. There was no guarantee they could take him, even together. Not without one ending up with grievous wounds.

"Now..." like the flick of a switch, Bastion was calm again, though he still pointed the knife in front of him. "Both of you, strip yourselves and make love." When both just shuffled in place in awkward fear, his anger boiled to the surface again. "_ DO IT! _" It was less of a scream and more of a high pitched screeching command. Both flinched, but they did finally obey the unhinged man. Max unbuttoned his fly, pushing his trousers down to reveal his undergarments fully. He hated that he was still sporting something of an erection from when he had been holding his friend moments before. He could not even bring himself to look at her, despite that she was similarly undressing before him. A view he had wanted to see, but never in a situation like this.

As the two removed the remainder of their clothing, Bastion grabbed and subsequently heaved the painting he had been working on into the wall. It struck and crumpled with a crash, clattering to the ground in shambles, making the 'models' flinch from the sudden loud noise. By the time he had replaced the canvas with another large one, Max was fully in the nude, Reyaa mostly the same but in just her stockings. Both had their hands in front of them in the vain attempt to cover themselves. The fox sighed. "Will you two please get over your prudish nature already?" He was calm again, at least. "Clearly you two are in denial about your feelings. Just get over it. You love each other." He smiled at them. "Congratulations!" The smile immediately melted away, replaced by his threatening glower. "Now consummate!"

Max sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Rey. This is my fault..."

She shook her head. "Let's... let's just get this over with..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then bent herself over. Her tail lifted, hesitantly, but it still moved out of the way as she presented herself to him.

She flinched as a chair was suddenly kicked out in front of her. "Lean on that." Bastion said, then went back to his canvas. She glared at him for a moment, then rested her hands upon the chair to lean down against it. For the dog's part, he hated himself for enjoying the view he was getting in the moment. He saw her slit, the lips presented to him between gorgeous legs, right below her shapely rear. Making matters worse was just how hard he had gotten from all this, his cock throbbing between his legs despite himself.

He took a step forward, gently resting a hand against her rear. He felt her tense up, but also try to relax. "I'm sorry..." She just nodded. He feared this would be the end of their friendship. It was certainly the end of anything further either may have hoped for. He moved his hips forward, his tip touching those lips, and he heard her whimper. "I'll be gentle." Again she just nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. For a long moment, debating giving up on this and trying to take the fox down, but he thought better. His cheek still stung from the cut, and he would hate for anything to happen to her. So finally, he pushed himself forward, then gasped as he felt the warmth suddenly envelope the tip of his shaft.

Reyaa's claws suddenly dug into the chair's cushion as she felt her friend's cock start to push into her. She did not want it, not like this, but she did not want to say it. He must already be feeling utterly terrible for the situation, she did not want to add more. So she just grit her teeth, trying her best to stifle her uncomfortable groans as the length slipped slowly into her. Under other circumstances, she would have thought this was wonderful, he was a tight fit, but not so tight it hurt her. Though the fact she was hardly aroused did not make it very comfortable. Still, the feeling of his tip slipping ever deeper was something her body still reacted to, clenching a little around him. She heard the moan it drew from him, though he tried to hide it.

Bastion nodded and even smiled as he kept peaking around the canvas at the two awkwardly fucking each other for the first time. Their obvious discomfort was actually the exact thing he was looking for. A brush flew back and forth across the canvas, darting here and there, adding swaths of color, random lines forming into shapes before him. Each time he peaked around, the two looked even more at odds with themselves. Max grit his teeth, trying not to moan from the obvious pleasure he felt having his cock stuffed into the woman. Reyaa was likewise trying not to make noise, both in pain and pleasure at the same time. It was delightful. "This is it!"

The canine's pace was slow, careful, but he still pushed deep. His hands moved to hold his friend's sides. He whispered. "I'm sorry..." He failed to stifle a grunt. "You do... feel amazing, though. For what it's worth..."

She couldn't help a slight smirk at his comment, even if it vanished a moment later. "Thank you..." She tensed up when his hips touched hers again. "Under... better circumstances... I would say the same..." She turned her gaze at the fox, giving him a hateful glare each time his face popped around the frame in front of him.

The man bit his lip, then said something before even thinking about the consequences. "When this is done... after some time... we should... try this for real. On our terms..." He winced the moment the words left his mouth.

"I..." She gasped when she felt him hit deep again, a shiver running through her. "I... might like that..." He smiled. Still, he was not sure he would ever have the courage to bring up the subject to her again.

Bastion let the two have their little moment together. Though he still grunted as he watched them almost getting more comfortable doing this, even with their situation. "Hrmm... no..."

Reyaa looked up. "Oh now what!? Are we not lively enough!?"

The fox scoffed. "No, that is not the case..." He stepped around the easel again. "No, that look of despair upon your faces, that was exactly what I wanted." He crouched down in front of the feline. Max halted what hew as doing, leaving himself buried inside of her, but staring down. "It seems you two really are in love." They both blushed, but also both frowned, the cheetah growling low. "That! That look of hatred and disdain! Can you keep that?"

She growled again. "For you? Yes!"

He still shook his head. "But it's not enough. I wanted the despair on both of you." He shrugged. "Ah well. On one of you should be enough." With no warning, he slashed his hand to the side. Reyaa's eyes suddenly went wide as the pain lanced across her throat. Her hand reached up to grab at herself, blood suddenly seeping through her fingers as her breath was robbed from her. Bastion grinned. "Much better!" He stood up quickly, rushing back to the painting.

It all happened so fast, Max had no idea what had happened until it was too late to do anything. "REY!?" He cried out as she slumped forward, both hands clutching at her throat. She gurgled as she tried to speak. Her tail thrashed, her legs trembling and kicking behind her.

Before he could pull out to hold her, the fox was suddenly beside him, knife pressed to his throat now. "Keep fucking her."

His eyes went wide. "WHAT!?"

The knife pressed closer. "Keep fucking her while she dies or you'll join her, dog!" He tensed, wanting to fight back, but it would take no pressure at all for the blade to carve a line into him. He closed his eyes tight, feeling tears welling up, then nodded slowly. "Good boy." The fox pat him on the head, then rushed back to the painting.

Max grit his teeth, gripping Reyaa's trembling hips and start to thrust again. "I'm sorry!" he said, tears running down his cheeks now, stinging the cut upon his right cheek even more. "I'm so sorry!" He held his dear friend as she gurgled and drowned in her own blood. Her body started to tremble and thrash on the chair, forcing him to hold onto her sides even tighter to keep her from slipping out of his grip. He shifted his grip instead to wrap his arms around her and hold her in a close embrace. "I'm so sorry!" he repeated in a sobbing whisper into her ears. He wanted to comfort her somehow, even as his hips kept thrusting forward. Making matters so much worse was how the inside of her pussy kept clenching at him, over and over and over. It felt far better than he wanted to admit to himself, as if she was trying to draw him inside.

He felt when she finally died. Her body started to shudder even more than before. She also felt her hand grip his, squeezing him tight. In her last moment, she tried to comfort him. Then the hand slipped away, her body going limp under him, suddenly dead weight in his hold. Everything relaxed at once, her tail slumped to the side, her arms hanging, her legs no longer supporting herself at all. He still clung to her, letting out a wailing cry of agony as she died in his arms. All while his cock twitched and throbbed deep inside of her.

Bastion grinned wide. "Perfect! Lover's agony!" He set is brush down, then stepped around the easel again. "Ah, such pain and despair." He stepped closer, Max simply ignoring him. "But it can be better." With similarly no warning, the knife was at the man's throat, then pulled away with such suddenness that he had no idea it had happened until after his throat was carved open. Blood suddenly started to pour from the wound, spraying upon the cheetah's back. Max's eyes snapped open, one hand grabbing at his throat, the other refusing to let go of his dead friend, even as he was about to join her.

The fox was back to his painting, brush in hand, adding all the details he saw. The agony, the pain, the shock, the imminent death, and the love. He ignored the rest, such as the very real panic the man was feeling, and the shame. As he clung to his friend, his cock suddenly burst within her, dumping his dying seed deep into her cooling tunnel. He came hard, despite his focus more on the gash in his throat and river of blood spraying from it.

Before he was even finished, his legs gave out, his body crashing to the ground, toppling upon Reyaa's. His cock slipped free, still squirting several thick ropes onto the floor. He reached out, clinging to the feline's hand tight, squeezing it. He tried to look at her face, but his vision was growing blurry. He tried to say that he was sorry one last time, but only a wet gurgle came from him as blood bubbled up into his mouth.

The manic painter continued working like a mad man, his brush slashing across the surface in violent strokes. His work continued even after Max finally died, laying atop his close friend, both covered in blood now. He would clean them up later, for now, he had to finish the piece. It was his greatest work, much like how every work was his greatest before the next. For another half hour he continued, adding little details here and there.

Finally, he took a step back and stared at the painting. It showed the two in brushstrokes, the movement of lovers embraced, their faces obscured by the sweeping of long hair. He had made a promise to them, after all. Like so many of his paintings, it seemed to capture the movement, as if they were alive upon it. Also like many of his paintings, the models were very much not alive by the time he was finished. It was as if he transferred their life into the paint itself. His mother had taught him just how to do it when he killed her.

He turned the whole easel around to face the two on the floor. "There! I'm calling it 'The Agony of Ecstasy.' What do you think?" Naturally, as they were now exsanguinated upon his floor, neither responded. He huffed. "Eh, everyone's a critic." He took the painting off the frame and set it down on the other side of the room, away from the growing pool of blood, so it could dry. "I'll have to call someone to clean you two up." He did still note that the boy had finished inside of her before his death. "Well, I did tell you to consummate. I did you a favor." He turned and walked out of his room, leaving the two in a pile in their own blood.

Outside, the storm had started to abate. It would still continue to rain for another hour, but the worst of it had passed.

* * *