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TWEEEEET!!!

The sharp sound of the whistle echoed against the walls of the indoor pool, ringing in the ears of those with more sensitive hearing, such that when four separate bodies hit the water their splashes could barely be heard. Ace's eyes focused on the swimmers, the lion-wolf hybrid's ear twitching as he spotted the first mistake.

"Eric keeps extending too far," he muttered to himself, scratching down notes without looking at his pad. "Sloppy execution diving from the block."

The reptilian swimmer resurfaced a half-second later than the other three, now a good meter behind them. Ace refocused on the team members, looking for flaws and improvements with a careful eye, walking the length of the side while taking notes.

"Breaststrokes looking efficient. Kicking looks sluggish, but they've been at it most of today," he muttered, eyes flicking to their only feline swimmer, a black panther. "Fabienne needs to pace himself, but otherwise his form is perfect." He glanced back up, watching them reach the end of the pool and kicking off the wall, feeling a curl in the corners of his muzzle as they transitioned gracefully back into their swimming rhythm. "Excellent recovery, much better than last week. Around a quarter-second improvement overall. Halfway through test, they're looking good."

He jotted down a few quick points, looking back up just as they reached their starting points and stopped. Fabienne was the first to slap his paw against the edge, putting an arm up at the lip of the pool and panting, the rest of the team following suit. He pulled his goggles up and looked to Ace with a grin. "How was that?"

He didn't answer immediately, scratching one last note near the bottom. "Well, it's an improvement over last week," he said quietly, walking over to them. "In a hundred-yard freestyle you guys would be tough competition, if that's what you want to go for." There was a mutter behind Fabienne that Ace could not quite hear, though he suspected it was sardonic in nature. "There's just a few things that need to be cleaned up with a couple of you guys." He nodded to Eric, keeping his voice neutral. "You keep overextending during the initial dive, it looks like you're trying to get a few extra inches ahead. It's against regulation, first of all, but it also ends up slowing you down, it looks like you're landing a belly flop."

The lizard, easily the youngest on the team, winced. "Ah, yeah... sorry about that. I just get worked up at the beginning and I..." He gave Ace an uncertain smile that the hybrid did not return.

"This is just practice, Eric," Ace reminded him. "We're here to improve the technique, not compete."

"Most of us, anyway," a fox muttered behind him.

Ace frowned, folding his arms. "I'm sorry, what do you mean by that, Pueblo?"

The fox gave him a glare. "It's Paublo, Ace. I've been here since last year, I thought you'd have learned the name by now."

"I... ah." He looked away. "Right. Sorry."

"But yeah, we're here to improve," Paublo continued. "You, on the other hand, have been here since five in the morning. Coach told me he let you in."

"I don't see what you're getting at," Ace replied, slightly irritated that someone knew how early he had arrived.

"The point is that you're _always_here early," the fox continued. "You keep telling us to come in an hour before practice just to set a standard, but you don't actually help any of us in that time." He paused, narrowing his eyes. "Did you even go to class today? It's like the last two semesters, you're always either in here or in the A/V trailer."

Ace did not reply, a feeling of emptiness settling in as he fumbled to find a response, but it was Fabienne who spoke first. "Most of his courses are either online and the rest are on the other side of the campus," the panther said quickly. "No need for him to attend the classroom physically if he doesn't want to, not with his major."

"Hell, if it were me, I'd probably stay at home and play video games," their cheetah teammate chuckled. "But then again I'd probably end up a fatass. Anyway, why not get an internship somewhere if you have that much free time? There's not much business in swimming unless you're competing, but I'm sure there's a couple of programs that involve audio/video training."

"I... look, I--"

"Why not just hang out with us?" Paublo cut in. "You're always busy here working on your form or in the A/V trailer working on filming, editing or whatever. In fact, I don't think I've _ever_seen you relax since I joined the swim team."

"Hey, guys," Fabienne said with a firm tone, pulling himself out of the pool. "Lay off. What Ace does on his own time is his decision. Believe me, he has his own way of decompressing that doesn't involve swilling beer or going to clubs."

Paublo sighed and shook his head before getting out next. "Whatever. I'm just saying that he's free to actually spend time with us to help us out instead of making us wait until we're in the middle of practice." He stretched out and made a beeline for the lockers. "About time for us to head in, anyway. I gotta get a paper done and then hit the club after. Anybody in? Except you, of course," he added, frowning at Ace.

"I am," the cheetah replied before waving to Ace. "You guys have good weekend."

"Yeah... you too," Ace sighed, folding his arms and watching the two head out. Eric was the last out of the pool, pulling his goggles off and approaching him. "You'll get better," Ace offered.

Eric shook his head. "I guess. Seeya next week, Ace," he muttered, walking off.

The silence that followed while Eric left felt like a weight on Ace's shoulders, his ear flicking irritably as the door closed behind him, its sound ringing against the pool walls. It took a moment for him to swallow and clear his throat, trying to build his nerve back up, and in that time he realized that Fabienne was still at the edge of the pool, peering at the lion-wolf with a concerned expression.

Ace felt a slight surge in irritability. "What?"

"Calm down," Fabienne said, raising his paws. The ebony feline had been Ace's friend for years, more than long enough to brush off the team captain's sometimes blunt and annoyed swipes, as well as disarm him to the point of getting him to relax. "I'm just worried about you, is all."

"You don't have to worry," Ace sighed, turning from the pool and tossing his clipboard onto a nearby bench before taking a seat. "It's fine."

"It really isn't," Fabienne pressed, following him with folded arms. "Paublo can be a dick sometimes, but sometimes I think he has a point about how much effort you put into your work."

"I got permission from Coach to open up early," Ace said defensively. "We're the only team on this college who puts in the time to actually compete in what we do, nobody else uses it unless it's to work out during the evening."

"That's... not what I meant," Fabienne said, giving him a half-smile.

"What, then?"

The panther glanced back at where the rest of the team had left. "You're passionate about swimming and A/V work, I respect the hell out of you for that. But college is just as much about mingling with people and experimenting with new things as it is about getting an education. Now I'm not saying you should run out, buy a keg, and get plastered every Friday in order to live a little; but you should at least consider reaching out to meet other folks, y'know?"

Ace scoffed, looking away. "I'm not going to get myself into college debt just so I can party in the weekends and have nothing to show for it after four years."

"What, you?" Fabienne laughed. "It'd never happen in a million years, you're too responsible. But that doesn't mean you can't try to enjoy yourself when you're out of things to work on." He paused, cocking his head. "I don't make it a point to pry into other people's lives, but like anyone else I can recognize an easy pattern. Yours is almost robotic at this point, with no variance - you spend most of your free time doing what you've already done when you study."

"There's nothing wrong with trying to improve on good work," Ace started to say.

"No, but there is such a thing as overwork," Fabienne interjected quickly. "Moreso if you're not getting any satisfaction out of it." He took a seat next to the lion-wolf. "And that's the thing that bothers me most. It's that you don't seem to be happy."

Ace stared at him, trying to think of something to say in response, only to find nothing to reply with. Even if he were to lie about it, Fabienne would spot it. He shrugged, and looked to the floor. "I'm just... busy. It's hard to be satisfied when there's so much to do."

"So take a break," the panther suggested. "Take a weekend to do nothing school or sports-involved."

"Like what?" Ace sighed.

Fabienne leaned back in the bench, a smile on his muzzle. "Well, if you have no plans this weekend, I _was_going to go to a little get-together later tonight. I'm done with my paper, and there's this girl I really wanna get to know who will be there."

"You'd be bringing an anvil-piloting wingman, with me," Ace said flatly. "And I'm not going to a frat party."

"Fuck, man, it's not a frat party," Fabienne groaned, rolling his eyes. "It's just a small party at the town community center, a couple of guys cleared it and got some things set up. They want to do it every other Friday, just pizza and soda, no alcohol - nothing to tarnish your image as the responsible captain of the swim team."

"I... I dunno," Ace murmured, folding his arms. "It's not really my kind of thing."

"You'd be the first college student in sports to say that," the panther teased, punching his shoulder playfully. "I get it, you don't want to fall into the stereotype of a beer-swilling loser who only got into college because he can handle a pigskin. And that's why this scene is perfect for you. There's nothing to fuck it up, no drugs or booze, or a bunch of creeps and creepettes looking to score." He paused, then chuckled. "Okay,maybe a couple of them are looking to score, but not right away."

Ace said nothing, thinking it over. Were he to decline, it'd be another night staying in the dorm, reading or watching videos in his free time, or otherwise getting some sleep early; another night eating in, and with nobody to hang with on the off-chance that he felt like interacting with anything more than a keyboard or a touch-screen.

And would I be happy with that? He wondered.No... content, maybe - but not happy.

"Two conditions," Ace finally said.

"Anything," Fabienne said quickly, looked both surprised and pleased.

"I'll give it one hour to start with. If I feel okay with it, I'll stick around, but if I feel uncomfortable at any point within that hour, I'm leaving. No forcing me to stay if I don't want to."

"That is more than fair," Fabienne agreed. "And the second condition?"

Now Ace did manage a small smile of his own.

"If there's no extra pepperoni there, I'm not showing up."

"You did this on purpose," Ace noted, staring at the six boxes of Tony's Authentic Pies marked "X-tra PPR."

"You didn't say I couldn't call up the pizza place for a few extra orders," Fabienne replied.

It was, as Fabienne promised, a relatively active and moderate gathering, lacking in any intensity. There was no cacophony of noise or shouting, as Ace had dreaded when he agreed to come with, and no obvious signs of drugs or alcohol present. For the most part the attire and atmosphere was relaxed, lacking in any affiliation to the university itself - one could have easily assumed that it was simply a get-together between friends or family, uninvolved with any school.

Twenty minutes in, and Ace had to admit that the environment was pleasant enough. It was only when he noticed the surplus of extra pepperoni pizzas that he started to suspect Fabienne might have tried to rig the game, if only slightly.

"Besides, I want to make sure you stick around for as it takes for you to talk to somebody that isn't me," Fabienne continued, gesturing to the crowd gathered at tables or huddled in small clusters. "I learned in my psychology class that it could help to make you feel more comfortable if there was an incentive for you to stay."

"One hour," Ace reminded him firmly, taking a paper plate and adding a few slices of pie to it. "If I'm not feeling up to it, I leave - no arguments."

"Yeah, I get you," Fabienne sighed, shaking his head. "I'm hoping you relax, though. Try not to be pessimistic." He brightened, clapping his hands together. "Here, I got it - I'll lead into the discussion and introduce you to a group of folks. When you feel comfortable enough to jump into the discussion, go for it."

"I'm not great at talking to groups," Ace said quietly. A slight feeling of weight settled over him, bending him slightly; the urge to eat another bite of his slices seemed to vanish, quickly replaced with a cold sensation in his stomach.

"Maybe you aren't, but then again maybe you're awesome at it," Fabienne encouraged him, as he grabbed a pair of pizza slices for his plate. "You're saying that now because you're not used to doing it, so you don't know for sure. That's why I wanted you to come tonight, so we can open you up a little." He steered the lion-wolf toward a nearby table, speaking a bit softer. "You don't need to lead the conversation, just listen in and react."

"If you say so," Ace muttered, feeling like this idea was getting worse by the second. "Just... give me cues, I guess."

"You guys saving these seats for anybody?" Fabienne asked the group, gesturing to a few empty chairs. "Figure it'd be awkward to eat on our feet."

"Nah, go ahead," a vixen replied, giving them an encouraging smile. "We could use a few new faces here. Don't think I've seen either of you here, I'm Erika; this is Don, Vincent, Ingrid" she said, gesturing respectively to a pair of dobermans, a thick-furred cat. "And Krystal, who I think Fabienne knows," she finished.

Ace turned to wave politely, hoping it would suffice instead of speaking, only to stop short when he finally looked at the second vixen. Unlike Erika, she bore a pelt of blue and white, with calm teal eyes. Those same eyes lingered on the lion-wolf for a few moments, and for a moment Ace felt as if he were being judged, though he found himself staring back for a few moments, having never seen someone quite like her.

It was a thump on the back that jerked him back into attention as his panther compatriot introduced them, taking one of the seats. "How could I forget Krystal?" he said, reaching over and giving her a quick hug.

She smiled warmly. "It's good to see you too, Fabienne. And who's your handsome friend here?" she asked, extending her paw to the lion-wolf. Ace flinched slightly at the compliment, but managed an uncertain smile and shook her hand.

"This is my buddy, Ace. First time coming here, I'd heard it was a good place to mingle without inviting trouble." He glanced to Ace, and though he still felt apprehensive about the situation he settled for a small raise of his hand and a nod before taking the seat next to Fabienne. "Anybody here been here before?"

"Vince and I sometimes come around when the weekend is free," Don said. "Krys here, too, but I think she just doesn't have anything to do," he chuckled.

"I've got my own hobbies," she replied with an even smile. "They just happen to involve socializing with other people. Yours, on the other hand, usually involves looking for chicks."

"Guilty as charged," Vincent laughed. "But hey, at least we don't do it drunk."

"How about you two?" Erika asked, redirecting it back to the newcomers. "What do you usually do on the weekends that you decided to miss out on so you could come here tonight?"

"If it were me, it'd probably be firing up a movie or three and snacking, then hitting the hay to get up at the early our of two in the afternoon," Fabienne replied. "My buddy here, though..." he paused, long enough for Ace to glance at him and catch the subtle twitch of his eye.

The lion-wolf straightened up, clearing his throat. "Ah, yeah... just... listening to music and studying," he muttered quietly.

"Practically had to drag him here," Fabienne chuckled, giving his shoulder a friendly tap. "But since we figured there's relatively free pizza, and people we haven't had a chance to meet, we shelved the DVDs and vinyls for tonight."

"You prefer a quiet night, then?" Krystal asked, looking to Ace.

He swallowed, nodding and avoiding the vixen's eyes. "Don't really get out often, but the pizza's good, so..."

Another glance at Fabienne seemed to suggest that the panther was satisfied with Ace's contributions. It was fine with him - so far. He wasn't asked to say much, but it didn't seem to matter. He managed to take a subtle yet deep breath to calm himself as Fabienne launched into talking, but while it did help in settling his nerves he couldn't help noticing the blue-furred vixen kept glancing his way. Once again, the feeling of being silently judged fell on him. More to ensure that he didn't have to say anything else than out of hunger, he took a bite from his pizza, chewing slowly to prevent speaking.

In minutes, everyone's words seemed to turn into a droning noise that he couldn't keep track of. His gaze drifted up to a nearby clock and a feeling of dread set in - it had only been half an hour. He managed to shake himself back up, trying to focus on where the discussion had shifted, but it was when the cerulean vixen spoke that the droning seemed to cease, his attention sharpening. Something about her voice was sweet and genuine, almost as if it were a salve on his rapidly-decaying nerves.

"I'm studying psychology, mostly looking to get into the field so I can help people get through life," she said. "It's why I like coming here when I can, I can get a good sense of folks who show up. Doesn't take long to figure out who is happy to be here, and who would rather be anywhere else," she added, glancing to Ace. "Plus, free pizza, right? Whoever got the extra pepperoni must have been reading my mind for once."

"Bet with a job as a shrink, you could afford to buy for the group," Ingrid laughed.

"Not at all," the blue vixen said pleasantly. "It know it's good money for some, but what I really want is to work with kids. That's why I'm also learning about nursing and childcare. Anyway, that's enough about me - so who's next?" Krystal asked.

A surge of alarm tore through the lion-wolf, realizing that everyone else had spent the last half-hour talking about what they were studying, what their goals were; he alone had remained silent, saying nothing. At this point, he couldn't even pretend that he was paying attention. When the vixen's eyes turned to him once again, he felt as rigid as a board.

"How about you, Ace?" she asked, leaning forward with a smile. "I'm sorry we've been gabbing on and on about us. What are you studying?"

He nearly had an answer ready, but before he could answer Ingrid spoke. "I think I've seen him in at the natatorium, on some mornings."

"I... ah..." The interruption was like breaking the rhythm before it began. Krystal didn't press, waiting patiently, and if it had only been her eyes lingering on him he felt he could have continued. But it wasn't just hers. He could feel just about every eye at the table on him now, staring. It felt nearly impossible not to feel judged. With as much focus as he could, he kept his eyes on the vixen alone, doing his best to ignore everyone else.

"I... yeah," he managed to say quietly. "I'm... captain of the swim team."

"He is," Fabienne confirmed. "There's hardly a moment where he isn't working to improve. Sometimes I think he's part fish." The quip got a few chuckles from everyone, and while Ace would have rolled his eyes at any other time he felt grateful that it seemed to alleviate the pressure off of him.

"So you're an athlete, then?" Krystal asked, looking interested.

"Nah, that's not a real sport," Don interjected before Ace could answer again - and once again, it seemed to take out whatever drive Ace was building to speak, moreso as it felt like his passion was being judged. "It's not like he's competing against anyone like in football or basketball."

"Well, that's not true," Krystal replied, frowning. "He'd be competing against other swim teams from other colleges."

"She's right, Don," Vince said with a grin. "Not every sport in the world involves handling balls."

"Oh shut up," Don chuffed, punching his shoulder.

"Back to you, though," Krystal said, turning her gaze back to the silent hybrid. "What else do you study?"

"I study... study film, theater... audio and video editing," he managed to say through a dry throat, before reaching for his drink and using it to both hydrate and buy time. "Aiming for a B.A. in film study."

"What does that involve?" the vixen pressed. "Watching movies, learning video editing programs and such?"

"Well, a bit more than that," he answered, feeling a little less pressured. "You have to learn things like... scriptwriting, acting, directing, cinematography. I mean, yes, you have to watch a lot of films, too, but that's more for studying techniques so you can apply them elsewhere."

"Kind of sounds boring," Don interjected. "Why not just take up acting?"

"I prefer not to be under the spotlight," Ace replied, with a furrow in his brow. "And it's not boring. It's kind of like..." he paused, trying to find the right words. "I guess like building a car. A lot of different elements combined into one machine." Another pause followed, with Ace realizing he was talking more than he was used to. "As it is, I still have to study theater and acting."

"Could probably make it as an actor with a name like 'Ace,'" Don suggested. "That short for something?"

Internally, he could not fathom why everyone was suddenly so interested in him. A quick glance to Fabienne assured him that his friend was keeping tabs on the conversation, and after a moment he answered. "It's Aleksander."

"What made you want to get into it?" Krystal asked, leaning in. "Do you have family that's into it?"

"N-no," Ace said quickly. "I mean... I do, but they're not exactly..." This was a topic he would have rather not talked about, and the tense look on Fabienne's face suggested the panther knew it. But before the feline could speak, someone else picked up the conversation.

"Who, then?" Vincent pressed. "Your dad?"

A surge of resentment and fear coursed through him. "He-- ah, that is, he's an actor," he fumbled, trying to focus. "I don't really like talking about--"

"I'm only bringing it up because you look like an actor already," Don cut in. "Like, uh... forget the dude's name..."

"Kris Lugosi, yeah?" Vince suggested.

Ace's eyes went wide. Stunned as he was, he could see Fabienne wince in his peripheral vision. Of the females present, only Krystal seemed to notice his reaction, looking mildly curious. Seconds later, both Don and Vince noticed it too.

"Nailed it!" Don said, laughing.

"Wait, hold on," Vince cut in. "Do you know Kristoffer Lugosi?"

The name made Ace's left ear flick, his throat feeling tight as a deluge of unwanted memories kicked in, the phantom pain of so much hurt seeming to cut into him. He nodded weakly, swallowing. "Y-yeah... he's my..." He said nothing else, wanting nothing more than to not say it aloud.

"Well, shit, that makes sense," Don shrugged. "Most parents would want their kid to take up football or basketball instead, but if it's the kid of a celebrity I can see them going for the arts. Was it some way to stick it to your old man, seeing if you get an Oscar before he does?"

Ace's ear flicked again, and he felt a slight curl around his lip. "It wasn't. I just wanted to get into the field. Movies interest me, acting doesn't."

"Yeah, like he said, he's more into the behind-the-scenes stuff," Fabienne reminded them in a clear attempt to shift the topic.

"Still, if you had Kris Lugosi as a dad and even half his looks, you'd want to follow that up, right?" Vince said.

"Guys, maybe this is a topic we should--" Krystal started to say, looking a little concerned.

"Was it more to get the attention, becoming famous?" Ingrid asked, drowning out Krystal. "Wouldn't blame anybody if it was, you can become a celebrity without getting into sports."

"Believe me, the last thing I want is attention," Ace replied a little sharply, yet it didn't seem like any of them but Fabienne and Krystal could clearly see his agitation. Before they could cut in, though, someone else did.

"I can understand that," Don nodded. "Constant praise from your dad probably gets annoying after a while."

Something snapped.

"... Oh he had plenty to say about me."

The reply had come automatically, pouring from Ace's muzzle as if he were regurgitating raw emotion. He hadn't shouted it, but the growl in his voice was clear and unmistakable. The table went silent and cold, all eyes on the wolf-lion hybrid, but where there had been resentment for being in the middle of attention, Ace felt the urge to use that focus on him to bite back at the query. Somewhere in the back of his head, he was aware that he was shaking, that his hackles had risen, and that his claws were digging into the table's surface - the last of which was impressive given how well-tended and dulled he kept them.

Don spoke first with an uncertain smile. "I guess they paid a little too much attention, then."

"My mother couldn't care less," Ace replied sharply. "My dad loved giving me attention when she wasn't around, especially when he could tell me exactly what he thought about me."

"I-- ... wait, what do you..." Vince looked startled, ears pinned back guiltily. "Did he--"

"He didn't lay a hand on me," Ace said, cutting him off. "Doing that, he would have left noticeable evidence. But he was always willing to let me know what he thought about my very existence. So when he said things like 'the only reason I'm not hitting you is because you'd be able to make a career as an even uglier stunt-man,' or 'modern CGI wouldn't fix everything that's wrong about you' - well, I guess maybe he was doing it out of interest in affection, is that right?"

"I... Jesus, dude, I didn't--"

"Did your mother not stop him?" Erika asked, her ears pinned back nervously.

"She barely noticed," he answered, an angry heat building in his stomach "When she did notice and confronted him, it was only to kick him out. So believe me, my taking up film studies had shit to do with wanting to impress my old man, assuming he isn't dead or in prison - or more likely, acting in another film and getting away with whatever else he's done. Not that I even give a fu--."

"Ace?"

The tone and gentleness in Krystal's voice felt like ice cold water over a burn, washing over the heat in his chest in seconds. He took a sharp breath in, registering everyone's facial expressions - shock, fear, guilt, sympathy. But it was in Krystal's eyes that he saw something that got him to stand up and back away; something he never wanted to see in another person.

Understanding.

"I-I'm gonna head out," he managed to choke out, turning to leave. "Thanks for the pizza."

"W-wait, Ace, hold u--"

But the wolf-lion hybrid was already halfway to the door, desperate to be anywhere but a public space. The rest of the gathering seemed to be completely oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place, yet Ace would not be surprised if it were to be passed around to every ear within the hour. Best that he be somewhere else before it happened. The shame and embarrassment of completely fouling up an opportunity to actually mingle and meet new people seemed to hurt a lot worse that the constant feeling of loneliness he endured when he was by himself, and the fact that it was brought out by painful memories he had no intention to share only amplified it.

"Ace, wait up!" Fabienne shouted. The words seemed to clear the wolf-lion's vision, his brain and body working on automatic. He didn't even know where he was going, his movement a fuzzy blur up until the point that his friend tried to catch up. But even then, Ace did not stop, striding ahead past the parking lot, past his car. It was only when Fabienne sprinted in front of him and tried to cut him off that he slowed.

The feline reached out and put a paw on his shoulder. "Jesus, dude, I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to--"

Ace's reaction was without thought, his hackles rising from the contact as he swung his arm out and knocked Fabienne's wrist out of the way. His head was swimming, but his words came out clear and with clear thought put into them. "I know that you're sorry. I know it's not your fault. But I can't fucking be here right now. I just need to be alone." He swallowed, looking past the panther as he fought to control his breathing. "Just give me time alone for tonight."

He didn't wait for an answer, pushing past Fabienne and into the evening.

He didn't go far. Perhaps less than half a mile into a nearby park, relatively empty but for a few sports activities on the opposite side. When he finally stopped it was at a pond, the wolf-lion feeling like he was isolated enough to calm down and lay on a grassy bank. His mind felt clearer, his heart-rate slower, and the sting of his shame all the more painful now that he could actually think and consider the situation. He could probably never show his face there again.

Suits me just fine, he thought miserably. Go in for a party, make no attempt to cut off an awkward topic, blow up on the guests - perfect way to make sure future invites don't get mailed out.

And what made it worse, he started to realize, was that he didn't really want to be alone. There was a moment, brief but tangible, where he was starting to feel slightly comfortable talking about what his passions were; where he didn't mind the focus of attention as long as it was judgmental or negative. With a change of the topic and a lack of control, it had been dashed.

"What could I have done differently?" he said aloud, sitting up and staring into the lake.

"Probably nothing."

The new voice startled him, but where he would have gotten angry for being overhead in most cases, the sound of this voice seemed to cut off that fire before it even started. He turned, stricken wordless at the sight of the blue vixen off to his side, a bag slung over her shoulder.

She said nothing more, and it was clear she was waiting for him to speak first, to not cut him off if he had something to ask, or a request to be left alone. That she had not sat down next to him was evidence enough to suggest she was not taking his silence as a sign that he wanted her around. Eventually he sighed and looked back toward the pond, the urge to leave her behind dying out into resignation.

"What are you doing here?" he finally asked.

"I wanted to check up on you," she told him, sitting near him. "You left in a hurry, and Fabienne said you didn't use your car. We were worried, and he wanted me to check on you."

"I'm fine," he said quietly. "I just fucked up, is all."

She nodded. "I'm sure you feel like you did. But as an outsider looking in, it seemed more like you were feeling pressured into talking about things you didn't want to talk about."

"I was," he said, irked by what he thought would come next. "And I'm not in any mood to talk about them now. If you think now is the best time to psycho-analyze me like I'm a pet project for you to write your thesis or dissertation about, then you can leave me the hell alone now, because I'm not talking about it, even with you."

Her head tilted, and out of the corner of his eye he could see a small smile on her muzzle. "'Even with?'" she repeated. "Does that mean I stand out where others wouldn't?"

He felt a slight burning in his cheeks. "No, it's not-- I meant that, you're studying for psychology, and I bet you want to help. You just... I dunno, you seem like the type of person who would help."

"Well," she said, scooting a little closer to him, "you're right. I _do_want to help. But I _don't_want to psycho-analyze you to do it, or ask you if you want my help. That's on you."

He glanced to her, curious. "What do you mean?"

She looked away, staring out into the lake. "I've known Fabienne since high school, and I'll tell you right now that you have a friend who cares about you, who clearly wants to see you happy. From what you talked about briefly, it seems like you want that for yourself, too. It's hard to get that for yourself when you feel a lot of regret." She paused. "So, not to take this the wrong way, but you're a handsome guy, you're disciplined and devoted to your sport of choice, and you've a decent range of talents involving your passion for film. On the surface, one would think that someone like you doesn't need help from anyone."

Ace frowned. "Maybe I d--" He stopped short. Of course that wasn't true. "It's my problem," he sighed, switching tack.

"Choosing to face those problems yourself is tough, and brave," she said, nodding. "But like I said, I'm not here to offer you help. Actually, I followed you here because I want you to have another friend to fall back on." She looked back to him, smiling. "If you'd like that, of course."

The wolf-lion cocked his head, confused. "But why? Didn't I embarrass myself enough in front of everybody? Shit, the entire place is probably talking about what I said by now."

She laughed, and while he would have felt a pang of resentment for his worries being made light of, the sound was not one of mocking so much as it was reassurance. "Things like that stick with us because we believe it matters more than anything else. The truth is that when we look back at the things that made us wince, we're often the only ones who remember them." She shook her head. "I'm not saying to just forget about what happened to you, mind you. I'm just pointing out that nobody is going to share this around, and they'll eventually forget about it amid the rest of their own college worries." She reached out, put a hand on his knee. "They always forget."

He frowned again. "You won't, though."

She shrugged. "Maybe not. But do you believe me when I say that I don't think less of you because of it? To be honest, the fact that you don't let any of that stop you from chasing your passions is a mark of strength, whether or not you do need help for it." She grinned. "And you know, _some_women are into commitment."

The burn in his face amplified and he looked away, clearing his throat. "I'll have to take your word for it." He hesitated. "But... thanks, all the same. I just feel like that could have gone smoother."

She nodded, getting to her feet. "I'm glad I could put that concern to rest, then." For a moment she scanned ahead, looking out into the pond. "You picked a good place for solitude, honestly. I'm sorry I barged into it."

"It's okay. So... are you heading back to the party?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I think I'm done with it tonight. Had to ride in with Ingrid, she's staying to hang out with Don and Vince, so I'll probably call an Uber, grab a bite to eat, and get to my room." The smile she gave him caused a flutter in his chest. "It was nice meeting you, Ace. I hope we bump into each other again."

The moment she started walking off was the moment Ace realized he wasn't ready to say good-bye just yet. Some part of him wanted her to be around, something separate from the physical attraction he had toward her. He got back to his feet quickly, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Hey, hold up, Krystal."

She stopped and turned. "Yeah?"

Before tonight, when he felt like rejection was the worst thing that could happen in this situation, a sting that would persist forever, he would have never bothered with trying to reach out to a girl. But now her words were stuck in his head - the reassurance that no matter how bad it might seem, it would only be a distant memory later. He took a moment to consider his words.

"Well, I figured I didn't get much pizza there, either." True enough, he'd only take a few bites from a single slice. "And I left my car back in the parking lot. So... if you're not doing anything else tonight, and you'd like to save an Uber expense, want to swing by Tony's and maybe get a fresh pie instead?"

Her smile broadened.

"Y'know... I'd like that, Ace."

They'd done as he'd said. They stopped by Tony's, got half an extra-pepperoni pizza to split between them, and spent the next few hours talking. Then he drove her back to her dorm, said goodnight, and returned to his room feeling like he'd had the best night of his life.

Then he did it again.

And again.

Before he knew it, half a year had gone by. Somewhere within that time period, he had taken her hand in his without thinking about when or why. It wasn't until they were at the park one night, walking side-by-side, that he realized it.

They'd stopped by the lake, sitting at the spot where they had first sat by each other. Half a year ago, the thought of a woman sitting within a foot of him seemed inconceivable, or at least unlikely, given his lack of interest. The woman at his side now was now leaning her head against his shoulder with a sigh, his arm wrapped around her waist as they stared out onto the water while his hand held one of hers. In six months, they'd grown closer than he'd anticipated the first time he'd asked her out, and that moment of reflection brought a question to his mind.

"So... what are you thinking about?" she asked, smiling.

He found himself smiling back. He had learned very quickly that she could tell when something was bothering him, often without really trying. "Am I that easy to read?"

"Not easy, no. But you get quiet when there's something you want to say." She squeezed his hand.

"Two things, really," he said. "The night we met, when I had that that moment of anger and I lashed out, I thought I saw something in you." He hesitated. "It's the reason I walked out of the community center, actually."

"What was it you saw?" she asked.

"I saw some measure of understanding," he said. "Like you knew what I was feeling. It's why I didn't push you away when you followed me here back then."

For once, Krystal was strangely quiet. He made no attempt to press the question, a feeling in his gut telling him that his question might well be dipping into uncomfortable territory. He'd learned by now the value in listening, something his partner had taught him without a single lecture. Two minutes passed before she shifted and leaned into his shoulder with a sigh.

"I'll start by saying I'm sorry," she said. "I needed a few moments to see if what I went through is something that I've gotten over. And I think, after everything, that I have. If it takes some time for me to tell you, it's because of how much it affected me."

"You don't need to talk about it, if you don't want to," he said. "But I'm ready to listen if you need it."

Again, there was a few moments of silence; but eventually, she started.

"When I was in high school, there was a guy I was attracted to. It was my freshman year, I was your typical naive vixen just looking for attention and popularity. So when he approached me towards the end of my freshman year, I ignored nearly all the warning signs and started dating him, even though he was in his senior year. I wasn't wise enough back then to realize I was being taken advantage of, being molested and harassed but told I was expected to enjoy it."

"That's awful," Ace said, frowning.

"I suppose what made it worse was that when we started having sex, I did enjoy it. I ignored the warnings, listened to and believed the lies, because I was having fun." She sighed, rubbing her lower belly. "He took some compromising photos of me, used it as leverage to get what he wanted, including coming with him to the last hockey game of the year. He made a bet with me; if he lost he'd delete all the photos he took, but if he won, he would have sex with me with no protection."

Ace shifted uncomfortably, having a bad feeling he knew where this was going. "It was worse than that, wasn't it?"

She nodded. "He won the game, but eased my worries by showing me he deleted the photos anyway. So I slept with him, without protection. When I woke up to take my birth control, it was gone. He'd flushed every pill, I had no money or insurance to get more immediately, and it took a few days to get back home. By then... I was pregnant."

Even though he suspected where her experience was going, it still felt shocking to hear it from her mouth. The lion-wolf winced and brought her in close. "What did you do?"

She shook her head, shivering. "My parents wanted me to get an abortion, but they were going to force me to. They were angry with me, and rightfully so; but they weren't about to force me to marry the one who did it. They left the choice up to me, then kicked me out of the house. I had to move in with my grandmother, the only person who didn't judge me for the mistakes I made. By then, I didn't want to see the father anymore." She sniffed. "I spent nights unable to sleep because I was crying so much. I knew what I had to do - what I ended up doing - but it was another thing entirely to actually work up the courage to do it."

She looked up at him, her cyan-blue eyes filled with pain and tears. "I wanted to have the baby. But I knew I couldn't give them the life they needed. I didn't want them to be raised by a manipulative, abusive father. I needed to fix my own life and become a better person before I brought any child into this world."

"You don't need fixing, Krystal," Ace said, taking her paw. "You're the strongest person I know."

"I appreciate you saying that," she said with a watery laugh, wiping her face. "But I did need to fix things, the way you did. I needed to learn to love myself again."

"What do you mean?" Ace asked, giving her nothing less than his undivided attention.

"What happened to me was not my fault," she said, squeezing his paw. "I made choices, yes, but I made them with the best intentions, and because I wanted to be happy. I wanted to feel loved and accepted, just like anyone else. And someone took advantage of that, to the point that I was manipulated and hurt in the process. That is not my fault." She looked up at him. "But no matter how many times I told myself that, it didn't make me feel less guilty. I still feel, logically that I made the best decision for myself and my unborn child, yet it still hurts."

She looked up at him. "That's what I saw in you - someone who keeps telling themselves it's not their fault, yet can't find it in their heart to believe it. I wanted to ask you what happened the first day we met, but I respected your wishes."

The lion-wolf nuzzled her. "Thank you. But after sharing something like that, I feel like I owe it to you to tell you why I reacted the way I did." He looked up at the sky, shifting a little as the cold air got to him, then decided to get to his feet, helping her up. "It's getting late, though. I'd like for both of us to be more comfortable. Do you want to come to my dorm, make some coffee, and talk?"

"Yes, please," the vixen said, leaning against his shoulder.

"Most people remember ... him... because he's an actor, but my mother was a well-known director. He'd starred in one of her films, she was one of the few people who could control him, when she was around to do it. Eventually they had me, and I spent my childhood years more or less growing up around movie sets."

He tilted the carafe, pouring more coffee into his mug and setting it aside. A sweetness accompanied the usual bitter scent of the brew, settling his nerves as he spoke. Across the table, Krystal had both hands around her mug, listening intently.

"It inspired me to want to work in film, knowing how everything came together to create a piece of media, but for some reason I didn't turn out 'right,' in the eyes of my father's side of the family. My mother couldn't be there for me, when I needed her, and the nanny she hired for me was the closest thing I had to a real mother - and she didn't come into my life until I was twelve, after we left my father." He paused, taking a sip, feeling like the hot drink had washed away the sour taste in his mouth from mentioning him.

"Those don't sound like ideal conditions for a child to grow up in, without the kind of nurturing needed," Krystal said. "But it sounds like your mother did love you."

He sighed, nodded. "Yeah. I know. I've accepted that she does, I just resent that she couldn't devote more time in showing it." Another pause lingered as he tried to pick out the best way to continue.

"The few times I ever told my mother about it, she believed I had misunderstood what he'd said. It was more the fact that my mother didn't notice it until years had gone by and she heard it directly from his mouth, that hurts the most; that I had to put up with so much of his vicious words before something was done. The extent of my recovery amounted to kicking him out and sending me to a therapist who kept encouraging me to tell myself that it wasn't my fault." He shook his head. "And I know it's not. But it's like you said, no matter how many times I say it to myself, I still feel awful about it. On some level, I feel like it's connected to why I am the way I am." He managed a smile. "Or used to be, before I met you."

The vixen smiled back. "It wasn't my intention to help. But I think we ended up helping each other. Go on."

He nodded, staring down into his mug. "I think the thing that stuck with me is what the bastard said when he finally left. He accused me of being the issue, the reason why things had gotten bad. 'Your birth robbed me of my wife,' was the way he put it."

Krystal frowned. "How? In what way was it ever your fault?"

"I don't know, honestly. Maybe because the person who mattered most to him was spending less time with him and focusing on raising me?" He shrugged. "My mother was happy with him. I saw that part of their relationship. And I think he was happy with her, too. With me being in the picture, I guess I can see how the attention shifted, and why she put more of herself into her work. And I guess somewhere down the line I just felt like I wasn't worth the effort, like there was nothing about me to value."

"You know that's not true," Krystal started to say.

"It doesn't matter if it is or not," Ace countered. "All that matters is how I felt, and how I feel now. I guess that's why I couldn't open up before."

The vixen said nothing for a few moments, getting out of her chair and sliding into the seat next to him. Ace stared at her, curious as to what she was doing, giving her his full attention when she spoke.

"One of the hardest things to do in life after dealing with so much pain, is to learn how to love yourself again - especially when it's something you struggle with by yourself." She took his paw, squeezing it. "You have to stop comparing your life to others, cut out the toxicity that weighs you down, and learn to trust your own judgment. When things don't go according to plan, you have to recognize that you can do everything life and still_fail, but that it's never a sign of you being weak. And I could tell you _all of these things - but it doesn't matter until you have an anchoring point."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, frowning.

"Friends and family to keep you grounded," she said. "People who value you for the person you are without feeding your ego; people who will point out your mistakes without condemning you for them."

He managed a smile. "Sounds a lot like you and Fabienne."

"It's supposed to. We're both here for you."

"I'm here for both of you, too," he said. "Even if I'm not at my best."

She blushed, touching his face. "Do you think I'd be in love with you if I didn't admire you for who you are, even when you aren't at your best? Because it doesn't seem to have stopped you when I'm not, either."

For a few moments Ace tried to think of something to say, knowing full well how he felt. But when he couldn't find the words he leaned forward only slightly, the vixen giving him a subtle nod. Pure warmth and contentment pulsed in his chest as they met in a kiss, and while it kept him from telling her how he felt about her, her reaction - how she met his kiss, how she leaned into his arms and chest, her steady breathing - was all he needed to know that she understood.

They parted and he pulled her in closer. "It won't be easy for us."

"No relationship ever is," Krystal agreed. "Every one of us in the world is hurting in some way. But - and this isn't the education talking - I believe that a little bit of love to bring out the best in us, is all we need to keep going in life. To move on from that past and be better people."

"Then I think I'd like to spend that life with you in it," Ace said, nuzzling her.

"So would I." She looked up into his eyes, smiling. "That being the case... perhaps that could start tonight."

He paused, a little stunned at her suggestion, yet it took only a moment for him to decide. "If we're both ready... then no sense in holding it off, right? Just be kind, it's the first time I've..."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," she told him, licking his chin.

The lick turned into a kiss, and while it was not the first one they'd shared there was something distinctly different about it. Behind every previous kiss there was a silent admission of growing love between them, something they didn't need to say; that they loved each other - at the moment. But behind this one, it almost felt to Ace like what was being said was that they would never stop. He held her close, ready to spend the rest of his life in that moment and be content, and stopped only when he felt the gentle press of her hand against his chest.

When it broke at last he got to his feet and brought her up with him, her paw in his as he guided her to his dorm room. Fabienne was at another friend's house - probably doing what we are, Ace thought to himself with a silent chuckle - and so they had the place to themselves, free and private. Still, he would have rather done it behind a locked door than in the common room, where even a passerby near the window could spot them. Tonight, he wanted this moment to be theirs alone. Once they'd gotten to the room he shut the door and locked it, before pressing the vixen up against the wall and kissing her again.

He broke off only to speak. "If... if this is too fast, or if I'm coming off as too pushy--"

"You know I'll tell you," she said, purring and starting to unbutton her blouse.

"Promise me."

"I promise," she said, nuzzling him. "The safe word is 'diving board.'" The couple laughed at the suggestion, but in such a way that Ace knew it was an agreement - they'd say it if anything went too far.

Half a year ago Ace would have considered the idea of being physically intimate with another person agreeable, but unlikely and unnecessary. To say he was unprepared would be untrue, as Fabienne had encouraged him to carry protection ever since Krystal had been going out with him; but it wasn't until recently that Ace had started to keep that protection within reach.

So as he kissed the vixen, lips trailing down her neck and collarbone while his hands felt up every inch of her exposed body, it only took a glance to the side to spot the rubbers on his nightstand, ready to be used at a moment's notice. Even as he peeled away more of her clothing, doing nothing to stop her from doing the same, he felt the need to take the initiative and grab a condom, more for her protection than his own. When at last she was reduced to only her undergarments, consisting of stunningly sexy lace, he finally reached out to take one - only for her hand to close around his wrist, stopping him short.

"It's okay," she purred. "Not for tonight."

"You're not worried?" Ace asked.

"I'm not. Not with you." She cupped his face, her smile sweet. "You've shown me who you are at your best and worst."

She brought his hand back to her, placing it on her breast and gasping as the lion-wolf began to massage both her tits. With little experience to draw from his touching was experimental, cautious, even a little gentler than he might have been otherwise; yet it was her voice, her whimpering and moaning that instilled confidence in him as the seconds wore on, letting him know he was doing well as far as she was concerned. A slight squeeze around the base of her mounds made her squirm and purr; a gentle pinch around her nipples made her gasp and arch her back. Hearing Krystal's genuine, vocal love for what he was doing to her made the few erotic videos Ace had watched in the past seem so fake, arousing him on a level that left his pants feeling tight.

"N-no more," she suddenly gasped, red faced. "Th-that was great, Ace."

"You're sure?" he asked, still concerned.

"Very sure. But... you're still overdressed for the occasion," she pointed out, smiling.

He backed away only a step, realizing she was right. All he had left on was a pair of black pants, now painfully tented by the erection he had worked up. His head swam at the idea of baring everything to her. Even though she had attended every one of his swim competitions and seen him in little more than a speedo and a swimming cap, she had never seen him completely nude. But as with nearly all moments of hesitation, it only took her warm smile to ease away his worries, and so he obliged, pulling off the last two pieces of his clothing and standing before her.

Her smile transitioned into a look of awe. "You're... wow."

He cleared his throat - she'd spoken before about his trained body in nothing short of admiration, but her reaction was more than he expected. "Is it... good?"

"It's amazing." She swallowed. "If I didn't know any better, I might actually be a little worried. You're..." She reached out, placing a hand on the throbbing pink shaft. "... Robust."

He shivered at her touch, watching as her hand caressed his lupine cock with what struck him as a sense of care and affection. It was the first time another person had put a hand on his cock, yet not at all unpleasant. Her fingers wrapped around the shaft and squeezed, pulling upward with a gentle stroke; a bead of precum pooled at the tip before breaking and trickling down the shaft, staining her paw, and in seconds the scent of the male lubricant permeated the air. He swallowed, able to see now what she meant by what she considered his impressive size - when compared to her hands and arms, it almost looked too big.

"I-if you want to stop--"

"Not at all," she said quickly, sitting up and pulling him in closer. "I'm curious to see if this will work."

If he'd had a second longer he would have asked what she meant, but she robbed both of them of the ability to speak when, in the next moment, her mouth slipped around the first inch of his cock, her tongue brushing the path where his bead of precum had leaked. A groan, pouring from what felt like the depths of his chest, poured out of his muzzle, the sensation so intense that he swayed on the spot, placing a hand on the wall to brace himself and remain standing. All the better, for she did not let him rest for a moment - she worked her tongue and muzzle around his shaft eagerly, purring around his girth and sending the barest yet most potent vibrations around it, humming against the nerves and sending warm waves through his loins.

Little by little her muzzle slid around more of his length, until it had reached halfway down his shaft. She pulled back, looking up at him for a moment before taking his hands and sitting him onto the edge of the bed, quickly getting to her knees and continuing to service his cock. Now her lips and tongue were moving well past the halfway mark, eliciting lewd slurping noises that Ace had never heard before.

The sensations became too much for Ace, the lion-wolf digging his claws into the bed. "H-hold on, Krystal, I'm--- gonna--"

He'd only just started to sit up when the first wave hit, his balls aching as a fresh load of cum gushed from the tip of his cock. The sheer ecstasy behind it was so intense that his back arched and he laid back down, gasping as he pumped a generous shot of spunk into the vixen's waiting muzzle - or so he had anticipated. While she did seem to take the first load against her tongue, she had easily slid every inch of his prick past her lips, making sure the second and third jet of seed went directly into her belly, before pulling back with a gasp, purring and stroking his cock.

It took nearly a minute for the lion-wolf to come down from the sexual high, shivering as he looked down at the vixen. "H-holy shit," Ace gasped, looking up at her. "That was..."

"I'm glad you liked it," she said, getting on the bed and sliding up next to him, giving him a little kiss on the cheek. "You still good for more?"

"Y-yeah!" he said, grinning. "I gotta get you, too, after all."

"You don't need to--"

But his mindset would not hear of it. Before she could protest any further he had flipped her on her back and spread her legs apart. What he hadn't expected was when he breathed in, getting thoroughly buffeted by the vixen's scent, an aroma that seemed naturally sweet and foreign to him. It spiked his arousal - and his concern.

" Are you in season?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

She stared up at him. "I wasn't sure before. But I am now."

"And you still want me to...?"

She swallowed but made no attempt to look away. "I want you to breed me."

On some level, somewhere in the back of his head, Ace knew he had already made his decision. There was no need to say it aloud, letting his actions speak instead by lowering his head and giving her supple netherlips a deep kiss. The vixen's reaction was immediate, her back arching and her cry ringing through the room as his hybrid tongue attacked the delicate nub at the top. He grabbed her thighs quickly, keeping them held open as he drilled his tongue deep into her folds, swirling along its inner walls and taking in the sweet taste of a fertile female. Every second he devoted toward pleasing her was another second he was breathing in her scent, spiking his arousal to the point where his cock, now at full mast and drooling like a hungry beast, was aching to sheath itself in her warm, vaginal depths.

After a few good minutes of thorough oral attention Ace pulled away from between the vixen's thighs. By now she was gasping, pawing at her own breasts and trembling violently from the stimulation he'd treated her to. Manners told him to give her a few moments to recover, that she'd better appreciate his cock when he gave it to her, provided she be allowed to come down from her sexual peak. It was this and his love for her that delayed his more primal urge to dive in and sate his own desires. He waited until her breathing had slowed down, her eyes becoming more focused as seconds passed. Once he was sure she'd calmed down at least a little bit, he picked her up in his arms.

"O-oh! That's-- you didn't need to do this," she purred, nuzzling into his neck.

"But I can, and I wanted to," he replied, nuzzling back and setting her in the bed properly.

He climbed atop and slid up against her, keeping his weight off her while nuzzling and kissing the vixen. By now his cock was throbbing painfully, slick with an extra veneer of precum as it oozed from the tip and down the underside, but no amount of pain was going to cause him to rush this; not when he was inexperienced and not when the woman he loved was at risk of being hurt by such recklessness. Instead he eased his prick along the surface of her belly, until his balls were pressed against her netherlips. Both of them looked down, and for a moment Ace balked at the clear indication of just how deep his cock would penetrate her - it almost seemed impossible.

He met her eyes and she nodded, smiling. "You're much bigger than he was, but I know it'll fit." Her hand cupped his face. "Whenever you're ready, go at your own pace."

If it were anybody else he was certain his nerve would fail him; but then, if it were anybody else their relationship would never have bloomed and gotten so far. She would never judge him harshly, or be dishonest about how she felt or what she thought, and it was in this way he knew she trusted him not to hurt her. Her eyes told him what he'd learned about himself through being with her, that everything he was now was what he'd always been, revealed by the vixen over time - that she brought out the best in him, just as he did for her.

So when he drew back and pressed the head of his cock against her folds, he was certain he would be able to give her the best he could.

He slid in so easily, gliding past her swollen folds with a groan and a shiver. The warmth of her velvet depths were beyond what he had imagined, a far cry from lonely nights with a pair of hands. The gentle twitches and suckles of her inner walls flexing and squeezing around his cock were amazing, a suction-like sensation almost drawing in his flesh deeper, until his length could go no further, his heavy balls pressed firmly against her ass. Her back arched and her moan rang out through the room like a song of bliss, her lower body flexing and rising up to meet his loins, until her netherlips were kissing his thick sheath and his cock was pressed ever so gently against the entrance to her womb, threatening to flood it in the minutes to come.

It took all his willpower to stay calm, though having cum once in the vixen's muzzle meant he could keep up for a while, meager a shot as it had been. Once he was adjusted he drew his hips back, shuddering at how the gnawing interior of Krystal's inner walls tried to slow his retreat, until half his length had been drawn out, then re-sheathed himself in her warmth, beginning a steady pace. His head swam as it tried to process all the raw emotions and intense sensations he was feeling, love and lust dizzying him while the heat and ecstasy that seemed to originate along his prick seemed to run through every nerve in his body. Desperate to hold out for the first time in having sex with a woman - no, mating with a woman, he thought to himself - he drew on the focus he'd developed through years of swimming athleticism, pulling himself out of the haze of sensations just enough to prevent his pace and form from faltering.

A series of strained growls and grunts poured from him as he worked his hips like a piston, hammering his cock into her depths repeatedly, his ears alert for any change in her voice to indicate pain. Her voice did not waver, as she gasped and moaned his name, wrapping her arms around his chest while her thighs squeezed around his hips, making it clear he was doing everything she wanted him to do, and more. Between the kisses and nips she gave to his neck and shoulders, the dull claws digging into his back-fur, and the ever-tightening grip of her inner walls each time he buried himself in her cleft, he was certain he was doing everything right.

"W-wait, slow down!" she cried out suddenly.

It was all it took for him to comply as he let out a slightly worried, wolfish whine almost unconsciously. "Are you okay?" he asked quickly.

"I-I'm so good right now," she mewled. "I just-- I know you're not close enough yet, and I wanted to cum with you... just give me... give me a moment, a little slower."

He smiled and obliged, keeping his thrusts gentle and smooth, savoring the feel of her around his cock. "I understand. I hope I'm doing alright."

"You're a natural," she purred, licking his nose. "You'd better be careful, though - I might enjoy it too much and give you more pups that you can handle."

"You really see a life with me, then?" he asked, feeling a painful pang of elation in his chest.

"I do," she said, touching her nose with his. "And by 'I do,' I mean 'I'll be using those words much later, I'll bet.'"

He grinned and leaned in to kiss her once more. All fatigue and haze seemed to clear at her admission, a firm feeling of confidence building in him - whatever the future held, he felt certain all would be well.

"I love you, Krystal," he whispered.

"I love you too, Aleksander," she whispered back.

The ache in his balls had all but been forgotten, and yet when he resumed his pace and redoubled it, ache did nothing to slow him down or speed him up. To him, it was a burden he'd bear gladly, to hold on to that ache until both he and his mate could savor it at the same moment. His hands slid up her arms and pinned her down, palm to palm with entwined fingers, as he gave into his rut and ravished the vixen with heavy, long strokes. She did not slacken her own efforts, raising her hips to meet his, offering her womb to him both with her body and her voice. She spoke no coherent words, merely moans and mewls that professed her love for him again and again, offering what few words and assurances her body could not say. Every thrust brought his balls clapping against her ass, sending a jolt through his loins; every motion in pulling away caused her inner walls to grip around him, giving even her slick, velvet walls a delicious friction that stoked the heat between them; enough that the knot at Ace's cock-base had bloomed to full size.

The apex was heralded by Krystal's choked cry, her eyes widening as her body went limp and seemed to lose control. The sudden release of her tightness around his girth made his final thrust easier, Ace letting out a surprised gasp as his knot slipped firmly into place behind her netherlips. The vixen's cry returned, her back arching as Ace locked his knot where it belonged, her body seizing up and trembling such that her pussy seemed to flutter around his thickness, eager to milk his seed. With no way to pull away from her heated depths, and no willingness to hold back any longer, Ace let out a strained snarl and pushed hard against her loins, releasing all he had.

The load that followed had to be the largest Ace had ever known, even though he would never see all of it; but he certainly felt it, the tight feeling of his balls and prostate channeling his load through his cum-vein, blasting from his tip and flooding his mate's womb in seconds. With her pussy milking his cock, and his cock pulsing as each rich jet of seed funneled through it, it took only a few seconds for him to feel it breach the seal of his knot and splatter against his balls, just as the vixen writhed beneath him and let out a brief splash of nectar against his sheath. Their bodies shook and held each other as they suffered through each other's sexual release, their moans and gasps muffled only by each others' lips until the bliss ebbed away into a deeply warm glow between them.

He rolled off of her with a groan, connected to her only by his knot, carefully rolling her on top of him so she could recover without his weight bearing down on her. The rare sound of a deep, almost guttural purr rumbled in his chest, the lion-wolf hybrid feeling complete contentment with everything in that moment. Over the minutes their breathing went back to normal, their heart-rates easing until they were both calm, but still that glow remained.

He opened his eyes, staring into the eyes of his vixen lover and processing everything that had happened, the implications of what they had done - and he found he had no regrets.

It hadn't been an easy road, just as both of them had suspected. There were bumps and holes as the path began; parts of the road ahead that needed to be smoothed out; bridges that needed to be mended; and an uncertain destination. But looking back over a year later, it was clear the road had been easier to travel on with two people traveling it together, with little in the way of detours.

They were enjoying one such "detour" now, Ace holding Krystal from behind as she rode his lap, chirping and moaning every time his cock slid through her pussy. He had picked up a few new tricks in the time they'd spent in bed, some of them more important than others as it took pressure off of her swollen belly. Even now, one of his hands supported the swell with a gentle press, keeping the vixen upright while ensuring it occupant was not disturbed.

"Getting close," he groaned.

"Yes... please cum in me!"

It was easier now than it had been before, sliding his knot past her netherlips with a pleasant amount of resistance, her inner walls still tight and strong enough to bear down around his length, the rippling tunnel accepting another fresh load of lion/wolf seed. The pair shivered, riding out the ecstasy of their climaxes until they simmered away, leaving them warm and relaxed.

A chirp drew their attention to the window, where the first shafts of sunlight had shown. Krystal settled into the lion-wolf's chest, leaning against him with a pleasant sigh. "That felt nice," she purred. "I'm sorry for the early wake-up call, but ever since I started getting like this..."

He chuckled and kissed her cheek, rubbing her belly. "You won't hear me complaining. It's a fun way to rise and shine."

"For both of us." She leaned back, turning to kiss his cheek.

Ace toyed with her stomach a little more, hesitating as a question built in him. "Hey... I wanted to run an idea by you."

"Anything, love."

"I'm thinking about taking a trip to California. And I want you to come with me, to meet my mother."

The vixen turned again, giving him a surprise look. "You do?"

"I do," he said, smiling. "I want to mend that bridge. And I think she would want to know she'll be a grandmother soon."

Krystal smiled back, nuzzling him. "Then that's what we'll do."

"Good," Ace sighed, holding her close. "I'd like her to meet the woman that brought out the best in me."