FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A week and a half passed with sparse text messages and a couple of calls between Mitch and Marco. Mitch's classes had gotten more intense, and Marco was working longer hours to cover for Pete while he took vacation. It was to Marco's surprise that he got a flurry of texts one Tuesday morning, all seeming cheerful.

"Hey! Sorry I've been so quiet the last couple days, I had a monster of an essay due." "Miss you! We should get together and do something soon!" "What are you doing Friday night?"

Marco checked the calendar on his phone, hurriedly scrolling through his schedule. Yes! He typed a quick message to the husky, smiling fondly. "Hey! Good to hear from you. It looks like I'm finally free that night. Did you have something in mind?"

A few minutes passed before the older dog's phone chimed again. "The dance studio is having a group lesson that's open to the public. You should join me! Pete's going to be there, too." "Please come! I really want to see you dance! It's salsa night!"

Marco hesitated, his hands trembling. I haven't danced since Saul and I got... The dog shook his head and blew a snort of air out of his nose. No! You're not letting him take dancing away from you, too. He's taken enough as it is. But still... do I even remember how to -- His phone chimed again.

"Sorry, if you're not feeling it we can do something else. I didn't mean to make it weird."

Marco's thumbs tapped out a swift reply. "You don't need to be sorry! I was just thinking. I'd love to go dancing with you. Shoot me the address, and don't be too mad if I step on your toes a bit. I'm rusty."

"Great! I'm super excited now! " "Here's the address..."

The older dog used GPS to locate the place and found it was about 20 minutes from his condo. His phone chimed once more.

"Oh, wear something nice! I'm taking you out afterward. No excuses! We're gonna have a blast!"

"Where are we going?"

Marco's phone started ringing. Mitch had called instead of texting. Grinning, but not wanting to seem too eager, the dog picked up on the third ring. "Olá, meu anjo. How are you?"

"Hey! I thought this might be easier than texting." Marco could hear the smile in the young husky's voice. "I want where we're going to be a surprise, so I'm not telling! And I'm paying this time, you deserve to be treated too. And no arguing about it either!" The older dog swallowed his words and smiled, tail wagging slowly. Wow. I haven't been treated to a date in... God, not even Saul. "But yeah, dress nice. A button-up shirt and something you can dance in should be great. I'm gonna keep you up all night!"

Marco flushed bright red at that statement. "M-Mitch! You can't just say it like that, it sounds indecent!"

The husky replied in a sultry voice. "I know. That's half the fun. All I'll tell you is that I meant what I said. You can figure out the rest."

Ulp!

Marco swallowed hard. "Y-y-you better be careful, pup. I'm not s-scared of a good time."

"Say that again without stuttering, babe." Mitch cackled on the other end of the line. "Okay, that's enough teasing. I'll let you go; I need to get lunch. Can I call you again tomorrow? I'd like to chat for longer, if you're free."

"O-oh." A touch of disappointment tinged the older dog's voice. "Um, I don't go in until four tomorrow. Can you call before then?"

"Aw, don't be sad. I promise we'll talk more tomorrow. I get out of class at noon, so I'll call after lunch. How about one?"

Marco's tail sped up again. "Yes! Thank you for making plans, I appreciate that. Ah, and one question..."

"Mhm?"

"D-did you call me 'babe'?"

"O-oh, that!" The husky sounded slightly embarrassed. "Well, yeah, I did. You've already got this great pet name for me, so I figured... is it alright if I call you that? Sorry, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything."

"It's fine! No, really. You don't have to apologize. It's, er... cute! I like it. I was just surprised, I guess."

A few long seconds of silence stretched between them before he could hear a growl over the line. "Ahaha, shit, sorry. I really need to get something to eat before I pass out. Later... babe!" With a beep, the call ended.

Marco lowered his phone, the small black rectangle dwarfed in his massive paw. Babe, huh? I guess things are going better than I expected. I hope I can keep that up.

The days passed quickly, and before he knew it, it was Friday, and he was getting dressed to leave. Hrm. I really need to buy some fresh shirts. This one's so tight. I've really let myself go... He poked at himself a few times beneath the taut, wine-colored shirt before sighing. Well, at least I look good in red, I suppose. Should I wear a tie? Probably not... I'll bring one in the car, just in case. Marco's phone chimed, and a message from Mitch popped up to remind him of the dance studio's address. He texted the husky back to say he'd be leaving in a few minutes, then looked at himself in the mirror. Fussing with his fur one more time, he hesitated a moment before giving himself a quick spritz of cologne. That'll have to do. Well, here goes nothing!

The drive to the studio was a brief one; with unusually light traffic, he made it earlier than he expected. Stepping out, he walked into the building and was greeted by an energetic, younger female mink.

"Hi! My goodness, you're a big one! Are you here for our group lesson tonight?"

"Ah... yes, I'm afraid I am a bit out of shape, aren't I?" Marco put a paw behind his head and chuckled while the mink looked confused. "Yes, yes, I suppose I am here for the group lesson. Do I need to sign in, or..."

"Uh, no, you're good. Out of shape...?" She whispered that last part under her breath, so softly that Marco barely heard her. He looked puzzled as she stared at him in silence, before he finally cleared his throat and she shook her head. "Oh! Sorry, got lost in the ozone there. No, no, no sign in sheet. I just need your thirty dollar cover fee, we take cash or check. No cards, I'm afraid, but there's an ATM across the street if you need it."

Marco flinched. "O-oh, sorry. Mitch didn't mention anything about a cover fee. I'll be right back, I need to -- "

"Wait-wait-wait! You're Marco?!" Her eyes lit up, and she bounced on her heels a few times.

"Y-yes?"

"Oh, good! He's been so nervous about asking you to come; he wasn't sure if you would. He's in here every Friday practicing, you know. I feel like I know you already, he's told us so much about you! He really wasn't kidding, either. Damn, I guess I won't get to dance with you, then..." The mink smiled. "Well, my name's Emily, I'm one of the instructors here. Do you have any experience dancing?"

"Oh! Yes, ma'am, I do. Or, I used to..." His smile quivered so slightly that Emily didn't notice; she just looked at him expectantly as his voice trailed off. "Sorry. It's been a long, long time. My favorites used to be the tango and the salsa. I learned them when I was young, but I haven't danced since my wedding rehearsal -- " Marco choked, sputtering and coughing. Memories flooded his mind, and he shook his head to clear it. "E-excuse me, sorry..."

"You're fine, you're fine! Mitch didn't mention you were married, that's a bit of a surprise. The way he talked, it sounded like you were single."

The older dog looked down at his feet, ears flattening back and tail drooping. "Er, well, I-I... I am single, actually. Sorry, I don't talk about what happened much. He couldn't have told you, he doesn't know."

Emily blinked a few times, then smiled gently. She put a paw on Marco's elbow and rubbed it softly. "I'm sorry, then. I didn't know it was a sore subject. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." Letting him go, she smiled. "Well, at least you're in luck! Tonight we're teaching salsa, it'll be a great way to get back into the groove! I do hope you'll have fun. We'd love to have more people joining us."

"Thank you, ma'am. Ah, it's getting close to time. I should really get to that ATM -- "

"It's Emily." The mink said firmly, though still with a smile. "And don't you go anywhere. Mitch already took care of your fee."

"H-he did?" Marco's eyes widened, and his tail waved jauntily behind him.

"Cute... I mean, yes! He took care of everything during his lesson yesterday. You're all set. Sorry I didn't mention it earlier, I got distracted when I found out you were THE Marco he's been telling us about." She flounced off towards a back room, calling over her shoulder. "Have a seat! It's about ten till, everyone else should be here soon."

Marco did as instructed, sitting at a table near the dance floor. A minute after that, a pair of aged female chihuahuas came in the door, greeting Emily in heavily accented English. They spoke in rapid Spanish to each other, and Marco could pick out the occasional word or phrase where it came close to his own language. When they rounded the corner and finally spotted him, their eyes went wide, and they started talking so fast that he couldn't make heads or tails of the conversation. The only word he recognized was one they repeated frequently: "Grande!" He smiled and waved timidly at them, causing them to lower their eyes and bat their eyelashes at him. Flushing, he chuckled and looked away.

The next person through the door was a short, muscular brown weasel. Marco's ears perked up. "Pete! You're here!"

"Hey, man! You made it!" Marco's friend grinned toothily, and bounded over to sit next to him. "Damn, you are lookin' fine tonight!"

"Oh, hush. I already know you're not interested." The older dog waved a hand dismissively, then looked about before leaning over. "But... do I really look alright? I've gotten fat, this shirt was so tight I could barely button it."

Pete raised an eyebrow. "Dude, if you call that getting fat, then I wanna go on whatever diet you're on." Rolling his eyes, he punched his friend on the shoulder. "I meant it before. You look great! That little husky's gonna lose his mind, I guarantee it. Speaking of him, has he shown up yet?"

"No, not yet, he --" Marco's voice cut off abruptly as Mitch walked through the door.

Dressed in a light blue satin shirt and black slacks, the young husky stepped into the building. The shirt set off his steel-colored eyes, and Marco thought it was stunning against his gray and white fur. Mitch poked his head into the office to talk to Emily, and the mountain dog couldn't help but trace the husky's confident, straight silhouette with his eyes, lingering over his shoulders, down to his tapering waist, and just below that, peeking out beneath his curly tail... Oh, damn...

"Hey! Earth to Marco!" Pete bopped his friend on the nose, causing him to snort and flinch. When Marco looked at the weasel, a wicked grin was plastered all over his face. "Oh yeah. You've got it BAD, man. Geez, I thought I was thirsty. That look alone should've been rated R for adult content."

"Sh-shut up! Is..." He let out a tense breath. "Is it that obvious?" Marco blushed and looked down at his paws, clasping them together and fidgeting with them.

"You looked like a guy who hasn't eaten in weeks got a steak dropped in front of him. You gotta make a move, man! I'm tellin' you, he's ready for it. Little dude won't shut up about you, it's adorable."

"I --" The older dog got cut off as he heard his name from down the hall.

"Marco!" The husky bounced up to the table, wrapping an arm around Marco's broad shoulders and giving him a squeeze. "You came! I'm so excited! You ready to dance?"

"H-hey! Sim, I mean, y-yes, I can't wait!" The older dog checked his watch. "I guess it's a little past time?"

"Oh, yeah, my bad. I was just checking in with Emily. She said you already know how to dance? I didn't know that."

"Well... it has been some years since I went dancing. Formally, anyway. I'm not sure how much I remember."

"It'll be fun, I promise. Now come on! Let's get on the floor." Mitch offered Marco his paw and pulled him up to stand. When Marco did, the shorter husky was right at eye level with his chest. "Oh, wow. That shirt is... tight..." Mitch stared much like Emily had when the older dog had first walked in.

"A-ah, I was worried. I haven't been shopping for new clothes in a while. I've gotten a little chubby, I guess, I -- oh! That tickles!"

Mitch started poking him all over his chest and abdomen. "Yeah, no. Shut up about chubby. You're more solid than a block of granite. I bet I could grate cheese on your abs..."

"What?"

"Nothing. Just... you're really hard on yourself, you know that? For the life of me, I'll never understand why. It's honestly the only unattractive thing about you." Stretching up, he kissed Marco on the cheek; just a quick peck. "Come on, now. They're waiting on us."

Marco glanced over and saw everyone was already on the floor. Mumbling an apology, he let Mitch drag him over to the dance floor. Emily smiled reassuringly and nodded. "All right! Now that we're all ready, let's get started! Figure out who your lead is, and get ready to dance!"

Mitch grinned up at Marco. "I'm like, way shorter than you are. Would you lead for now? Pretty please?" He batted his eyelashes at the older dog, but his smirk never faltered.

"Haah... yes, of course. I'll try not to step on you." Marco felt his heart flutter in time to the husky's eyes, and it skipped a beat when Mitch's already wide smile grew even wider. His eyes sparkled as Marco took his paws, and when the music came on, his hips swayed and his feet started tapping. My God, just look at him. He's beautiful, and I'm -- No! Don't let Saul get to you. He's an asshole, and he's in the past. Just focus on Mitch, and -- Shit! We're starting!

"Okay, everyone! We're going to start with some basic steps. Feel free to move on to something more advanced if you're ready, but make sure your partner is ready too! Your connection to your partner is always important. Press your paws together by leaning in with your body, until you feel them press back against you..."

Beginning to remember, Marco leaned forward and gently pressed the back of his paw against Mitch's palm, and felt him do the same. An electric tingle shot down his spine as Mitch never looked away from his eyes, toothy smile never changing. The sound of Emily's voice faded away, and the music flooded his ears. Heart pounding, he led Mitch through some basic forward-and-back steps, then added a few turns. Confidence growing, he led the young husky across, then twirled him as he stepped back. They moved gracefully together, and when the next, faster song came on, he sped up too. Forward and back, across and under, they flowed together, and when the last song ended, they stood close to each other, panting a little, a small sweat stain showing on Marco's chest.

"Wow! You guys!" Emily bounded across the floor to stand next to them. "You did great! Marco, you really did a great job tonight! I'm so happy to see you getting into it!"

"Heh... thank you. That was fun!" Marco turned his head to face the husky again, and realized he'd never let go of his paws. Suddenly embarrassed, he let go of Mitch. "Ah, s-sorry, I didn't mean to hold on to you for that long."

Emily flounced off to talk to the other dancers as Mitch reached out to grab Marco's paws once more. Bringing one to his lips, he kissed it, sending a shiver across Marco's back. "Don't be sorry. I enjoy holding hands with you." He looked up at the older dog, and they slowly leaned closer and closer to each other, tension building, until --

"Just freakin' kiss already! Damn!" Pete hollered from across the room. The older chihuahuas were giggling and even Emily was struggling to hide a smile.

Mitch shot a withering glare at the weasel, while Marco turned so red the inside of his ears were practically purple. "Shut up, Pete! We were getting there." The husky shouted and stuck out his tongue at Pete, who cackled with laughter.

"W-we were?" Marco whispered into Mitch's ear.

"Right. Before we were so rudely interrupted... I had a great time tonight... babe." Placing his paws on either side of Marco's cheeks, he clasped him in place as he planted a kiss on Marco's lips.

The older dog's eyes went wide with shock. It was one thing in front of a small group of people he'd mostly gotten to know, but aside from Pete, he didn't know anyone here. Then, Mitch forced his tongue into Marco's muzzle, and he gave up all resistance. His eyes fluttered shut, and he couldn't help but let a small moan escape his throat. Pulling apart, the older dog panted breathlessly, and was pleased to see that Mitch was similarly affected.

"Yeah! Now go get a room!" Pete crowed. The older ladies were smiling and averting their eyes, and Emily looked pleased but frazzled.

"Y-yes, I think that's all for tonight's lesson. Thank you all for coming! I hope to see you all again next week." Emily tugged at her collar and meandered back to her office.

Mitch caressed Marco's cheek. "What do you say we get out of here? Emily gave me permission to park my car here, so we can go together to the next spot."

"I'd like that, meu anjo."

Marco saw the husky shiver as a slow grin spread across his muzzle. "Man, I love it when you call me that. Come on, let's go!"

They got into Marco's SUV, and Mitch tapped an address into the GPS. They drove for a little more than a half an hour, eventually ending up on the other side of downtown. Pulling into a parking lot that Mitch pointed out, they got out and walked up to a square brick building that had a thumping bass line pulsing from the blacked-out windows.

"Mitch? Where are we?" Marco asked, folding his paws together, ears going back.

"It's called Rainbow After Dark! It's the hottest gay club in the city. Um... you okay? You look nervous."

Marco swallowed, then nodded slowly. "I thought it looked familiar. I did security here a few times. Never imagined myself going in, it's not really my scene."

Mitch grabbed one of the older dog's paws between his own and squeezed hard. "You'll be fine, babe. Trust me, you'll love it. And if you're still skittish, the drinks here are really, really strong. Hah! Come on, big guy!" The young husky's eyes sparkled, causing Marco's heart to speed up in his chest, and Mitch tugged him along to the door.

"ID's?" A gruff boxer that was shorter than Marco, but almost as muscular, took their ID's and looked them over, running them under a blacklight. "You two are good. Cover's fifteen dollars, cash or card. You can pay inside, it'll be on your right." Then, the boxer reached out and ruffled Mitch's hair. "Good to see you back, cutie -- Woah!"

Marco's upper lip had curled back in a snarl, and a low, quiet growl could just barely floated over the pulsating music. Mitch looked up at the older dog and thumped him in the chest. "Stop, you're scaring Beau! He's a sweetheart, and besides, I'm here with you. I'm not even going to dance with anyone else tonight."

"Really? You're not?" The boxer looked at Mitch a little strange. "You finally settling down, then? Never took you to be the one-man only type of guy -- Yipe!" Beau yelped as Mitch stomped on his foot, a smile glued to his face.

"Shut. Up. And..." Mitch looked up at Marco and averted his eyes shyly. "...so what if I am, huh?"

"Wow. I mean, great! That's great..." Beau looked a little crestfallen, but finally opened the door for them. "H-have a good night, you two. Mitch, I'll uh, text you."

"That's cool, Beau. Thanks!" Mitch seized Marco's paw again and dragged him into the club. Inside, there was a bit of a line to pay the cover fee, so they stood and waited for their turn.

Marco leaned down to speak in Mitch's ear. "So, ah, was that a friend of yours?"

"We used to hook up. He wanted something more, though, and I wasn't ready, so I broke it off. We're still friends, though." Mitch shrugged and stepped forward with the line.

"I see... and, um... w-what are you looking for now?" Marco hesitated and tripped over his words, almost afraid of the answer.

Mitch sighed. "I... I don't know. I thought you were just going to be a fun fling, but here we are, on our third date, and I think -- oop, line's moving." A few more steps forward, and another sigh. "I dunno, man, I really like you. We've got a good thing going, I thought, and I just don't want to label it yet. Can we talk about this later? I just want to have fun and dance with you some more. Please?"

"All right, but... I would like to talk about this some more. Can we do that?" Marco's heart was pounding in his chest, drowning out the bass line issuing from the speakers.

But, much to his surprise and delight, Mitch turned to face him, stretched up, and gave him a smooch. "Mmm... I promise, we'll talk about this later, stud."

"S-stud? What --"

"Oh, look, we're next! Come on!"

Mitch hopped up to the counter and handed a couple of bills to the slender young vixen behind the counter. She handed him back a pair of wristbands that glowed electric green under the blacklights in the club. Pulling Marco away from the counter, the young husky grabbed his wrist and snapped the band closed around it. He used the largest sizing on it, and it was still a tight fit. He dexterously snapped his own on, then grabbed a pawful of Marco's shirt and dragged his ear down to his muzzle, causing the fur on the back of the older dog's neck to stand on end and his face to heat up. "Well, what do you want to drink?"

"I... I don't drink much, anymore. Anything you'd suggest?"

Mitch beamed. "Yeah! I'll get you what I always get. Just wait here!" Elbowing his way to the bar, he flagged down a bartender and shouted something at him. In a few minutes, he returned with a pair of pink-orange cocktails in his paws, each garnished with an orange slice and a cherry. "Bottoms up!" he cried, handing one glass to Marco.

"What is this?" He sniffed the drink, and a scent of citrus, rum, and something else he couldn't quite identify played in his snout.

"It's a hurricane!" Mitch replied, his own drink already half gone. "They're delicious, and they make 'em strong as hell! It'll loosen you up, go on!"

"O-okay..." Tentatively, he took a sip of the drink, and his eyes widened. He coughed, looked sideways at the drink, and slammed the rest of it back. Gasping a little, he eyed his date wildly. "Hah! That was great! You were right, though, I could really taste the rum."

"That's what makes it my favorite!" Mitch swallowed the last few gulps of his own drink, and they set their empty glasses on a nearby table. "Do you want another, or do you want to dance?"

"M-maybe just one more?"

One more turned into two, then three over the course of a couple of hours, the pair slowing down but still drinking fast. Mitch seemed to get into the groove of the music, and he stood by the table, bouncing on his feet and swaying his hips and tail in time to the beat. Marco watched him, tapping his foot in time as well, his face and ears flushed from the alcohol and the heat of the packed club. As midnight rolled around, he finally found his nerve. Stepping up silently behind Mitch, he grabbed him by the hips, causing the young husky to squeak delightedly, and in a low growl, he whispered...

"Let's dance."

Mitch gleefully led him by the paws onto the dance floor, and the pair started rocking back and forth to the beat. Marco took a moment to find his rhythm, but soon he was swaying back and forth with Mitch, his paws on the young husky's hips. Mitch wiggled in his grasp, but his smile only widened, and he stepped forward to grind their hips together, causing the older dog to jump in shock.

Emboldened by the drinks they'd been having, Marco's inhibitions seemed long gone. He pressed forward, grinding back against the young husky. His nerves were on fire, and as Mitch ran his paws up and down Marco's sides, electric jolts coursed down his spine, causing him to shiver. The song blended seamlessly into the next, and Marco took the opportunity to spin Mitch around, pressing himself against the husky's fluffy tail. They continued to bump and grind against each other, song after song, enjoying the touch of each other's bodies, until...

Mitch pressed his back against Marco's chest, looking up at his face. He panted as they swayed side to side, Marco's eyes never leaving his. Slowly, they came to a stop, their chests heaving.

For the first time, Marco was the one who kissed Mitch. He swiftly brought their lips together, one paw to the young husky's chest and one on his flat stomach, squeezing him tight and close. Mitch felt the heat radiating off the older dog, almost like a furnace, and it made him heat up as well. Marco slipped his tongue into Mitch's eager muzzle, and brushed against his teeth before tangling his tongue with Mitch's. The dance floor seemed to disappear, and they stood alone together, locked in an embrace, feeling nothing but each other and the thump of the bass. When they broke apart, they were still panting, but it had nothing to do with dancing anymore.

Mitch led Marco from the dance floor and grabbed his chin to whisper in his ear. "C-can we go to your place? Please?"

Blinking, ears folded back and eyes wide, he stared at Mitch for a minute. Then, almost automatically, he gave a one-word reply.

"Sure."

Both still tipsy, they ordered another drink while waiting for their ride. Marco ordered it from his phone, refusing to let Mitch pay for that. They got two drinks each down before it arrived, and by the time they got to Marco's condo, they were stumbling a little and slurring their words. Marco unlocked the door and went in first to turn on the light, then turned back to Mitch. "Wull, this is it. This's my place. You, uh, you can come in if you -- Oop!"

Mitch launched himself at Marco, kicking the door closed with his foot. He pulled the older dog into a wet, sloppy kiss, tongue lashing against his mouth. Marco kneaded his large paws into the husky's lower back, and inhaled deeply as they made out with a passion.

Mitch then did something that caused Marco to freeze. He reached up with his paws and started to unbutton Marco's wine-red shirt.

"M-meu anjo, I... what are you doing?"

"I just want to look at you. Is that... is that okay?" Mitch stopped, paws dropping to his sides and looking down with shame. "God, I'm sorry, I didn't want to treat you like another one of my hook-ups, and here I am already. I didn't even ask you if you wanted to do this. Just forget it, we can go sit and -- "

Hesitantly, with trembling paws, Marco took hold of the next button, and gently undid it. Now half unbuttoned, he exposed his chest and the top of his abdomen, showing off the firm muscle beneath the long, tan fur. Still shaking, he grabbed Mitch's paw and brought it flat against his chest, pressing it against himself. "I-it's all right. It's all right, if it's you. I think... I really think I can trust you. I can trust you, right, Mitch?"

"O-of course! I want this, but... I want more, too. So much more..." Licking his chops, he stared hungrily at the beefy dog in front of him. Deftly undoing the rest of the buttons, he slid the shirt off of Marco, and then stepped back, staring at the sculpted muscles beneath long, fluffy fur. "Holy shit, Marco. What the hell?"

Marco flinched. "Is that bad, or good?"

Slowly, gingerly, Mitch raised a paw and brought it up to Marco's chest, hesitating before making contact. "It's good. Really, fantastically good. I mean, damn! Can I... Is it all right if I, um, touch you?"

"J-just... can we keep it above the waist for tonight? Please?"

"Okay. No pressure. If you want me to stop, just say something, yeah?"

Marco said nothing, only nodding slowly. Mitch brought his other paw up and dug his fingers into the thick fur over the older dog's pecs. He gave them a rub, then squeezed a pawful of each one, an act that caused Marco to shudder and groan. "Sorry, is that bad?"

Looking down, Marco gave the husky a warm, drunken smile. "No, pup. It's good. Very good. D-do it again, please?"

Pup, huh? Mitch smiled as his brain went all fuzzy, and he complied, causing Marco to roll his head back and groan again. He massaged him for a few minutes, then roamed down to his sculpted ab muscles. "Geez, I can't imagine how much you work out to maintain all this. How often are you at the gym?" Mitch tickled his claws through Marco's fur, gently grazing the skin underneath.

"F-four d-days a w-week..." The older dog shivered under Mitch's caress. "God, I haven't been touched like this since... since..." Marco's face fell, and his eyes grew shiny and tearful.

"Shit! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!" Mitch yanked his paws away. "I'm sorry, please tell me what I did. I didn't mean to, I swear, I --"

"Anjo, no, it's... i-it's not you. You did nothing wrong. This is me. It's all my stupid fault." Sniffling, he roamed around to the couch and flopped onto it, resting his head in his paws. "I can call you a taxi in the morning when you're sober to take you to your car. You don't have to deal with this, I'm sorry..."

Mitch scampered over to where Marco was sitting and took a spot right next to him. Putting a paw on his back, he rubbed in large circles across the older dog's shoulders. "You're right, I don't have to deal with this, but y'know... I really want to. Let me be here for you, please? I can tell something is bothering you, and it has been ever since we started hanging out. But I can't deal with something you won't tell me about. You asked me if I could trust you, and when I said yes, I meant it. But that goes for more than just physical stuff. Will you tell me what's on your mind? Please?"

Marco looked down at the husky tearfully. Streaks of wet fur trailed down from his eyes, and they were red and puffy. Taking a long, shuddery breath, he leaned back and stared up at the ceiling.

"His name..."

"His name was Saul..."

Saul...

...