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Okay. FANG Vol 4 looks like it's in eternal limbo, so I'm posting this here for y'all to enjoy. Keep an eye out over the next week or so for updates!

The Rule of Four

© 02/14/2011 by Lycanthromancer

First Step:

One's Alone

Rubric's red-brown eyes stared west, out over the moonlit ocean; the silver-edged waves rolled onto the sand, but he hardly saw them.

I'm such a coward, he thought, and he wished he wasn't.

Here he was, a senior in high school, sitting out prom alone on a big flat rock. And for what? Because he was too chicken to come out of the closet and ask a guy for a date. And almost as bad, he had no idea who he would've invited, even if he had the guts to do it.

On the one hand there was Jaron, a Tasmanian devil and his best friend since grade-school, but the red panda was fairly sure he was straight. Or at least, the devil had never shown interest in anyone but his friends. He couldn't quite imagine the tough-as-nails jock, whose father was serving back-to-back life sentences in the state pen, batting for his team...though he wished he could. Other than the torch Rube carried for him, they'd always had a platonic (if close) relationship, and as much as it hurt sometimes, he'd rather have Jaron's friendship than risk it by pushing for something the devil didn't want.

And who knew what the guy thought about homosexuality? He regularly beat the hell out of bullies and, occasionally, people who pissed him off. They were best friends, but sometimes that didn't mean much. Rubric had read stories by other gays who'd come out to friends and family and had negative -- even violent -- reactions from people they'd trusted, and Jare had one hell of a temper. The idea of losing him like that...well...it scared him.

Sure, he could've asked innocuous questions, feeling out how Jaron felt before outing himself. But the idea of asking his best friend for a date just felt so...awkward.

On the other hand were the twin rabbits, Rasputin and Charles, though they went by Raz and Chaz (and people who forgot that fact regretted it more often than not). The two lop-eared pranksters, true to their lagomorphic temperaments, were well-known for their shared exploits amongst the female population of Hendrix High. And then there were the unsubstantiated rumors about their having double-teamed several male members of the school soccer squad. He could've asked one or the other of them out, but again, the idea of asking his friends for a date would be weird, and even -- especially -- if the rumors were true, he'd just be another notch on their bedposts.

Sure, he was their friend, and he crushed on them more than a little, but how far could he trust them and their libidos? Given some of the stories floating around school, probably not very.

And beyond his worries about homophobia and infidelity, he was just shy, and that made romantic overtures embarrassing. Really, that was the crux of his problems. If only he could be like his friends and throw caution to the winds, refusing to give a damn about what anyone thought...

He sighed, picking at the artificial flower in his black lapel. He'd actually gone to the dance, but turned and fled before he hit the hotel doors. Yeah, he'd inherited his grandfather's giant panda stature and the muscles to fit his massive frame, but he still had his red panda heritage to thank (at least in part) for his spinelessness.

At least he hadn't accepted one of the numerous offers from the girls that asked him out. Rubric might feel like a coward, but he wasn't that gutless. He had to be true to himself, and using a girl like that felt like a betrayal.

But now he was alone, and he hated it.

He sat there on the beach, feeling lonely and guilt-ridden. He should've come out to his friends. He should've asked them to the dance. He should've pushed past those anxieties and fears and done something, rather than nothing.

His head felt full, his thoughts chasing themselves around his brainpan for a good half-hour before he felt the pressure of someone leaning against his back and resting their elbows on his head, and someone else squeezing his shoulders with delicate-fingered hands. The twins had an uncanny knack for knowing where he was when he didn't want to be found, and the soft sand and sound of surf covered their footsteps handily enough for them to ambush him.

Great. The twins were here; Rubric felt his regrets drown themselves in a wash of anxiety as soon as they appeared.

"Hey there, Spazz!"

"Yeah, hi!"

That was him alright: Spazz. And the twins often baited Jaron by calling him Taz, but only 'cuz they ran faster than the devil. Literally.

He didn't bother looking back. "Hi guys."

Raz's fingers on his shoulders squeezed at some knots they found there. "Why so glum, chum?"

"Didn't want to go to the party?"

"They've got alcohol!"

"We made sure of that!"

Of course they'd spike the punch. It's what they did. One or both of them had been drinking, at least a little; he could smell it under their cologne. Probably Chaz, since Raz had allergies.

He shrugged, and the fingers kneaded his tense muscle; if he weren't so miserable, it would feel wonderful. "My parents made me go. They said I'd only get one prom, but they didn't say I had to stay."

Raz gave his shoulders a squeeze. "Couldn't get a date, huh?"

"You could've asked us!"

"We don't have a date either!"

"Unless you count going with your brother."

"And we don't."

"Don't we?"

"No."

Rubric tensed; he couldn't help it. "What?"

Raz swiveled around in front of him and crouched so they sat nose-to-nose. The rabbit's blue eyes twinkled, and they almost distracted him from noticing his white tuxedo, which glowed under the moon. The rabbit looked...good. Really good. And he smelled wonderful. "C'mon, Spazz! We had to walk to the prom!"

Though he couldn't see him, Rube would have bet dollars-to-donuts that Chaz was dressed the same way, the only physical difference between them being Chaz's lavender eyes. He gave Rube's ear a tweak. "Our parents wouldn't let us borrow the car after last time, so you could've picked us up."

"And everyone would be jealous at you walking in with a handsome rabbit on each arm."

"I know we would be."

"And we're us!"

Raz let go of Rube's shoulder and flopped down on his lap, straddling his waist. The twins were touchy-feely with everyone they liked, but with him more than most. It's not like Rube wasn't used to this kind of stuff, but tonight... He wasn't sure he could deal with it right now. He shut his eyes tight, trying to ignore the erection growing under the rabbit in his lap. "You're not serious."

From behind, Chaz stopped leaning on the top of his head, wrapping his arms around the red panda's neck and nuzzling him instead. Yeah; he'd definitely been drinking. "Of course we are."

"If friends can double-date, why couldn't we hit the prom together?"

"Yeah, then we could find some losers and steal their girlfriends from them!"

He relaxed a little. The twins were just being their normal goober-selves. Maybe he could get through this.

Maybe not. "Of course, you probably won't want to do that, since you don't like girls."

The Earth shifted under him, and he felt his stomach drop. He looked right into the blue eyes peering at him from less than two inches away. "What? I'm not... I..."

A pause. Then Raz seemed to realize what his brother just said and his eyes widened. "Shit, Chaz! Shut up! I knew I shouldn't've let you have those shots before we spiked the punch!"

"Ohhh, riiiiight. I wasn't supposed to say anything, was I?"

"No!"

"Sorry, Raz."

The rabbit studied Rube's eyes for a moment. "It's okay, Chaz...I think."

"But, y'know Rube, it's okay with us that you're gay. I mean, we're bi! Right, Raz?"

"Right, Chaz."

Rubric's heart raced and his stomach churned; he thought he might be sick. "So...you know?"

"It's pretty easy if you're looking for the signs."

"Yeah, we saw you checking out other guys in the locker room."

"We saw you checking us out once or twice, too."

"You're good at hiding it, but you never pay any attention to girls."

"And we've seen the look on your face when you see Jaron and you don't think anyone's watching."

"We think he's adorable too."

"But we won't tell him if you won't."

"Agreed."

A baritone voice behind them interrupted. "Oh really." And Rube's brain spiraled right into a Blue Screen of Death.

Dammit! I wanted to work up to this! He felt the twins' bodies stiffen around him in unison. Oh god...

He fumbled for something to say. "Oh! Uh...hi, Jaron. Err...how much of...that...did you hear?" Yeah, that was smooth...

The devil padded around so Rubric could see him over Raz's shoulder, though he was hard to see in the darkness with his densely-compact frame and black fur and tux, complete with tails. He cocked his head to the side, his green eyes inscrutable in the night. "They're bi, you're gay, and all of you apparently have a crush on me. Oh, and nobody has a date for the prom. So, pretty much all of it."

He could've pushed the rabbits off and ran, but he buried his face in Raz's tux-sheathed shoulder instead, taking small comfort in the buck-scented warmth. "I'm sorry."

"'Sorry'?" Jaron sounded confused.

"Yeah."

"For being gay?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to piss you off."

"That...is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

His eyes jerked up and he stared at his friend. "What?"

"I can't believe you thought I'd get angry at you over that. You should know better. After all," he said, hiking a thumb at the lapin in his lap, "I hang out with these two fruitcakes--"

"Hey!" the twins yowled together.

"--which, of course, I mean in the nicest way possible. But seriously, you two are gayer than Rube here could ever be, even if you do like girls."

"Are not!"

"So are not!"

"Just because we haven't dated a girl since Dahlia--Ow!"

Raz punched Chaz in the arm with a warning glower. "Shut up."

"Look, you're both wrapped around him like a jackrabbit sandwich. I know you two have the hots for him, but c'mon."

The panda's world dropped out from under him again. "They...what?"

Jaron huffed and rolled his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation. "How can such a smart guy be so clueless? These two are all over you. Constantly. Yeah, they'd be all over me too, if I let them, but we've already established that they think I'm...what was the word you two used? Adorable."

The twins giggled at that. "Yeah, you are!"

"We just never told you 'cuz we didn't want to get in Spazz's way in case he ever wanted to, y'know, actually make a move."

Jaron's nod was smug. "See?"

"But they're all over everyone!"

The moonlight glinted off the white in Jaron's raised eyebrow. "Dude. Raz is practically grinding on your boner, and it'd take a crowbar to pry him off. I've never seen anyone get that much out of him, let alone everyone."

Thoughts of the rumors skipped through his mind, but he pushed them aside. "I...see your point."

The twins giggled again, and Raz hugged him tight. "Well, I wasn't going to say it."

Rasputin pulled away, his grin sly. And before Rube knew it, the rabbit grabbed him by the cheek-ruffs and kissed him.

Sparks coursed up and down his spine, and before he knew it Rubric found himself returning the favor. His body responded in a big way, and with the way their bodies pressed together, the jackrabbit definitely noticed. Both were breathless when they finally parted, and Rubric found the world spinning around him.

Raz pressed his nose against Rube's and smiled mischievously into his eyes. "I'm enjoying myself too much to give him up yet, and I think Spazz agrees."

Chaz huffed. "And now I'm jealous; when do I get my turn, Raz?"

"You can wait 'til I'm done."

Rubric felt dizzy, and though he couldn't see it he knew he had the ditziest grin on his face. "Yeah..." And then he found his body a puppet to his hormones, rather than his fears; it hugged his friend tight and spoke the question he'd wanted to ask, but was too afraid to say on his own: "Want to be my date for the prom, Raz?"

The pretty rabbit's eyes glowed luminous in the light of the moon. "Definitely. But who's going to lead when we dance?"

The twin at his back bristled. "Aww, man! No fair using biological warfare! You suck, Raz!"

Jaron piped in. "I hope you're right, Chaz. For Rube's sake, if nothing else."

Charles blew him a disgruntled raspberry in response.