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Heist

Chapter Two - Rediscovery

By Sanada

***

Giada finally pulled herself free of the tangle of bodies gyrating on the dance floor, though it took quite a bit of effort to dodge and weave between the myriad of peoples. She stopped, brushing her long brown locks out of her face, tossing a glance back over her shoulder.

One could become lost in that throng, she mused to herself as she turned towards the great winding staircase. As she placed her hand open the highly polished, glistening banister, she couldn't help but glance back once more, her eyes curiously peering about to see if she could spot Shaun anywhere amongst the crowd.

It took a moment, but she spotted the stocky bearded male, and what she saw made her smile softly.

"It would seem that you've found him then," she whispered to herself, watching the exchange between Shaun and a certain black wolf. The larger lupine pulled the human forward in a strong embrace, his muzzle diving towards Shaun's lips.

Turning her back on the crowd and the somewhat private scene unfolding between the two, she started up the stairs once more, her delicately hand holding onto the railing as she went. She knew that she likely wouldn't see Shaun again tonight and so, she started back towards her other compatriots aboard the cruise liner, whom were likely still in the dining hall.

I pray things will work out as expected, she couldn't help but think.

***

Celest bobbed and weaved, twisted and turned through the pressing crowd. The siamese cat groaned when she inevitably bumped into someone, a large buck with an impressive pair of antlers upon his head. The shaggy, brown furred cervid scowled at her, moving to say something but the female deer beside him brought his attention back to her. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, as the slinky feline had already slipped off once more, though she couldn't help but stick her tongue out at the male as he turned his back to her.

God, where the hell could he have gotten off to? I could have sworn he came down here, that darn wolf, she whined to herself. She had been looking all over for the 'boss', but she couldn't find a single trace of him, at least for the time being. If it wasn't so dark down here...

Celest sighed in frustration, giving up on fighting the crowd in the centre of the room. Changing tactics, the cat began to weave her way off to the side, hoping to make a break for freedom against the incessant press of bodies surrounding her. After a few moments, she stumbled off the floor, swearing that she had been bruised in at least half a dozen places due to the jostling of arms, elbows and legs.

Catching her breath, she scanned the area with her icy blue eyes, her ears still following along with the music. After a moment of searching, Celest found the man she was looking for.

The wolf stood there holding onto the human she had met not too long ago. Roland was hugging him tightly, Shaun's face pressed against his broad shoulder. She could see the human's body trembling, as if he were crying. She could only imagine Roland was as well.

So this is the boy that you always mentioned before, she thought. Well, I suppose I should leave the two of you alone then. Even I know better than to butt in at a moment like this.

Still, a smirk spread across her whiskered muzzle at the sight. Of all the possible, near endless list of places the two could run into each other, they stumble upon the other in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.

With a sigh, she turned back to the mess of bodies. Now that she had found what she was looking for, there was no reason she couldn't go off and have some of her own fun, and with that, the siamese dashed back into the crowd.

***

Roland held him close against his body, his muzzle pressed up against his cheek. He could feel him shuddering, weeping into his shoulder. Wetness streaked down the human's face, he could smell the tears.

Shaun had faltered, collapsing in his arms. He knew it was him just from the eyes alone. Those strange blue-white orbs, so alike to the web of a spider stood out from everything. Though he had changed in appearance, quite a bit in fact, his scent and those eyes alone made Roland aware of whom this was.

He could hardly believe it himself. Shaun was here, of all places, he was here. The human he had fallen for so long ago was back in his arms by complete and utter chance. The odds were just so astronomical, so absurd, but here he was. The wolf had searched for so long, trying his best to relocate Shaun for so many years, but he just wasn't able to get any leads. Time made it easy to forget after so long, but suddenly, all those buried emotions and feelings had resurfaced with a vengeance. Everything was going to be alright from here on out.

The broad-shouldered wolf mentally shook his head. No, perhaps things weren't going to be alright. So much time had passed. What if everything had changed, just like Shaun's appearance. What if he already had a mate? Where was he living, what was he doing? Did he even still feel the same way? Questions bombarded Roland's thoughts, and he had to force them out of his mind.

For now, this moment is for us.

But, what about Ray? Don't you love him just as much as this human?

I..., his train of thought trailed off. What was he going to do? He couldn't just toss Ray to the side but...there were just too many things to think about.

I'll deal with it all when it comes. All that matters now is that Shaun is here. Fuck I can't believe this!

Shaun's sobbing had quieted down by now, and he looked up at the wolf through tear-filled, blood-shot eyes. He was as overwhelmed as the wolf himself, that much Roland could tell. More than once Shaun tried to speak, but words seemed to fail him each and every time. Roland just shook his head, pressing a furred finger against Shaun's lips, stifling any further attempts.

"Not here; my room," he whispered into Shaun's ear. The human nodded weakly up at him, being somewhat shorter, clasping the lupine's strong paw in his own. He had gotten stronger, Roland noted quickly, feeling that vice-like grip clamping around his hand. Turning, he started to guide him through the crowd, his tail brushing against the human's legs.

It took a bit of effort and some time to navigate through and around the crowd, and Roland glanced over his shoulder more than once, really studying the man behind him. Shaun had grown a beard, and obviously kept it well maintained. His hair was styled, and he sported a silver hoop earring in his right ear. He had lost the pudginess he used to have, and now his body showed the signs of definition. Ten years had certainly changed Shaun's appearance that was certain. Roland couldn't help but think how much the human thought he himself had changed.

His shoulders and arms seemed bulkier, and he could feel the strength from the strong grip upon his paw. His eyes seemed to be the only thing that had remained unchanged, the same orbs that had so ensnared him a decade earlier. He figured Shaun had to be about twenty-eight now, give or take a few months, putting him a year younger than himself.

They walked in silence the whole way, Roland keeping Shaun close by as they made their way towards the winding staircase leading back up to the dining hall. They needed to speak privately, to get away from all the noise. There was just so much to say, so much to talk about and the wolf wanted it to be just the two of them. They had been apart for far too long, this had to be one-on-one.

The dining hall had, for the most part, emptied out. There were still quite a few people, human and anthro alike in the tremendous chamber, but it was significantly easier to navigate through it. It also made it so much easier to find his companions, and that was something Roland wished wasn't true. He would have liked nothing better than to avoid the looks they were no doubt shooting at him, specifically the looks from a particular red fox.

Roland's emerald eyes flashed over to the table and sure enough, the group had already spotted him. Shaking his head, a sign that he didn't wish to be disturbed, Roland continued to guide Shaun along. Still, he couldn't miss the look that Ray had shot him as he passed by, the hurt that registered in the fox's face. While Ray could sometimes hide his true feelings, rather well at times, Roland knew the look on that face. Disappointment; anger, fear and perhaps most importantly, betrayal.

The wolf hung his head low, walking as fast as he could with Shaun in tow behind him, the human easily keeping pace. These were things that would have to be dealt with sooner, rather than later.

***

Ray's face was blank as he watched the wolf lead the man behind him out of the room. It was the same bearded human that Giada herself had led downstairs almost an hour before hand. Everyone else had gone back to their conversations, but the fox's eyes remained transfixed upon the two figures making a mad dash towards the closest exit. He couldn't tear his gaze off of the m as they went by. Roland glanced at him for the briefest of moments, and the fox felt anger welling up inside him.

"So, that's him then," the fox whispered, more to himself than anything. He could hear the resentment in his own voice, but he was hardly surprised. In the back of his mind, he was always afraid something like this might happen, but the chances were so impossible, that it was never a big concern. Here it was though, as plain as day. His eyes were burning, tears welling up.

Ray pushed himself away from the table, storming off from the others. He needed to be alone, had to get away from this.

Why is this happening now?!

"Ray! Where are you going?" Mikal called after him, but the fox just waved a paw at him dismissively, not even turning back to offer an explanation. Mikal wouldn't understand, none of them would.

"Just leave me alone," Ray whispered to himself as he rounded the corner, leaving the room and his friends behind.

***

The rest of the table watched the silent exchange between Roland and Ray, and Mikal and the fox. The tiger sighed, dropping his chin into his palm. Obviously Ray was upset, that much was evident. He looked over to Giada, whom had joined them but a few minutes prior, the woman's eyes following after the fox as he departed.

"What the heck was that all about?" Geoff asked, breaking the uneasy silence that had fallen over the table. The red husky gave the tiger a suspicious look, cocking a brow. Mikal could only shrug helplessly. He had an idea of what was going through the vulpine's mind, though he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Don't look at me, I didn't do anything," Mikal stammered, looking elsewhere for an answer. It was Giada, as it usually was who spoke first. The woman took a sip from her glass of wine, setting the delicate glass back upon the table.

"I suspect I have an idea as to what might be happening," she stated, drawing everyone's attention to her. Even Alex managed to put down his beer long enough to listen, though it took some prompting from the badger beside him.

"As I'm sure all of you know, Roland used to mention, several times in fact, that prior to forming our group, he had spent a majority of his time attempting to track down a long-lost love?"

"How can we forget?" Mel replied, settling back in her chair. The badger stretched her arms above her head, cracking her fingers in the process, though her striped visage never left Giada's. "If I had a dime for every time Roland brought that open, we would be far wealthier than we are now."

"No kidding, right?" Tyrone added with a snort. Giada could only nod.

"From what I recall of those conversations, they had been separated for a decade, or so I remember. I am going to hazard a guess and say, by some miracle, that the human our lupine friend was dragging behind him just might be one and the same," she explained. Celest raised her paw, trying to garner Giada's attention. Mikal just smirked at the scene.

We aren't in school anymore, he chuckled to himself.

"Do you know him, Gia?" the Siamese asked. "I saw you downstairs with him, and we all saw you bringing him down there." Even as she spoke, Giada was shaking her head, long brown locks of hair bouncing about on her shoulders.

"No, this was the first time I have ever seen him. We spoke for a time, though he said very little about himself, aside from his name."

"Shaun?" Mikal asked. The tiger remembered the conversations he had with Roland, so many months before. The wolf had explained that he had once been in love with a human many years prior, back towards the end of high school. Things didn't go as well as the lupine had hoped though, something involving his parents and they had taken him away from the human.

Almost a decade ago, I think, Mikal thought.

"Yes, that is correct," Giada replied.

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean to say this is the same guy from Roland's high school?" Jerome questioned.

"So it would seem."

"That's pretty nuts," Mikal said. Everyone else agreed.

"What're the odds of that happening?" Geoff barked with a laugh, though none of the others seemed to share in his mirth. Celest slapped him on the shoulder.

"What does any of this have to do with Ray though?" Tyrone asked, running a thick hand through the stubble growing on his chin.

"Probably feels like he got stabbed in the back," Alex reasoned, crossing his burly arms over his chest. "They're together, aren't they?"

"I don't think officially," Celest replied with shrug. "I could be wrong though."

"Ray might think so," Mikal mused. "That could be the only reason why he got so bent out of shape about it. He probably feels used, like he was just filling a void or something. I guess with Shaun back in the picture, Ray feels like he got snubbed aside or something," his reasoning sounded pretty good, at least to himself. Giada nodded at the words.

"He probably feels betrayed," she added, drawing a nod from the tiger.

They sat in silence for a moment longer before Alex pushed himself away from the table.

"Well, I'm gonna go get another beer," the bruin muttered. Mikal grinned, surprised the bear had last this long already.

Jerome smacked the table with his hand, also getting up. "Yup, that sounds like a really good idea right now. Too much relationship talk, not enough drinking."

Giada shook her head, finishing off her wine and raising it up. "I think we could all do with a bit of something. Shall we?" she said in an attempt to lighten the subdued mood that had fallen upon the table. The others agreed, each moving to follow after the departing bear.

Mikal remained at the table though, tapping his finger against the side of his whiskered muzzle. Ever since he had joined up with the band, Ray and himself had become fairly close friends. The fox had almost become like the brother he had never had, and it upset him to see the fox like this. He deserved better, but he knew it wasn't Roland's fault, or this Shaun character that had seemingly showed up out of thin air.

Maybe I should go check up on him, he thought, sliding out of his chair. The way the fox had so easily brushed him aside stung a bit, but he knew not nearly as much as the hurt that Ray himself was likely feeling.

With a sigh, Mikal started off towards the vulpine's cabin.

***

Ray slipped inside his room, pushing the door shut behind him. He heard the click of the latch, his ears twitching at the sound. Secure in the knowledge that it was locked and he was finally away from everything and everyone, the fox slumped up against the wall, letting the pain and anguish that had been brewing inside finally overwhelm him.

"This wasn't how it was supposed to happen," the fox muttered, feeling the tears come at least. He slipped to the floor, hugging his legs and resting his head on his arms, his body shaking with sobs.

It just hurt so bad. He knew that he had fallen for Roland quite some time ago. The lupine's cocky, sure-of-himself attitude drew the fox into that web with every passing moment, and like glass, it had shattered in the blink of an eye. Everything Ray had dreamt about, the idea of becoming the lupine's mate and boyfriend was gone, cast into oblivion by the reemergence of that damnable human. The fox growled softly. If Shaun hadn't shown up, none of this would have happened.

You knew this was temporary, his mind whispered. You knew he still had feelings for him, the way he always spoke about him.

"I don't care," he muttered darkly to himself through the tears. "Why did he have to show up and ruin everything?!"

It had finally seemed like Roland had been moving on though. He hadn't spoken about this 'Shaun' for more than half a year. It really seemed like this pseudo-relationship the wolf and him had been going to become something permanent. Not anymore. Ray buried his face in his arms once more as more tears poured forth.

He doesn't care about me...he's been using me this whole time.

Seeing the lupine with that man, the way he was pulling him through the hall stung him deeply. He felt betrayed, like the last six years had meant absolutely nothing. Never before had the fox felt so weak and powerless and worse yet, his friends had almost seen him lose control back there. He clenched a black-socked paw into a fist and slammed the wall behind him. He heard someone jump with a start outside his door, but he didn't care, letting his rage play out against the strong steel. It wasn't until his hand felt the incredible pain he had inflicted did he stop.

The fox leaned back against the cool metal of his cabin wall, white-tipped tail tucked between his legs as he brushed an arm across his eyes, wiping away the tears. His breathing came in ragged pants, eyes burning with wetness and his snowy cheekfur was streaked with liquid. He felt like a hollow shell of himself; empty. A soft rapping at his door stole him away from his contemplations, and he yipped softly in surprise.

"Ray? Are you okay?" came Mikal's calm voice from beyond the door. Ray caught the concern in his tone. The two had become close friends over the years, Mikal always there to lend the fox a hand whenever he needed it. Ray frowned. He knew the tiger meant well, but he hardly felt like seeing anyone at the moment, including him.

"Mik, just go away," he snapped angrily, though he was certain the anger would hardly deter the bengal tiger. Mikal could be a stubborn one.

There was only silence for a few moments, the only sound being the fox's own breathing.

Just leave me alone, Ray growled to himself. Now wasn't the time he wanted to be entertaining someone, friend or not. He heard footsteps moving away from his door and he breathed a sigh of relief. He would need to apologize to the tiger later, but for now he just wanted to be on his own.

Burying his face in his hands, the fox let out a defeated sigh. What was he going to do now? Was this the end between Roland him?

I feel like such a fucking idiot. I can't believe he would do something like this!

"Hey, Kit? You going to open the door? Come on, Ray. I know your upset but..." came the tiger's voice again. "I'm here if you want to talk."

With a frustrated sigh, Ray pushed himself off the floor, snatching the door handle and yanking it open, scowling at the big cat. Mikal just frowned at the sight.

"Ray, I'm only here to help. There's no reason to give me that look."

Hearing those words, so full of reassurance and understanding, Ray's shoulders slumped. He felt bad for taking his anger out on Mikal like that. The tiger-morph was only trying to help after all, but still. Ray shook his head and stepped away from the door, allowing his striped companion inside before shutting the door.

"I'm sorry, Mik. I just...didn't want anyone to see me like this," Ray explained, plopping himself down on the edge of his bed, hugging his tail. His ears dropped and his eyes fell to the floor. Mikal just shrugged.

"Ray, I've seen you cry before. What makes this any different? I was just worried about you is all. When you stormed off from the table, I didn't know what was going on," Mikal replied. Ray looked at him.

"It's Roland. You saw him too, I know you did. He was dragging that guy with him. It hurts, Mik, seeing him with someone else like that. I guess he never really did love me back."

Mikal sighed, and sat down on the edge of the bed beside the fox. Ray saw him peering at him with those understanding blue eyes of his.

"I'm sure things will work themselves out, Kit. He just needs some time is all."

Ray felt strong arms wrap around him then, pulling him to the side. Mikal smiled softly at him, the tiger's tail swishing from side to side upon the sheets.

"I'm here for you, Ray. Don't worry about it."

That simple gesture was enough to send the smaller canid into another burst of tears, and he spun about, burying his face in Mikal's chest. He heard the tiger whisper into his ears that he would stay with him as long as he needed and Ray's body shook even harder.

"What do I do?" he wailed. Mikal was quite for a moment before he spoke.

"Give him some space for now, Kit. I think that would be best for the both of you. I'm sure he'll explain everything. Roland hasn't seen this guy in ten years; I think he just needs some time."

Mik's right, he has to be, Ray pleaded with himself. It was the only option he had. The wolf would explain everything, he had to.

But what if?

The question plagued the fox for a long time, even when he succumbed to emotional exhaustion, crying himself to sleep in the tiger's arms.

Mikal remained stoically by his side through the whole thing.

***

Roland guided the human up the steps to the Independent's third level, thankful that most of the crowd was inside elsewhere upon the ship. The decks had thus far been fairly empty, aside from a few couples whom stood at the rails, watching the waves and the stars. The sound of water breaking against the reinforced steel hull of the ship surrounded them, a refreshing, calming noise compared to the hustle and bustle of the indoor areas.

The wolf said a silent pray of thanks that the rest of his companions had chosen rooms located elsewhere on the massive cruise liner. His cabin was the only one of the team's that was on this level of the starboard side. Giada, Alex and Geoff were on the opposite side of the ship, with Ray, Mikal and Celest being two levels above; Tyrone, Mel and Jerome below him.

Stopping in front of his door, the wolf dug a paw into his pocket, searching for his keycard. As he did so, he hazarded a glance back at Shaun. The human was biting his lower lip, and the wolf knew what that meant. It was an old gesture of Shaun's that he had quickly picked up on, one that meant the furless being was afraid, or nervous. Shaun was looking out to sea, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

"Come on. We can talk in here," Roland said to him, sliding the card through the scanner and opening the door. Shaun tore his gaze away from the night sky, nodding weakly at the wolf.

Hitting the light switch, Roland padded over to the nightstand and tossed his card upon it, before grabbing a pack of cigarettes on the table. He cocked his head to the small staircase that sat at the back of the comfortably furnished room, motioning for Shaun to follow.

The lupine's room was massive; at least it was for being part of a ship. The suites on this section comprised of two levels each, the lower being a living area with a couch, tiny kitchen, washroom and television, while the upstairs section contained a spacious bed, an elegantly designed dresser and a balcony that looked out over the water. A small bucket of ice with a bottle of wine sat on the dresser. The wolf figured that the crew must have placed it there earlier in the evening.

Shaun followed him to the balcony, stepping through and dropping into one of the masterfully crafted, white wicker chairs, the woven fiber creaking under his weight. Roland plopped himself on the chair opposite, pulling a cigarette from the pack.

"Want something to drink?" he asked. Shaun shook his head, still remaining tight-lipped. Sighing, the wolf pulled out his lighter, sticking the smoke in his muzzle and igniting the tip. He took a long, slow drag, before exhaling.

He watched Shaun reach over for the pack too, taking one for himself. He couldn't help but shake his head at the sight.

"I never would have expected you to smoke," Roland said as the human took a drag himself. He hoped the light hearted conversation would break the tension between the two. Shaun shrugged, turning to look at him.

"I could have said the same thing about you," he replied, flicking an ash into the tray set on the small table near the railing.

Another palpable silence descended over the pair as they sat there and Roland really took the time to study his old love. Shaun had changed so much in the decade since he last saw him. He had lost most of the chubbiness he used to have; his chest now being relatively toned, his shoulders broader and more muscular. His hair was the same deep brown he remembered, but Shaun had grown a well-kept beard and sported a singular silver hoop in his right ear now. His glasses were gone, giving Roland a chance to study those blue-white eyes once more.

He saw the turmoil swirling in them, a mix of so many emotions: joy, pain, relief, and anger to name a few. He could see it all, the tension included. Shaun remained silent, puffing on the cigarette and occasionally flicking the ember over the ashtray, sending a cascade of black and white ash spiraling down to the silvery tray.

I guess he wants me to make the first move then, Roland thought to himself, taking another drag. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, the wolf looked at him.

"Shaun, I--"

"Why the fuck didn't you ever call me?" Shaun spat angrily, flicking the filter over the balcony. Roland watched it spiral down to the blackness below. The vehemence in Shaun's voice caught him off guard. He stumbled over his words several times, the human fixing him with glare.

"I couldn't," the wolf growled back, genuinely hurt at the outburst. His claws sunk into the fiber of the chair, bracing himself.

"And why not? Roland, if you loved me as much as you fucking claimed you did, why the hell didn't you tell me where you were?!"

Shaun had risen out of the chair then, hands balled into fists. Roland scowled, pushing himself up as well and tossing the last of his cigarette over the railing.

"I said I couldn't, alright?" Roland growled back. "I couldn't call you because my parents forbade me too all those years ago. They found out what we did and forced me to drop everything to do with you. They didn't want me to associate with you ever again. Fuck, Shaun. The night you called me, asking me to sleep over again, my father beat the shit out of me. We moved the morning after!"

He looked over to the human, almost pleadingly. Through the story, Shaun seemed to have calmed down. He leaned against the railing with his hands behind him, mulling over the words. The moonlight illuminated the human's face enough that he could see the trails of wetness running down his cheeks.

"You said your family was fine with you being gay," Shaun whispered after a time. "Why would they stop you from seeing me?" He looked at him expectantly, Roland shaking his head.

"You didn't know my father very well. He was fine with me being gay, that much is true. It was the fact that you were a human," Roland reached down, pulling another cigarette from the pack. He wasn't much of a chain-smoker, only on the occasions when he needed to think, or was nervous about something. This qualified as both. He had to pick his words carefully.

"Because I'm human?!" Shaun balked incredulously. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"No, I'm not. Like I said, you didn't know him, and I was stupid by not telling you sooner. My father doesn't trust your kind. He never did. Why? Well, I guess he didn't give a shit enough to ever explain it to me, but when he found out that we had slept together...let's just say that a few bruises were the least of my concerns."

"He beat you?"

"Sure did. He didn't want his son, his 'pride' as he put it, sleeping around with some furless freak. I think it was because of me that he only tolerated our friendship, but when he figured out that we had fooled around, that was going too far," Roland explained, turning to look out over the water as he puffed on the cigarette. The ember flared a brilliant orange before he exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I tried to explain to him that you were different, but he didn't want to hear it. I'm pretty sure he had been drinking as well. It was apparently 'unnatural' for our species to intermingle like that."

"You have to believe me, Shaun. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about you."

He heard the human sigh, and he looked over at him. Shaun was leaning against the rail as well, looking at the black water as it crashed and broke against the ship. The human looked at him.

"Why didn't you just leave?" he asked softly, brushing his tear-streaked face with one hand. "Why didn't you call Matt or Andrew and ask for my number?"

"Shaun, you know as well as I do that I couldn't remember a phone number to save my life," that brought a soft chuckle from the human's lips. "As for leaving, where would I go? I didn't have any money, I didn't know anyone. I had nowhere else to go. Christ, I wanted to find you so bad, but even when I finally did leave and went back to our town, everyone had either moved, or had no idea what happened to you. I looked for years, but eventually...I started losing hope. I didn't think I would ever find you again."

Shaun shrugged, offering the lupine a weak smile.

"Well, I'm here now, I suppose. For whatever that's worth."

"A whole hell of a lot," Roland replied, flashing a toothy grin. That brought a genuine smile to the human's face.

"I tried finding you myself for some time," Shaun explained a moment later. "I was basically in the same boat as you. You had vanished and nobody knew a thing as to what happened, or even how to get in touch with you. I had to move on. I needed to get on with my life, as I'm sure you did as well," Roland nodded at the words.

He slid over beside the human, wrapping a strong arm around his waist and pulling him close. Shaun looked up at him, those blue-white orbs sparkling in the moonlight.

"We found each other in the end, somehow," Roland whispered, and he leaned down to brush his muzzle against the human's lips. He felt Shaun's arms wrap around his body then, and those lips press roughly against his muzzle. Roland returned with equal intensity, his paws already roaming over Shaun's body.

Both of them knew that there likely wouldn't be much sleep for either of them tonight.

***

"Al, I think you've had more than enough to last a lifetime," Mel scolded, poking a finger into the bear's gut. The bruin grunted, turning to face the pestering badger with a scowl, though his bleary eyes betrayed how much he had actually drunk.

"Like hell I'm done," he grumbled, before knocking back what was left of his ninth bottle since they had moved to the bar. Mel rolled he eyes, turning her attention away from the sight. Alex could be so stubborn. Though he was slightly older than she herself, at thirty five, Mel oftentimes felt that she played the role of mother. Those duties seemed to extend to everyone in the group, aside from perhaps Roland and Giada.

"Don't worry about 'em, Mel," Jerome laughed, patting her on the shoulder. "You should know that Al can handle his beer better than most of us can hold a weapon!"

"Shh!"Mel hissed, Jerome giving her a perplexed look. "What if someone heard you say that? Jer, keep your damn mouth shut. Honestly!"

Geoff and Tyrone snickered at the exchange, Giada smiling as she sipped her wine. Mel wasn't amused, fixing the gator and the two muscular males with a dark look. She looked over to Giada, who only shrugged.

"Whatever," she muttered. "I'm just trying to look after the wellbeing of my friends. The badger downed the rest of her beer in a single gulp before pushing herself off of the bar stool. She stretched her meaty paws into the air, cracking her knuckles in the process.

Unlike Celest or Giada, Mel was quite strong. Burly and tough as nails, she was the brawn of the women. Mel could easily out-muscle the black bear to her side if she wanted to, and could even give Geoff a run for his money in terms of physical prowess. She was the type who would rather speak with her fists than words. Ever the protective type, she was always looking out for everyone, even over trivial matters. While it bothered some of the guys, they all appreciated her sometimes blunt wisdom.

"I'm going to go turn in for the night," Mel said, offering a curt wave to her friends before starting away.

"Aww, come on, Mel! It's not even midnight," Geoff called after her, a grin stretched across his muzzle. Mel just waved her paw back again.

***

"Man, does she really need to be so uptight all the time?" Tyrone asked, turning to face Giada. The woman chuckled softly, bring her glass to her lips.

"It is merely the way she is," she replied. Tyrone shrugged, not really having any better answers. Mel had always been like this, ever since he was first introduced to her. He had to admit, her usually calm, albeit sometimes abrasive nature could be a bit refreshing when compared to the likes of the ever happy-go-lucky Celest, or the constant grumblings of Alex.

The bull snatched up the dark, earthen brown glass bottle, taking a swig as he watched Geoff turn to the human, a rather stupid grin pasted on his snowy muzzle. Geoff was already pretty drunk, and Tyrone couldn't wait to see what his friend had planned. At the very least, it would be good for a laugh.

"So, uh...Gia. You hooked up with anyone yet?" the dog asked boldly. Tyrone snorted, Alex and Jerome smirking at the sight as well. Giada had cocked a brow in suspicion.

Probably wonder what the hell the dog's on about, Tyrone laughed to himself.

"Why do you ask?" she replied with a deviously sly grin, playing along. Mock innocence dripped from her words, and she blushed softly. Geoff took another long drink before wrapping an arm around her waist. Even the bartender stopped to see what the friends were doing.

"Well," Geoff started, his tail wagging about anxiously behind him. The appendage smacked the bull a few times, forcing Tyrone to brush it aside. "And y'know, for a human, you are fucking hot as hell."

Tyrone almost chocked on his beer at the words. He could hardly believe Geoff had said that, while making a pass at the woman. He looked over to Jerome, whom was struggling to maintain barely controlled laughter.

"Well, that was subtle," Alex said quietly, turning back to his now tenth bottle.

Tyrone continued to watch the exchange between the dog and woman, Giada's face burning in a slight blush. The red and white furred canine grinned at her, awaiting a reply. She placed a hand over top of his paw, and for a second, Tyrone thought she was actually going to take him up on his offer.

No fucking way, he thought. She's not gonna go for it.

Both Tyrone and Geoff didn't notice her other hand at work, slyly sliding her wine glass over the length of the counter-top.

"Geoff, I am very flattered you think so," she purred. "You know that I enjoy your company as well as the next lady, but I will have to respectfully decline." As she said that, she grasped the stem of her glass and dumped the contents of it onto the husky's lap. Tyrone roared in laughter, seeing the canid jump out of his seat, yelping in surprise. Jerome and Alex joined in the mirth. Giada smiled triumphantly, taking Geoff's paw in her own small hand.

"No offense, Geoff, but you are not really my type."

The husky's shock wore off quickly, and he just shook his head, mumbling something about having to go get some new pants as he walked away. Tyrone grinned.

"Nice move, Gia," the bovine remarked. He was almost in tears he was laughing so hard; to the point some of the other patrons were beginning to look to see what was so funny. "Bet he never saw that one coming."

"No shit," Jerome added. "What a way to shoot someone down!"

Giada only shrugged, offering a helpless grin. "Well, I suppose I learned from the best," she said, patting Tyrone's powerful arm as she stood up. "I believe I am also going to retire for the evening however. Good night, boys. Don't cause too much trouble, alright?"

Tyrone turned back to his beer, smiling from ear to ear. "That Giada; she's one hell of a woman, eh?" he said, glancing at Jerome. The brawny, scaled male nodded in agreement.

"Sure is. Too bad she isn't into us anthros much," the gator replied. Tyrone shrugged. He'd never really thought of that way in the first place.

Giada was intelligent, sophisticated, witty and very beautiful, but Tyrone had never really thought about her in a way that objectified her like that. Giada was too good for it. She had also proven to be an incredibly valuable member of their time since joining them almost four years ago. The muscular bull had been somewhat skeptical at first, as they all were; as she was the first human that would be a member of their crew, but Roland made sure she would fit in. She most certainly had, adapting far quicker than they had all originally thought. Giada fit in with their close-knit group with surprising ease.

"Hey, at least we still have Mel and Celest, right?" Tyrone replied, and Jerome bobbed his head once more.

"Speaking of Celest," the gator started, looking around. "Where'd she run off too?" Tyrone shrugged.

"She went downstairs a few hours ago, remember? Could still be down there."

"Probably got some guy wrapped around those pretty little paws of hers," Alex mused, draining his eleventh bottle now. The bruin's words were slurred heavily, the gator and bull easily catching the scent on his breath now. The two friends regarded each other for a moment, before turning back to Alex. The bear seemed almost on the verge of collapse; but that was no surprise. This happened at least once or twice on every vacation. The black bear loved his beer.

"I think Mel may be right Al. You're probably good for the night, man," Jerome laughed. The bear mumbled something incoherently, but he allowed the gator-morph to place one of his arms over his shoulder, helping him to his feet. Jerome turned to Tyrone, cocking his head to the side. "You mind giving me a hand getting him to his room, Ty?"

"Sure," the bovine replied, finishing up his own bottle and throwing the bear's other arm over his shoulder. He had to stoop some to reach, but soon enough, the friends were heading towards the exit.

***

Celest leaned against the railing outside her cabin, her head tilted up to view the starry night sky. A million pinpricks of light waited for her, and she smiled as a cool sea breeze blew against her lithe frame. The air was clean, and the sound of the ocean tickled her ears, her tail flicking back and forth comfortably.

No one down in the ballroom caught her eye, or at least any of the single guys. It seemed as if everyone had some they were with. So, she had resigned herself to what she normally did, not that it ever bothered her. Her whiskered muzzle broke into a smile as her prey rounded the corner, the burly, scaled male whistling, his claws deep in his pockets. He stopped, regarding her before a toothy smile spread across his face. Celest adjusted herself, giving him the once-over.

"Waiting for me long, kitten?" Jerome asked, striding over to her. The gator's long tail almost dragged against the ground, and it banged lightly against the railing a few times as it swayed. He winked at her, and Celest giggled.

"Not really, no. Slim pickings on the ship tonight," she explained. "Though, I did manage to pocket some change." She pulled out a few hundred dollar bills from his pocket. The gator laughed, shaking his head. Celest always had a way of making things profitable with those deft fingers of hers. She was a very adept pick pocket. Jerome crossed his arms over his chest.

"Very nice. So you come to me when all else fails, huh?"

The siamese shrugged her shoulders, stepping close to him and dragging a single claw down over the gator's chest, feeling the scales beneath.

"You never seem to mind," she said seductively, allowing her tail to curl around the male's leg. Jerome leaned down to nibble on her neck, sending a delicate purr through her body.

"I never mind, kitten," he replied, letting his long reptilian tongue slither over her neck.

The two had been seeing each other for much more than just work over the last year or so, but theirs was more of a physical relationship. Celest never batted so much as an eye if Jerome hooked up with another girl, and he did the same for her. It was a mutually convenient arrangement for the two of them, and that is what they liked.

"Your room then?" Jerome asked, letting his tongue slide over her pointed ear. Celest purred even more.

"Well, Jer, we are right here," she said with a mischievous smirk.

***

It didn't take the pair to strip down and climb onto the bed, the two practically dragging each other towards it. Shaun fell onto the mattress, pulling the wolf down over top of him. It felt so strange but so good to have Roland's muzzle pressed against his lips, their tongues intertwining in a dance that only they knew the steps to. He felt the lupine's powerful hands roaming over his body, the pads tickling his bare skin. He felt Roland's tongue licking his neck, the wolf nibbling very gently at his shoulder when the kiss ended. Black furred fingers stopped their descent long enough to tease a nipple, and Shaun let out a shallow gasp at the intense sensation.

"Fuck," he whispered, thoroughly enjoying the wolf's ministrations. Roland pulled away from his neck, flashing him that grin again.

"You look so fucking good with that beard, y'know?" the lupine said, drawing a blush from the human beneath him. Shaun reached a hand up, stroking through the fur atop Roland's head.

"You think so?" Shaun asked, to which Roland nodded. They kissed again, the sensation of that furred muzzle bringing back pleasant memories, and Shaun shivered happily in the canid's embrace.

This night had been such a long time in the making, ever since the first time they had fooled around as teenagers, all those years before. Shaun looked up into those emerald eyes, flashing with such eagerness. The wolf wanted this as badly as himself, that much was clear. He could feel Roland's cock pressing against his leg, a sticky warmth settling on the skin. Shaun grinned, reaching down to take hold of the thick, ebony shaft.

"Feels like you've gotten bigger," the human chuckled. Roland licked him on the nose.

"So have you," he replied, roughly shoving Shaun back onto the bed, so that his head rested against the pillows. "Fuck, I've wanted to do this again for so long," Roland muttered, leaning down and slipping his dick into his muzzle.

The feeling of that warm, wet tongue was amazing. He had forgotten how good Roland was at this. He placed a hand atop the lupine's head, fingers drifting through the black fur as the wolf bobbed up and down on his shaft, sucking and slurping.

"Fuck, Roland," Shaun groaned as the wolf grabbed his sac, giving a gentle squeeze as he pulled off. Shaun watched as he nosed and licked at his balls with that skillful tongue of his, before dragging the pink flesh up along the human's shaft once more, before engulfing it again. The wolf sucked and pulled at his cock with that masterful muzzle, and Shaun leaned back, clasping his arms behind his head. Roland would groan occasionally, his bushy tail wagging back and forth in excitement.

Shit, he's gotten good at that, Shaun thought.

Eventually, Shaun sat back up, placing a finger under the wolf's chin and forcing him to lift his head up. Roland grinned at him.

"Sorry, must have gotten carried away," he apologized. Shaun laughed.

"No need to say sorry for that, but I think it's about high time I returned the favour." With a shrug, Roland pulled himself up along the bed, coming to rest beside his furless love. Shaun's hand was already stroking softly along the thick rod of ebon flesh, feeling the slickness of precum between his fingers. In short order, he was down between the lupine's legs, licking the head of his dick before sliding it into his mouth. Roland growled softly, brushing a finger against Shaun's cheek.

"Seems like you've had a bit of practice," he said. Shaun pulled off with a slurp, though he continued to glide his hand along the length.

"Ten years is plenty of time to pick up some tricks," Shaun replied before going back to his work.

He'd never gone down on Roland all those years before, but he wasn't the first anthro he had fooled around with after his disappearance. Roland's dick was different though, in smell and taste. It was strong, but not in a bad way. Rugged and masculine smelling, it was jet black in colour. He had also grown an inch or so, putting him closer to eight now. He could smell the lupine's almost feral scent with every breath, that strong canine smell, but it hardly mattered to him. He traced a finger down the black sheath before him, rolling the firm orbs of the lupine's balls in his hand as his lips slid up and down the drippy length. Roland seemed to precum a lot more than any other guy he'd been with.

"Damn, Shaun," he heard him mutter quietly between grunts and growls. Placing his free hand at the base of his dick, Shaun began to pump up and down the length with every motion. His lips would slide up, as would his hand and vice versa. He glanced up once when he felt Roland's paw upon his head and he almost laughed when he saw his tongue lulling out of his muzzle.

It continued on for several moments, the strong canine at one point bucking his hips into Shaun's mouth, fucking it until eventually, he tapped him on the nose, pulling Shaun's attention back to him. The human looked up, seeing the sly look. Intrigued, Shaun pulled off, crawling over beside him, Roland's arms wrapped around his waist, bringing him down into a kiss. He felt that tongue force its way into his mouth again, and he complied readily. It was enough for him to just be here with Roland again.

"Shaun," Roland said, pulling away after a moment. He nosed against the human's beard and neck. "I want to mate with you. I've been wanting to for years."

Shaun hugged him tight, running his hands through his fur. Oftentimes, he had wondered what it would have felt like to have Roland inside him, perhaps even tie. Even with the other anthros he had hooked up with in the past, he'd never tied with them, provided they had the equipment in the first place. Roland was offering to do just that though, to mate; possibly tie, to be with him on a whole different level. Smiling, Shaun looked after at him.

"I don't see why not. I've been waiting for this for a long time too," he said. The wolf licked his nose and rolled over to the small nightstand beside the bed. He pushed aside the pair of underwear he had tossed upon it earlier and slid open the draw. He pulled out a thin bottle of lube and with a snap, had it open.

"You sure about this?" he asked. Shaun couldn't help but chuckle.

"Of course I am. I've been curious to know what you'd feel like," he answered with a wink, leaning back against the pillows. Roland grinned, slathering some of the lube along his shaft.

"Well, you're about to find out. Just let me know if I'm going to hard, or it hurts, alright?"

"I will. I won't lie; it's been a while since I've been fucked, so go slow please."

"I will, don't worry about that. The last thing I want to do is hurt you."

Shaun adjusted himself as Roland moved into position, taking a hold of his legs just below the knee and lifting them up. With Roland holding his legs in his arms, he watched the wolf pour a dollop of lube onto his finger before smearing it over the human's exposed hole. Shaun shivered at the coldness of the stuff. He pushed a finger inside slowly, and Shaun inhaled sharply, feeling the digit stretch him.

"Too much?" the wolf asked with a touch of concern. Shaun just shook his head, exhaling slowly.

"I'll be alright."

Roland gripped the base of his own shaft, and eased the tip against Shaun's lubed opening. The flesh sunk in with only the faintest resistance, the human willing himself to relax. Even so, he felt himself clench down on Roland's length and he had to force himself to calm down. He couldn't help but wince in pain as Roland slowly began to sink his cock into him; giving Shaun plenty of time to adjust.

Fuck, been way too long, Shaun mused, feeling the length pushing him open.

With the slow and steady pace, Roland eventually managed to slip inside him entirely. Shaun groaned loudly as that last inch popped inside, the wolf hilting himself completely. Roland looked at him, green eyes sparkling with concern. Shaun smiled up at him, despite the mild discomfort.

"Feels good," Shaun said to placate the lupine's worries. "Just been a long time, that's all."

Roland leaned down, licking at his neck and sending delicious waves of pleasure coursing through his body. It already seemed as if Roland had figured out his weak point. The wolf had begun to withdraw from him, and when just the tip remained, he reversed his momentum and pushed back inside.

"Oh, fuck," Shaun gasped, closing his eyes as Roland hilted him. The sensation of that thick cock inside of him was amazing, to feel it pump in and out. He finally knew what it was like to have his teenage love mating with him.

"Christ, you're tight," Roland panted. His powerful body thrust forward again, and Shaun saw him grin devilishly when he grunted. The wolf draped his legs over his broad shoulders, planting his arms to either side of Shaun's body. He felt that tongue lick his nose again before Roland's muzzle pressed against his lips.

He moaned softly into the kiss as Roland continued to thrust and pump inside of him, pushing deeper and harder with every motion. The pain had quickly subsided, overcome by the bolts of sensual pleasure that rolled throughout his entire body. It had been so long since he had felt this good. The lupine's sac slapped against his rump, and their tongues danced in each other's mouths. During this, Shaun had begun to feel a heavy, solid lump forming at the base of the lupine's shaft: his knot.

"Shaun," Roland whispered, breaking away from the kiss. He nibbled at the human's ear. "I want to tie with you."

"I want you to as well. I want to know what it's like," Shaun answered back softly. He brushed a hand against Roland's cheek, the fur tickling his skin.

Those were the only words Roland needed to hear. The lupine kissed him again, starting to thrust even harder than before. Shaun could feel the pressure squeezing against his hole, the knot trying to push inside. He groaned, burying his face in the wolf's fur and inhaling deep that primal scent. With a growl, Roland pushed with all his strength; the thick knot finally sunk in with an almost audible 'pop'.

"Oh, fuck!" Shaun shouted, his hands grasping the lupine's shoulders for support. He bared his teeth, groaning and grunting as his body adjusted to the sudden expansion. The wolf was there in an instant, kissing him hard as he started thrusting again.

Roland growled into the kiss and Shaun felt his body go rigid beneath his fingers before a hearty warmth filled his insides. He felt Roland's cock throbbing as the wolf came deep inside of him, filling him with his spunk. Throughout the wolf's orgasm, they never stopped kissing. Shaun held him tight against him until it was over.

"Fuck, man," Roland panted, sounding almost out of breath. His tongue lulled from the side of his muzzle. Shaun smiled at him.

"Was that good?" he asked. Roland gave him an incredulous look.

"Do you even need to ask? Shaun, that was fucking amazing."

"Glad I could help," the human replied. He felt Roland's hand on his shaft then, and he looked up into that cocky grin.

"Not done yet. We still need to get you off."

It didn't take long, and soon enough, the human groaned, as his cock throbbing in Roland's powerful grip. Warm cum splashed against his chest, sticking to the hair upon it. Roland's paw continued to stroke along the length, milking every drop of seed from him. Shaun laughed at the mess the two of them had made.

"That was...amazing," Shaun said, crossing his arms behind his head and beaming up at the wolf. Roland was still sitting there, his cock deep inside of him still.

"It was, though we're going to be stuck like this for a few minutes at least. Got to give the knot some time to shrink down again," Roland explained.

"How long?"

"Five, maybe ten minutes tops?"

"That's fine. I've wanted to do that for so long," Shaun said. Roland beamed at him.

"So have I, Shaun. More than anything in the world."

"I suppose the good part about being stuck like this is that it gives us more time to catch up. It's been ten years, fuck! Tell me what you've been doing all this time, I'm curious."

Roland shrugged, his teeth flashing as he did so. Shaun felt his tail brushing against his foot.

"It can wait. I think what we need now is a shower and probably some sleep."

"I suppose," Shaun mused. He felt Roland's paw down by his rear and a sudden feeling of emptiness overcame him as the knot slipped out. The human pushed himself up, cum still splashed against his chest hair. Roland had already grabbed his smokes, an extra one out for Shaun.

"Roland," Shaun said a few moments later. They were back on the balcony, in nothing but their underwear, sitting comfortably in the wicker chairs. A cool, sea breeze buffeted them slightly. "I'm sorry I was so angry earlier."

The wolf-morph was shaking his head before he had even finished the sentence. Taking a drag, he exhaled a stream of smoke before looking at his love.

"It's alright. I know you were upset. If our roles had been reversed, I'm sure I would have been no different. What is important though is that we're back together now, right?" Roland asked. Shaun nodded.

"That's the only thing I care about right now. Just you and me."

He leaned over the small table, Roland meeting his lips with his muzzle.

"I love you," they said in unison.

***

Ray sat on the edge of his bed, deep in thought. His head rested in his palm, a sullen expression painted on his muzzle. Mikal had fallen asleep a few hours ago, the tiger's restful breathing indicating he still remained so. The big cat must have laid Ray down at some point, because when the fox awoke, his shirt was off and a blanket had been placed over top of him.

With a sigh, Ray pushed himself off the cushiony mattress. He didn't want to disturb Mikal's slumber.

Maybe I just need some air.

The vulpine stalked over to the door quietly, being sure to keep his keycard in his pocket. He managed to crack the portal open without a sound, and step through.

The moon was beginning to set and the faintest traces of pink and orange stretched across the sky. The sun would be rising soon. What was left of the moonlight illuminated the fox's red and white fur, his black socked hands grasping the cool steel railing as a breeze blew across the deck. His tail wrapped itself around his legs as he gazed out over the water, the gentle lapping of the waves echoing in his ears.

More than once, he threw a glance in the direction of Roland's cabin, and another sigh slipped from his muzzle. He had to trust in the wolf to explain things, but he was impatient. He wanted to know right now.

Maybe I will go see him, he reasoned, but he dismissed the thought almost as soon as it entered his mind. No doubt that human was sharing the black wolf's bed this very moment. The thought stung him deeply.

The pearly-pink of the morning sky continued to stretch out over the vast expanse, and Ray had to throw an arm over his eyes to shield them as the first rays of sunlight peaked themselves over the water. They illuminated the ship and himself in a fiery golden glow, the water sparkling and reflecting the light a million times over.

At twenty-three, Ray was small and lithe. He stood only five feet and seven inches, and he wasn't overly muscular, though his fairly thick white and red fur hid a fit, compact body. Still, he was the brains behind a lot of what his friends and he accomplished; the planner. Ray looked down at his watch, frown at the sight. It was almost five-thirty, though he noticed the dial seemed to have stopped.

"Going to need to fix this later," he whispered. The fox was also a fairly adept mechanic; capable of engineering all sorts of tools and gadgets, a skill that had proven utterly invaluable. More so when Jerome or Geoff kept breaking the toaster or microwave.

So lost in his own thoughts, Ray didn't even hear the door open and shut behind him, or the soft padding of feet.

"Hey," Mikal's sleepy voice called softly behind him. Ray snapped out of the trance-like state he had fallen into, turning to see the tiger standing just short of the door. The tiger's white, striped fur glistened in the dawn light, a paw scratching his neck.

"Hi," Ray replied as Mikal joined him at the railing. Mikal offered him a look of concern.

"You going to be alright, kit?" he asked. Ray only shrugged, turning back to look at the water.

"I don't know. I guess we'll see eventually."

The fox didn't know what was going to happen between Roland and himself. For all of his brains, this was the one thing he was never able to puzzle out. Roland was such an enigma to him, so strange, so strong and captivating, but also impossibly infuriating at times. One thing the fox could count on though was that Mikal would be there to help him if he needed it. Mikal would assist him with picking up the pieces.

He felt the cat's hand pat his shoulder and he smiled meekly up at him.

"Thanks, Mik," he whispered. Mikal returned the gesture, beaming down at him, even going so far as to pull the fox against his side, wrapping an arm around Ray's smaller frame.

They both watched on as the sun continued its rise of the ocean.