FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Christmas in Ghost Hall

Brathor Cyr © 2011

Notes : This story was previously published in the Holidays anthology from FurPlanet. My contract gave them exclusive rights for one year. Since that's expired now, and since it's the right time of year, I thought I'd share it. If you like the story, please consider a purchase; there are several really excellent stories from other writers inside. The book is available at FurPlanet ** ** and Bad Dog Books.

This story has sexual content and is intended for an adult audience, etc...

---

Eric's legs felt like they were on fire by the time he'd finished moving in. A month ago, the warning in his letter had seemed unimportant, now the words-- "Temporary Holiday Residents are advised to pack only what they will need during their stay"--were taunting him. The sweat in his fur had frozen the last time he'd made the trip out to the parking lot, and now his skin felt hot thanks to the sudden transition.

Eric wasn't weak by any stretch of the imagination. Besides the fact that he was a Canaan dog - known for endurance - he was also an athlete. A good one. He was used to physically exhausting himself, but something about the combination of oppressive weather, the circumstances of the labor, and the irritating repetition of the too-narrow stairway left him breathing hard.

For the eighth time that day, a whispered curse escaped his lips. Fortunately, a too-loud rendition of "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland" playing over the intercom masked his voice. With a groan, he set the last cardboard box, soggy from the snow, next to his other belongings on the long twin bed then took a step back to lean against the small desk of his temporary home. Sickly winter daylight trickled through the room's only window in an attempt to warm it, but a whistling gust of frigid wind intercepted it and the gray overcast soon snuffed out the trickle of light.

The strained voice of Eric's single volunteer helper broke through the Eric's dark thoughts. "Where do you want this?" he asked while struggling to carry a suitcase of Eric's clothes through the door. Eric had met the cat while trying to carry his over-sized television up the stairs. The short, tawny-furred cat had offered to help. Eric had grown up in a small, remote town, but after a semester at the "liberal elite" Harrison University, he'd grown a lot more open-minded. Still, the pierced lip and earring-lined ears almost made Eric turn the offer down, but the cat's easy expression and bright eyes were friendly. Besides, Eric really needed the help. The cat was stronger than he looked.

Eric offered a fatigued smile before pushing off with the desk and moving to help lift it onto his dresser. "This'll work for now."

When it was done, the cat took off his knitted hat to let his shaggy length of blond hair breathe. "You sure that's all of it?"

"Yeah, that's everything," he said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking over the room. He suddenly felt self-conscious. Thanks for your help; you'll have to let me take you out to dinner or something."

The cat offered another one of those confident smirks. "It's no problem. I figure if we're going to be neighbors I might as well make a good impression. My name's Jaime. My sister and I have a suite down at the end of the hall."

After realizing he was slouching, Eric forced himself stand up straight. His legs resented him for it, but they were used to being ignored. He offered a hand. "I'm Eric."

The cat casually brushed some of his hair behind an ear before taking it. Eric thought he looked nervous, but the thought slipped from his mind almost as quickly as it formed.

"I know," Jaime was saying, "Eric Hudson. I helped write an article about you in the paper a few weeks ago. Most valuable freshman."

Eric fought back a frown. He hated the title. Though he was a good player, he was far from the best, and the way Eric saw it, he was only trying to carry his weight. Eric didn't know the exact dollar amount his scholarship was worth, but he wanted to make sure someone was getting their money's worth. During one of the last games of season, the team--Tornadoes were winning by such a wide margin that his coach had decided to let Eric play - he had been told when he was recruited that he probably wouldn't come off of the bench his entire first year. In only a single quarter, he'd managed to run the ball over a hundred yards. Considering that the game was against Harrison's rival, Eric accepted the veneration, but only reluctantly. He performed reasonably well the rest of the season, though he still played rarely. He knew a lot of his teammates--many who were older--were jealous of his popularity. Eric just tried to make it clear that he was only in it for the game.

It had been about a week since anyone had recognized him like this, but he'd had enough practice in dealing with it that he still managed not to act too put off. "Oh," he said while managing a small smile, "Always glad to meet a fan."

Jaime's smile became slightly lop-sided, "Oh, I'm not really. I'm just in it for the--"

"Here's where you ran off to," a feminine voice interrupted. Another cat was walking into the room, a slightly icy expression on her face. She had the same tawny fur, dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and slim build as Jaime. Eric even recognized her body language. Jaime had mentioned something about sharing a suite with his sister, though he hadn't mentioned twins.

Jaime rolled his eyes. "Only to get away from you, Sis," he teased quietly.

"If you'd wanted to get away from me you would have gone to another school," she said matter-of-factly. Jaime looked like he wanted to say something else, but he looked to Eric and let it go.

She followed his eyes and that stern look briefly gave way to embarrassment. Like Jaime had done before, she quickly pushed her hair back over an ear before holding out a hand. "Hi, I'm Alex," she said. "I'm not usually such a bitch, but I've been looking for my brother, here, for half an hour."

Eric was still in diplomatic mode from dealing with Jaime; and though he was a little uncomfortable, he managed to keep it from showing. "Right," he said, taking the offered hand in his. His fingers were still cold from being outside , but she didn't complain. "I'm Eric."

"Freshman?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Uh... yeah," he admitted.

She smiled, that same easy smile Jaime had worn a few minutes earlier, then patted him on the shoulder. "Thought so. Didn't recognize you from last year. Plus you kind of have this 'deer-in-the-headlights' thing going on right now."

The Canaan's ears flushed slightly. Was he really that transparent? "I'm nervous," he confessed, "I've never been away from home for Christmas."

"All of us feel that way the first time," Jaime said. He still had a bit of that cocky smile from earlier, but he at least sounded sincere. "Don't worry, it's not so bad. Why don't you get unpacked and meet up with Crista. By the time we get back, you can buy me that dinner you were talking about."

Eric hesitated. He wasn't exactly convinced that this was a good idea, but he didn't know any other students who'd stayed on campus for the winter holiday, and he certainly wasn't relishing the idea of spending the entirety of the break squirreled up in his room. And, he did owe Jaime big time. Without his help, he'd probably still be carrying boxes. "Okay, sure," he said, "Umm. Who's Crista?"

As it turned out, Crista was an RA -the only RA for Thatcher Hall between semesters. Though, none of the other students called it Thatcher, he realized. During breaks, the first three floors of the oldest dormitory on campus became "Ghost Hall." Like many of the buildings at Harrison, Thatcher Hall dated back to the colonial period. Though the school tried to keep things in good repair, it had a reputation for being noisy. It was also the subject of more than a few ghost stories. Adding that to the abandoned, eerily quiet nature of the sparsely populated dormitory, the name made sense.

Crista, a tall senior, was skunk, and, like every RA Eric had dealt with in his short academic career, was almost too friendly. She welcomed Eric with an enthusiastic smile and a cookie decorated to look like a Christmas tree. She helped him fill out some paper work, while making friendly conversation with him about what he could expect, while making sure he was aware of the rules. Since the university was closed, no activities were officially sanctioned, but Ghost Hall traditionally played host to a Christmas Eve party anyway. There were also frequent, unorganized trips to some of the places around town that offered cheap entertainment. Eric wasn't very excited about any of this, but he tried to pretend.

When he finally managed to get back to his room, Jaime and Alex were still gone, so he started setting up his room. The work went quickly, and the cold brick-walled room was finally starting to look more like home. When he unpacked his laptop, however, the thought of his last email from home snuffed out any chance of a good mood. For the tenth time, he opened his laptop with the full intent of writing back to her. He tried to start writing. Ten minutes later, he was still staring at a blank box. What could he say?

Jaime and Alex knocked on his door about an hour after he'd given up. The dorm kitchens were closed for the break, obviously, and neither Eric or his friends were interested in venturing out into the frigid weather again. Instead, Eric got Jaime to settle for delivered pizza while they watched one of the sixty-five versions of A Christmas Carol on cable. Eric tried not to think about the email while he was leaning back on his bed, but his thoughts kept wandering back to it, and back to home.

The next thing he knew, he was waking up in his bed. Someone - Jaime or Alex - had turned off the television and even thrown a blanket over him. He hadn't realized he was so tired. But he did find himself smiling when he thought about Alex 'tucking him in.' Sure, it made him feel like a kid, but the girl was hot. A tomboy, sure, but then, he'd always liked tomboys.

Over the next few days, Eric adjusted to new routine - the largest challenge, of course, being that there wasn't anything that really needed to be done. He had no classes, no homework, no studying, no job, few friends to occupy his time, no girlfriend, and no family obligations. Even his normally mandatory training sessions at the field house were on hold. To pass time, Eric spent hours making up for it with his own work outs. The school's rec center was locked down for the holiday along with everything else, so Eric spent hours jogging up and down the Ghost Hall's empty upper floors, and performing crunches, dips, pull-ups, push-ups, and any other kind of exercise he could pull off without equipment. A lot of athletes struggle to keep in shape over the winter and summer breaks, but Eric resolved that he wouldn't be one of them.

Alex and Jaime were a welcome distraction. As the days passed, Eric found himself spending more time with them. They were from a nearby town, but their mother moved to the coast shortly after they had started their freshman year. Now she lived too far away for the twins to visit more than once a year, and so Jaime and Alex had now spent their winters in Ghost Hall.

The twins seemed to share interests and hobbies, and at times, they seemed so synchronized that Eric had a hard time thinking about them separately. He made it a point to change that; and, with effort, he took note of what distinguished them. Jaime was relaxed, and had a much more flippant sense of humor. Alex still liked to have fun, but she was stubborn, and prone to take things seriously when a joke had gone too far.

Despite the cats' friendly attitude towards him, Eric felt like he didn't belong. He caught both of them staring at him from time to time. Alex, when he caught her, would shift her gaze to something else as if she were simply scanning the room. Jaime was less covert. When Eric caught him, he just shot the dog one of his lop-sided grins, and then acted as if staring were the most natural thing in the world. It was at times like that when he wondered why the twins had taken such an interest in him.

He began to suspect there was something sexual in the twins' interest, but he dismissed those thoughts. With his new found fame, he'd gotten used to that kind of attention around campus. But, between his studies and his obligations to the team, he'd never really had the time to pursue it. The other guys on the team weren't exactly discreet in sharing what they did with the girls that stared at them, and Eric was envious of how casual it was for them. But then, he wasn't at Harrison to show off and have sex. Oh, he loved the game, and was content to play it as long as the school wanted him, but he viewed position on the team as a means to an education that would otherwise be far outside of his reach. So, Eric ignored the flirting and turned down the girls who did more than suggest. Besides, he had Jess to think about.

As Christmas grew close, Eric refused to hole up in the dorm. He didn't want to think about the email, home, Christmas, and most of all, Jess. He just wanted to get through the break so he could focus on what was important. If he just made it through Christmas, he told himself, everything would be better. Jaime and Alex, despite making him uncomfortable at times, were excellent for keeping his mind on other things.

If he ever ran out of things to do, they would always come up with something, and Eric ventured out with them whenever he could. One relatively warm night, they walked to a nearby neighborhood to view Christmas lights. Another night, they built overly-endowed, snowmen, then drank hot chocolate and coffee at the nearby café.

On the day before Christmas Eve, the twins even took Eric out to the nursery to buy a tree. A "rescue tree" they called it. They had no decorations, and no money to buy them, so the three spent the entire night stringing popcorn together and making long chains out of red and green construction paper. When they finally finished, they admired the tree. It took up more space than it really should have in the small living area that connected the twins' bedrooms, but the scent of fresh pine reminded him of home.

They crowded together for warmth on the small futon for a few hours, but Alex eventually excused herself for the night. Eric was about to get up to leave, when Jaime gave him one of his smiles that told him he wasn't done quite yet. They were watching an old action movie that Eric had always liked, so he didn't think much of the hand that came to rest just above his knee. At least not at first. The futon was small, after all, and getting cozy wasn't really optional. The contact was... unusually intimate, but Eric dismissed it almost as soon as he noticed it. He did, however, start thinking about things when that small, boyish hand started to travel up his thigh.

The dog swallowed, and tried to focus on the movie, but the slow moving, insistent presence was hard to ignore. Worse, Eric realized, his hormonally-challenged body was starting to react. He could feel his sheath swelling, and an uncomfortable pressure between his legs would soon become difficult to ignore in the tight jeans he'd chosen to wear that night.

A deluge of long neglected emotion and sensation twisted itself into a kaleidoscope of indecision in the dog's mind. He wasn't gay, he told himself. He thought about the long nights he'd spend with Jess. The few times she'd actually brought him to climax to convince himself, but that did little to help his erection. Besides, Jaime's hands looked so much like Jess's. He wondered if they'd feel the same. Maybe if he just closed his eyes. It had been a long time. And he knew Jaime wouldn't tell anyone. The meandering paw was getting dangerously close to crossing a line, Eric noticed. His face was flushed, he knew. Words sprung to his mind, but some hesitation kept them from actually forming on his tongue.

That's when the cat's hand brushed across his Judas of an erection. It was a subtle move. Familiar, even. Eric's body reacted accordingly, Jaime looked at him finally. Those blue eyes asked the question.

Eric swallowed. Why did he want this so badly? He was straight. Or at least he thought he was. This was just a product of neglect. He hadn't jerked off since coming to Ghost Hall. Two weeks. He knew the only thing he needed to say to walk away, but the words stopped in his throat. His heart was beating so hard he was sure the other boy could hear. The musky scent of their competing arousal was too potent to pretend he didn't notice. Certainly Jaime wasn't pretending.

A splayed hand gently came to rest above the dog's waist, then began to drift lower. Fingers tentatively hooked under his leather belt. Again, the look. It was desperate now. He could see so much in that expression. "No one has to know," Jaime seemed to be saying. "Just close your eyes and let me."

He looked so much like his sister. He imagined what it would be like if the two of them...

A barely detectable moan of desire joined his exhalation. Jaime took it as the answer he wanted.

It only took about two quick movements of the cat's paw to bring his belt open. It took a bit longer to open his jeans and to pull them and his underwear down far enough for his dick to spring up and slap against his abdomen. A small wet spot started to soak into the dark fabric of his t-shirt, though the cat didn't let it grow any larger.

Eric had always admired the graceful dexterity and flexibility that almost every cat seemed to display innately. This was an entirely different context. Slim fingers wrapped around the swollen base of his maleness, guiding it down and away from his body. Eric shuddered in anticipation. The next moment hung suspended for what seemed like an eternity. The scent of popcorn and pine mingled with their arousal, while the sounds of Jaime's clothes rustling were oddly sharp over the backdrop of the voices from the TV.

Jess had never really been into it the few times she'd done this for him, and though the sensation was comparable, there was no making up for the warmth of the soft, velvety tongue sweeping underneath him. The warm muzzle wrapping itself around him--eager, practiced, and nimble- was a new kind of pleasure. Electric shivers surged along his spine while Jaime tasted him. Eric saw the cat work with half-lidded eyes. His mouth seemed so small compared to the organ it was slowly engulfing, but the cat didn't seem concerned.

He began working back and forth, eyes looking back to Eric's for approval. For a moment, Eric wondered how many others he'd done this for, but that thought slipped from his mind the second Jaime swallowed the last inch or so of his cock. It took Eric a second or two to realize what the new sensation was. The muscles of Jaime's throat squeezed and pulsed tightly and that realization it was almost enough to send the dog over the edge.

Sensing this, the cat paused for a few second before he resumed his back and forth movements. The twin bulbs at the base of Eric's cock rapidly swelled until they were too large fit in his mouth. Jaime didn't hesitate to replace the grip of his mouth with that of his hand.

It was over quickly after that. Eric could tell he'd produced a rather large climax - it'd been weeks since he'd cum, and he didn't want to think how long it'd had been since he'd actually had sex - but Jaime swallowed all of it before the Canaan could catch his breath. A quick swipe of the cat's tongue picked up the remnants around his lips and at the corners of his mouth. Eric's spent member was still mostly hard, but without the constant pressure on his knot, he was starting to go down.

"You must have really needed that," Jaime said, nearly breathless. He was clearly pleased with himself.

He didn't know what to say in return. He pulled his pants back on as the guilt hit him. He shouldn't have let Jaime do this. Another guy? What the fuck, he'd never even thought about it before. Except for that time he'd seen Aaron Bagley in the shower after practice. Or that time he'd looked at that website. But that didn't count. He wasn't gay. He'd fucked girls. Or, at least he had fucked Jess. He liked girls.

"I need to get going," he managed in that calm, diplomatic tone he'd used when they'd first met. Jaime looked like he had wanted to say something, and his expression showed legitimate concern - an oddity considering his normal style - but Eric didn't give him a chance. Thankfully, Jaime made no attempt to follow him.

That night, Eric's sleep was hardly restful. Despite a nagging guilt over what he'd done, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Every time he tried to get sex out of his mind, the memory of that hot tongue brought it all back. When he finally gave in to his need for relief, intense feelings of confused guilt caused him to stop. He tried to summon memories of Jess, but that only made things worse.

When he did manage to drift into sleep, his dreams offered no escape. It was the night of his senior prom, back in his home town. They'd managed to sneak off into the equipment locker attached to the locker room. He could still hear the distant sounds of the cheesy pop music echoing from the gym while Jess's hand wrapped around his throbbing cock. It was so dark he could barely see, but he felt her warm mouth sliding over his tip, the swirl of her tongue along the spot he liked. He was close. His eyes had adjusted to the dark, but when he focused on her, he realized it wasn't Jess at all. It was Jaime that was slowly bobbing along his shaft. Startled, Eric tried to push him away, but a pair of slender arms were wrapped around his own, holding hmn place. The air from Alex's voice tickled his ear when she whispered into it. "Eric..."

He awoke to a quiet knocking on his door. He was sweating profusely, and his cock was still hard. Really hard. A pool of precum had formed in the valley of his navel, and the dog felt like he was very close to spilling more than just that. The knocking came again; a little louder this time. "Hold on!" he called out.

He threw on a pair of loose fitting flannel pants--though not loose enough-- then stepped across the cold tile floor to open the door just wide enough to see who it was. It was Alex. He suddenly remembered the way she'd whispered to him in his dream. She smiled, but didn't try to come in. "Hey Eric, Jaime said he's going to sleep in, but I thought you might want to go get some breakfast."

He looked at the clock. It was still early and he was tired, but he had the feeling there was more here than a simple breakfast. Besides, he was sure he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep in his current state. "Okay, sure," he said, "Give me a few minutes and I'll meet you in the lounge."

They walked to a small diner about a block from campus, making slightly awkward small talk along the way. Eric wasn't sure if it was simply his own discomfort showing, or if Alex knew, but once they had settled into their booth at the restaurant, Alex cleared the air. "Jaime told me what happened," she said simply. Even though he'd suspected, he still blushed. She continued, "He wanted to come talk to you, but I thought it might be better if you could talk to someone else first. Someone who you could be honest with."

Eric tried to keep his cheeks from flushing any more, but the heat he felt told him he had failed. "Oh..." he managed, though he wasn't sure what to say.

Alex reassured him with a small smile. "He sat up with me half of the night because he was sure he'd scared you away. I had to stop him from knocking on your door more than once."

The dog looked out the window. "I just... wasn't expecting...."

"I know. Jaime has this... tendency to forget that other people don't necessarily feel the same way he does about things. He's had a crush on you since the day you moved in. Probably since he wrote that piece on you for the paper. I've been telling him to relax and get to know you better before trying anything, but I think just... being alone with you last night left him feeling bold."

"I'm not gay."

"No one said you were," Alex said patiently. "That's another thing Jaime tends to forget. Sexuality identity isn't always easy for people to define."

"Does this happen a lot?" Eric asked.

She shook her head. "Not exactly, but you're not the first guy he's ever come onto who didn't return the favor. You are the first who let it go all the way before freaking out."

More embarrassment. "I... I just didn't know what to do. And I- I didn't know he was interested in me like that."

She shrugged. "Most guys are pretty oblivious to that kind of thing." She added, "Especially when they're distracted."

He blinked. How did she know about Jess? "Is it that obvious?"

She laughed. "Yes."

Eric laughed too, but he still felt awkward. "I... I'm just homesick," he lied.

"I wasn't sure it was a girl until this morning." She took a small sip of her coffee. "What's her name?"

He flushed again and looked down at the table. He almost denied it, but his hesitation had already given her all the confirmation she needed. "Jess," he admitted softly.

Though he may have been imagining it, there seemed to be something else in that expression too. Disappointment. "I told Jaime you probably had a girlfriend, but he wouldn't--"

"She dumped me," he interrupted. "Said she found someone else."

Greater realization dawned in the cat's expression. "Oh... I'm sorry. I had no idea. Did this just happen?"

He nodded. "During finals week. I had the impression that something was wrong for a few months. And... turns out I was right."

Alex reached out to place hers on top of his. "Eric, I know this won't mean much to you now, but this is probably a good thing. You're an eighteen year old in college a state away from her. If you're having questions about sex, now's the time to experiment. Trust me; you're better off figuring this out now than you are twenty years from now."

He knew she was right, but that didn't mean the words were of any comfort. And, he couldn't help but wonder if things would be different if he hadn't taken his scholarship. Maybe if he'd gone to the community college he could have given her the attention she wanted.

He was left in thought for a few moments before their waitress--a middle-aged mouse-- brought out their food. He was grateful for the distraction, and Alex seemed content to let the conversation relax into small talk. She asked more about his life back home, and by the time the canine had finished his French toast, he was feeling much better.

They didn't talk about much on the way back, but when they were standing outside of the residence hall, Alex put a gloved hand on his shoulder. "Eric, I understand why you reacted the way you did, but you owe it to Jaime to talk to him. Maybe he shouldn't have come onto you the way he did, but you could have walked away. Believe it or not he really likes you. We both do. He's really upset about what happened."

He wasn't sure what to say. He knew she was right, but that didn't make it easier to accept. Despite the less than flattering winter gear, with the snow fluttering around her, she was very pretty. Not in the way most guys would think a woman attractive, but he definitely felt something when he looked at her.

Jess hadn't exactly been the perky cheerleader type he might have been expected to date considering his status as a 'jock.' She had been short too. Tomboyish even. He'd never really noticed until now. Was he really gay? No. That wasn't it. He certainly had no objection to the things he'd done with Jess, or to the latent thought of similar things with Alex. But then, his body wasn't exactly rejecting similar thoughts regarding Jaime. Did that make him bi?

"I'll see him at the party tonight," Eric finally managed. "I'll talk to him then. Right now I think I just need to clear my head."

He avoided the dorm for the time being, deciding instead to work out in the snow. Though he slipped several times in the snow, he rejected the urge to head back inside and instead made a game out of keeping his balance. When he grew tired of running, he did something else. It was the hardest he'd worked out over the entire break, and after two hours, his body, thirsty, tired and cold, demanded he stop.

He found a dry bench under the lip of a building to catch his breath and to simply watch the snow fall. He liked Jaime. He really did. He even recognized a certain attraction. There was no way to deny what had happened the night before. Or how much he'd enjoyed it.

He considered that Jaime had been a convenient outlet for his pent up libido, but deep down, he knew that wasn't true. He hadn't just liked how it felt. Some part of him wanted more.

It was early in the afternoon when he finally made his way back to the dorms. Crista and a terrier Eric didn't recognize were carrying groceries into Ghost hall. He offered to help them carry the bags inside, and Eric was surprised when they directed him into the dorm kitchens. Almost immediately the familiar smells of Christmas dinner washed over him. A few students he recognized and an elderly wolf he didn't were busy managing a slew of boiling pots and sizzling pans.

"Is this all for the party tonight?" he asked after setting down his bags.

"Yep," she said "It's kind of a tradition around here. Professor Lundeen started it when she was a student here. We do the full Christmas dinner." She gestured towards the wolf, who smiled at him. Thin lines around her eyes when she smiled reminded him a bit of his own mother.

"Just Trish when I'm not teaching, Crista. Who's this?"

"Oh, this is Eric Hudson. It's his first year."

She looked him over. "You look like you could use a good meal," she said finally.

Eric smiled. He had been expecting a few cookies and some eggnog. Maybe some frozen pizzas. Not this. It was actually really nice. It was so... domestic. Comforting, even. "Do you need any help?"

She clicked her tongue. "Normally, I'd say the more the merrier, but I think we've already got a few too many cooks in this kitchen," she said with a disparaging glance towards a raccoon girl whose pan was smoking. "We could use some help carrying stuff up when it's done though. Why don't you come back in a few hours?"

Eric agreed and eventually made his way back to his room.

Once again, he opened his laptop and checked his email. His mom and brother had both sent him a "wish you were here" message. And the email from Jess was still there.

He knew what it would say. He considered about reading it again, but then he remembered what Alex had said back at the diner. It still hurt, but he knew she was right. Being hung up on her was only making it harder to deal with things now. Clicking "delete" was easier than he thought it would be. And it felt good. He was done with it.

Eric had expected only a few people to show up at the party, but by the time he'd finished carrying food up into the dining room, he realized that almost every resident of Ghost Hall was here. In fact, he realized there had to be more people in the dining room than there were students in the Hall. Christa and Trish explained when he asked. Some of them were students who lived in town, but most of them were alumni who still lived within driving distance. Christmas dinner at Ghost Hall was a tradition for them.

Someone had spent a lot of time redecorating the normally boring, brown-bricked room. A large Christmas tree sat in the center of the room, decorated with lights, ornaments, and adorned with presents that spilled well beyond the reach of the tree's branches. The large round tables that surrounded the room were covered and set with expensive looking china, crystal, and silver, and each held a poinsettia centerpiece. Most of the students had even dressed up--at least a little.

In the crowd, he didn't see Alex arrive right away, but when he spotted her she was alone. He'd grown used to seeing her with Jaime, he'd realized. He'd also grown used to her typical masculine outfits--t-shirts and jeans usually. Tonight she was wearing a pair of tight black pants and a dark green collared shirt. A thin red scarf around her neck almost reminded him of a necktie, but it worked with the outfit. She smiled at him, and Eric smiled back. Eric felt a little under-dressed in his red Harrison Tornadoes hoodie and a pair of cargo pants, but he noticed most of the other freshmen were also dressed casually while the older students were all a more formal.

People were still settling in at tables scattered around the room, and Eric had eventually settled into one near the back. Alex joined him before anyone else did. "You look really nice Alex," he said after she'd had a chance to settle in.

"Thank you, Eric," she said, though she sounded a bit awkward. He supposed used to that kind of complement. She had an odd smell to her, he realized. Something familiar, but he couldn't figure out how he recognized it.

That was about the time Jaime came in. For the first time since Eric had met him, he wasn't wearing a skull cap. Instead, he wore a white collared shirt with a loose green neck tie. It was untucked, but still more formal than anything he usually wore. His shaggy blond hair looked unkempt, but Eric could tell that was intentional.

He found them and sat next to his sister, though he stopped to talk to a few friends along the way.

There was an awkward moment as they both looked to each other. Then they both tried to talk at the same time.

"You first," Eric conceded.

Jaime nodded. He had a hard time making eye contact while he spoke. "Umm. I just, you know, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I... shouldn't have been so..."

Eric shook his head. "You didn't do anything wrong," he said when Jaime hesitated. He forced a smile. "I can't really complain, I just wasn't expecting... well, you know."

The cat smiled at him, and Eric couldn't keep authenticity from touching his own. "I guess we were both thinking with our dicks."

Eric blushed, but managed a nod of agreement. He wasn't sure what else to say about it, but Crista was moving to the front of the room, which broke up the awkward silence. She raised her hands and the din of voices died down.

"Hi everyone. Thank you all for coming," she said loud enough for her voice to carry. "I know you're all eager to eat and get on with the party, but it's tradition for the RA to say something before we get started."

"During my first year here, I was so scared to be away from my family. My mom always went crazy at this time of year-- decorations, food, presents, carols, hot chocolate - pretty much everything. I never really learned to appreciate how much that meant to me until I came to college. I ended up here at Ghost Hall - my first job as an RA. At first, I thought I would be miserable. And for a few days, I was. But as I got to know the other students, I realized that we were all going through the same thing, and that brought us closer together. I know the cliché is to say Christmas is all about giving, but for me, Christmas is all about solidarity. With family, with friends, with colleagues, with those we love."

She paused to consider her words, and then added, "Okay, so I know this is corny, but I really want to say it. At Ghost Hall, we're all of those things. We're all connected by something, and it's important that we acknowledge it. This I my last year here as RA, but I want to say that I've loved every moment I've been here."

There were some applause and general sounds of agreement. When the noise died down, Christa spread her arms and added, "Now that the hard part's over, let's start the party." Most of the students raised their glasses in a shout of agreement.

The feast was amazing. Nothing was left out in the spread that Trish and her helpers had created, and Eric found himself wanting to try everything. He didn't manage to, but by the time the meal was over, he'd yet to find something he didn't like. Even dishes he normally shied away from tasted amazing.

When they were done, the tables were cleared away, though some sweets were left in back. Christmas music was playing in the background and the students weren't shy about mingling. Eric was recognized by a few people, even some alumni who had heard of him. Fortunately, none of them were overbearing, and he actually found himself enjoying some of the attention. As the night wore on, Eric realized that the odd tasting punch he'd been drinking throughout the night had been spiked. He finished his glass but didn't go back for more. Jaime, on the other hand, saw it as an opportunity.

Alex looked irritated, but didn't say anything as her brother lack of sobriety grew increasingly obvious. Eric decided to distract her.

He leaned in close to one ear. "Want to dance?"

Her normal tomboy mask slipped for just an instant when she sharply turned to look up at him. Her ears both tilted towards him and she looked at him as if he'd just asked her to strip naked. "What?"

He shrugged. "Hey, it's fine. I just thought it might be fun."

She looked annoyed now and looked back to the dance floor. He was sure that would be the end of it, but a few seconds later she roughly grabbed his arm and started pulling him out into the center of the room where a few other couples were dancing. Eric went along without making much of a fuss.

She was stiff at first, and she wanted to lead despite having her arms over his shoulders. But eventually, she started to relax. At first, there were a few whispers about the two of them dancing, but that died after the first song had ended.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She hesitated. "I don't really do this kind of thing," she said simply.

"You're doing it now."

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. I don't think I've ever been asked to dance before."

"So why's this such a bad thing."

She bumped his nose. "It's not. I'm just not used to be treated this way."

Eric tilted his head slightly to the side and gave her a half-smile. "What way is that."

She flushed slightly, but kept her eyes locked on his. "Like a girl."

The song changed shortly after that. Eric wasn't exactly an experienced dancer himself, but he'd taken a few lessons with Jess when they had tried for Prom royalty. He couldn't do anything flashy, but he had a good sense of rhythm.

She was quiet for some time after that. "You and Jaime are pretty close, yeah?" eventually asked.

She seemed almost startled by the question, but recovered quickly. "We're twins. It goes with the territory."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't know."

She sighed. "You have any brothers and sisters?"

"A couple."

"Ever fight with them?"

He considered a moment. "When we were younger."

She nodded. "Jaime and I have always been together. We fight sometimes, sure, but we've never been rivals."

He wasn't sure where she was going, but he nodded to let her know he was paying attention.

"Everyone was always telling us how hard it was going to be when we separated after high school. I was content to live with that. I thought I might be more normal, and we both agreed it would be for the best to go to different schools. But then Jaime and I both got scholarships to Harrison."

"Isn't that a good thing?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Yes. But it does make... certain things hard."

He let that sit for a few moments. "Dating?"

She nodded. "I mean, I've had a few boyfriends, but it gets so awkward with Jaime around."

"That doesn't seem to stop him," he said, thinking about the night before.

"No," she said after a moment, "I suppose it doesn't."

The song ended, and Eric decided he was needed a break. They found Jaime talking to a cougar who apparently worked on the school paper with him. He was drunkenly trying to flirt, and the cougar was clearly uncomfortable. When the two of them approached, he looked pleadingly to Alex, who let out a barely audible sigh before stepping forward and wrapping an arm around her brother's shoulders. "Come on Jaime, Eric and I are gonna go watch a movie. Why don't you come back with us."

It wasn't phrased as a question, and though Jaime seemed hesitant, Eric offered him an encouraging smile and that was enough to convince the cat to surrender. The cougar couldn't have looked more relieved when Eric looked over his shoulder.

Though they did attempt to watch a movie as promised, Jaime sprawled across the futon and Eric and Alex were forced to sit on the floor with a blanket. Even that became uncomfortable when Jaime started snoring. Considering his small frame, Eric thought he sounded oddly like a diesel engine, which made it impossible to watch. They tried to roll him onto his side, but the stubborn cat was determined to sleep on his back.

After the failed third attempt, Alex looked to him and said in a joking tone, "We can use my laptop if you don't mind getting up close and personal in my room."

Eric hesitated. He wasn't sure if she was flirting with him or if she was just annoyed. Regardless, he wasn't about to turn something like that aside. His body certainly wasn't, and he was sure that if she couldn't smell his arousal, she would be able to see it. Fortunately, he managed to keep his body in check long enough to follow her into her room.

To keep costs low enough to be fully covered by their scholarships, the twins had a suite rather than two single dorm rooms. The suite was comprised of a communal living area that was just big enough for a couch, a small television and stand, and two desks on opposite walls, and two "bedrooms" that were about the size of a small walk-in closet. The rooms each had only a single twin bed and a small dresser, though there was also a single closet in each room that provided storage space.

He realized she was serious when she said they would have to get "close and personal." The only room to settle down was on the bed. She set her laptop on her dresser and began streaming the movie about where they had left off, then flopped onto the bed and patted the narrow space beside her. "I warned you, come on, I don't mind."

Again, he hesitated, but the pull of a million years of evolution was urging him forward. It might have been a perfectly innocent gesture, but every instinct he had told him that wasn't the case.

He climbed into the bed, but given his bulk, it wasn't exactly a comfortable fit. To make it work at all, he had to wrap an arm around her and press his body up against hers. Still, once they focused on the movie he was able to relax. Holding her like this felt good. Oh, there was the physical, sensual side of it, of course; but there was something else there too.

By the time the movie had ended, he was having trouble paying attention to it. Instead, he found himself nuzzling against her ear, then softly nibbling at it when she hummed in appreciation. She pressed herself back against him, and at that point Eric knew he could have whatever he wanted.

Unlike with Jaime, where he had been nervous and mostly passive, here he was more in his element. Instinct and drive demanded he take the initiative, and he pressed back against her harder, and used his hand to grope light over her shirt.

She bumped her nose against his, and he responded with a kiss. She parted her muzzle and he eagerly let that long canine tongue press into her. She was timid, at first, but by the time he pulled back, her own slightly rougher tongue was pressing back just as eagerly. Meanwhile, his hands were busily lifting up her shirt, then sliding against her bare fur.

He pulled away from her for a desperate breath of air, at which point she pushed him onto his back with surprising force. There wasn't enough room for them both to lay down, but Alex solved that problem by straddling his torso. He could smell her arousal now, which sent blood surging through his body. His sheath was full and leaking, and its musky scent mingled with hers as if to foreshadow what was about to come.

He propped himself up to help her pull his hoodie and t-shirt off all at once. Small hands felt over his lightly defined abs and chest, while sharp claws lightly flicked across his nipple, eliciting a sharp gasp from the Canaan. She laughed at that, so Eric thought it was only fair he return the favor. Her shirt came off easily, and Alex was eager to let him remove her bra.

Her breasts were actually larger than they appeared to be in her usual baggy clothing. Small, yes, but hardly flat. He used his own blunter claws to tease her nipples in revenge. He liked her reaction better.

"Eric," she breathed after a minute, then looked into his eyes. There was more conveyed there in a second than any words could have, and Eric understood instantly.

He moved his hands down to the catch above her tail, then found the second one at his waist. Slacks and a pair of black panties came down with the eager movements of his fingers and her eager cooperation. After that, he didn't waste time. Eric didn't have much to compare to, but he knew he was big from the occasional locker room glances. He could hear the discomfort in the low sound that escaped her throat.

Still, if she was in pain, she didn't let it slow her down. Alex had never struck him as a model of patience, so despite his whispered urging to wait, the feline shuddered, braced herself on his chest, and began working herself back and forth. Her movements were slow and deliberate at first, but that didn't last long.

Though he only had his experiences with Jess to go on, she was quivering around him in a way that made it clear she was racing towards an early orgasm. Eric didn't mind, he wasn't sure he was going to be that far behind her, and for now, he didn't really care. He needed this.

Their combined fluids had thoroughly coated his organ and were now dripping to his sheath and balls, while lewd wet noises echoed in the small room so loudly he was sure it would wake Jaime. Her breasts bobbed each time she thrust herself onto him. Had he been more considerate, he would have let her ride him like this as long as she wanted, but the urges he felt weren't going to satisfied with a passive effort. With a good deal of effort, he wrapped his arms around her back and managed to flip her back onto the bed. His wet cock slipped free of her, then smacked his torso with a dull wet smack, but he hardly noticed.

The look on her face was one of near animal lust, and with a grip on her shoulders he shoved right back into her. Her legs wrapped around him in a carnal embrace that would have made an eunuch shudder in pleasure. He leaned over her for better leverage. Because of the height difference, he had to lift her up and force her knees high. He was concerned it would be uncomfortable, but Alex's flexibility lived up to the feline clichés.

"God, Eric," she said, nearly breathless. He wasn't sure what she expected him to say in response, but he wasn't particularly worried about being clever or charming at this point. Instead, he gave into his instincts and started to really fuck her.

Alex cried out as she suddenly came. When he realized what was happening, he knew he should have stopped so she could catch her breath, but he'd only just started, and the way she gripped and fluttered around him only made him want to do it harder--which he did. Her entire body tensed as a small surge of liquid tried to force itself out around him. A series of loud, sharp cries followed by several desperate gasps for breath rang against the hard brick walls. For a second, he wondered about the occupants of the neighboring rooms, but that thought quickly subsided when she started grinding back against him.

Taking it as an invitation, he fucked her through her orgasm, though he was forced to slow down at its peak. His knot started to form then, and though he worried she wouldn't be able to take the bulb of flesh that looked to be as big around as her fist, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself. The bed creaked and groaned from the shifting weight, while the forgotten laptop continued to play the movie. The pushing and prodding of his knot against her clit was enough to send her over the edge a second time, and as the wash of fluids which renewed her pheromone laden-scent. He couldn't hold off any longer. With rocking hips and a good deal of effort, he managed to force his knot inside. From there, he only had to let her body do the rest of the work for him. It took about five seconds before he exploded into her.

When it was over, she looked up at him, her chest still heaving as aftershocks ran through her body. She tried to speak but she was having trouble forming more than a few words at a time. "Fu-- ho--shit-- Eric..." she managed, though he had no idea what she was trying to say.

He flopped down on top of her, more exhausted than he remembered being in a long time. He felt like he'd just been through a week of two-a-days. "Yeah? You weren't so bad yourself," he said with a small chuckle. She punched him, playfully, then moved in close.

"I guess this means you're feeling better," she finally whispered after a few minutes of letting the afterglow wash over them.

He nuzzled her neck. "Hm, I had a good therapist," he teased. He might have let it linger at that, but decided she deserved a real answer. "I am better," he said. "I think I just needed something to snap me out of things," he admitted.

The scent of sex was still heavy in the air. "That's good. For a while, I thought you were... well, you were only interested in Jaime."

It was his turn to laugh now. "I don't know what I want, honestly. But I'm not really worried about it anymore. Will he be upset about... this?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. He'll probably be more jealous that I fucked you first than anything else," she joked.

A thought crossed his mind. "You know, I still haven't gotten him anything for Christmas," he said softly.

---

When Jaime woke up, the first thing he noticed was that he didn't have a hangover. The second thing he noticed was that his wrists were bound behind his back. That's when he opened his eyes. He tried frantically to remember what had happened the night before, but he wasn't blacked out. There was no explanation for this. Maybe that cougar he'd been flirting with... No, he was still in his suite. Alex would have...

That was when he noticed Eric. The tall canine was standing naked a few feet away and was holding a length of ribbon that led to his wrists. He had a confident smile. "Morning sleepy head," he said softly.

Jaime bit his lip and looked around. Was he still dreaming?

"Wh- Eric. What the fuck?"

The dog's smile took on a few teeth before he said. "Get up, I'm about to give you your Christmas present."

Jaime was more confused now, but he managed to get to his feet. One of them was asleep thanks to the way he'd been sleeping, but the pins and needles quickly began to pass.

"Come on," Eric said before leading him to his room with the makeshift leash.

Alex was already in there, naked and lying on her back on his bed. She smelled like sex. She smiled at him but said nothing.

Though Jaime once again questioned Eric, the big dog simply directed him to undress and to straddle Alex's body in a 69 position. It was something he'd done before, but he'd never dreamed of making it public. He was absolutely gay. Except with Alex a few times a year when they both too pent up to care about the taboo. They never really talked about it, only to acknowledge that it was more masturbation than sex.

He thought about resisting, but eventually he lowered his head between his sister's legs. Abruptly, he realized he was hard. And dripping precum. He might have blamed it on his usual morning wood, but he couldn't remember the last time he's been this aroused. Who knew Eric could be the big bad dom? A drop of pre dripped onto Alex's tongue before she licked at his sensitive tip, her smooth velvety tongue lanced across his length. He only realized he was shivering when started having trouble holding himself upright.

He barely noticed when Eric tied the leash to a post on the bed. It wasn't the most secure tie in the world and Jaime could have easily escaped had the thought occurred to him.

Eric stepped up behind him with an erection any man would be proud of. Jaime had never been good with measurements, but that full length couldn't have been less than eight inches long. "Here Alex," the dog said as he calmly stepped up behind them. "Get it nice and wet."

Eric palmed Jaime's hip while bending his cock at the base into Alex's mouth. The slim girl's tongue danced over that tapered tip for a few seconds before lips parted and she began to swallow inch by inch. Her tongue flicked mercilessly across the length as it plunged into her mouth, polishing the length to a slick, ready shine.

Jaime bowed his head to admire the image as best he could. His own cock obscured part of the view, but that didn't matter so much. He shivered again when Eric put a big hand on the back of his head and pushed his nose between his sister's legs. "Stop being such a brat Jaime, you know what to do."

He did, of course. He'd been doing it for years. That being said, his sister didn't usually taste like cock and cum. Jaime tried to focus on the things he knew his sister liked - a nibble here, and slow lick there, rapid lapping there - but the taste of Eric pushed him to seek out more. The dog's cum had a sweet, tanginess to it that caused Jaime's mouth to water with anticipation, and his small, dexterous tongue was soon delving as deeply into his sister as he could manage. Jaime was so engrossed in this that he hardly even noticed when Alex started grinding back against him, or when Eric pulled himself out of his sisters mouth and adjusted his angle upwards a few degrees.

He did notice, however, when that swollen, red length of cock was pressed up under his tail. Jaime was no stranger to the process of getting fucked, so he did his best to relax and to push back in order to minimize the discomfort. Still, Eric was big, and as that red spear of flesh started to spread him open, rapidly sharpening pain began to shoot up his spine. He cried out, and tears started forming in his eyes. He tried to fight them back, but they soon fell down his cheeks. Yet it felt so hot inside him, and his body ached for more. It'd been months since he'd been properly fucked, and he'd almost forgotten how good it felt.

For his part, Eric did a good job of being patient, but Jaime could sense those barriers of inhibition starting to wear down. With his tongue still eagerly searching for any remnants of the dick now worming embedding itself inside him, he began to rock his hips back and forth ever so slightly. This was all the invitation Eric needed to drive himself in to the hilt.

He muffled a cry in his sister's crotch, but he knew they still heard it. He didn't care. The pain was great, but the curvature of the dog's cock was perfect, causing a nearly crippling pleasure to take him. He almost came right there. Meanwhile, Alex took pity on his arousal and slipped him inside her mouth once again. Jaime had taught her everything he knew about sucking cock over the last few years. Now he regretted every lesson. She didn't have much room to work, but she didn't need it. Between the two of them, he was already teetering on the edge.

Eventually, Eric was able to work his cock back and forth. It still hurt, but the dog's ample precum at least made the movements bearable. Meanwhile, Alex was alternating between going down on her brother and licking the canine's swinging balls and the parts of his dick she could reach.

Surprisingly, Alex was the first to fall over the edge. She released Jaime's shaft, let out a shaking cry of pleasure before a stream fluid began to wash over her brother's rapidly lapping tongue. The twins had long since learned how to get the most pleasure from each other, and Jaime did what he to keep his sister squealing. Eric was next. If he had been gentle before, he gave that up once he felt his orgasm coming on. He had to practically wedge himself into Jaime in order to get that knot in, but the dog wasn't about to take no for an answer. Jaime wasn't sure he wanted him to. He didn't actually manage to get the entire thing in before a wave of hot fluid gushed into him. The sensation was enough to finally push Jaime over the edge as well. Four full ropes of semen fired across his stomach and splashed wetly on his sister's chest while his entire body tensed and milked the dog for all he had left.

A few blissful moments passed before any of them had recovered enough to talk, but Jaime broke the silence. "Does this mean you liked my blow job after all?"

---

Through the remainder of the break, Eric had finally gotten used to life in Ghost Hall. While he still felt the occasional pang of homesickness, he didn't have to go far to forget about it. In the days after Christmas, Eric worried about how sex would change their friendship. He was surprised to find it only made them closer. In some ways, it felt like he was dating both of them; but in truth, their relationship was more platonic than that. Sexual, yes, but not romantic. At least not yet.

After the New Year, Eric grew increasingly anxious about moving back to his old dorm room across campus. When he'd first moved into Ghost Hall, he couldn't wait to leave. Now, he worried about moving away. He tried telling himself that he could still visit, but it simply didn't feel right. He'd come to think of this place as home.

One day, while walking back from dinner he noticed a flier on Crista's door. He normally ignored these things, the headline caught his attention. "Replacement RA needed." He'd seen dozens of fliers like this all year, but this was the first time he'd actually read it. A small smile touched his lips.

"What is it?" Alex called back to him. She and Jaime hadn't noticed him stopping until they'd gotten a ways down the hall.

"I need to talk to Crista about something. I'll catch up with you guys later."

He watched them for a few seconds, then turned to knock on the door.