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Benjamin Clawhauser sighed to himself and settled his head against the metal pole next to his seat on the subway. It had been three months since he and the most wonderful man he'd ever met, Mike Howlard, had started officially dating, and this was the very first day in all that time he wasn't able to see the stocky wolf. Normally, since they worked in the same precinct, they'd see each other at least a few times a day, and their off days almost always synced up, but Chief Bogo had seen fit to give the newest recruit an extra day off. Not to say he didn't deserve it or that Ben wasn't immensely proud of him; it wasn't every day your boyfriend was reported as the lead arresting officer on the single biggest drug bust in Zootopia history.

He removed his phone from the pocket of his uniform and pulled up the last couple of texts they'd sent each other that day:

'I miss you, wolfy!' --Ben

'I miss you too, babe. Sucks not seeing you today.' --Mike

'Come over to my place tonight?' --Ben

'Sorry Benny, still wrapping up loose ends from that case, think it'll take up my whole night. But I love you and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, ok?" --Mike

'K' --Ben

'I'll bring you a box of your favorite doughnuts, will that be a good enough apology?' --Mike

'It's a start ' --Ben

He backed out of his messages and went to his photo album, looking through the thumbnails until he found the one picture he was looking for, his favorite one of the wolf. He was naked on his back in the cheetah's bed, arm behind his head and eyes closed in post-orgasm afterglow with the last rays of evening sunlight splashed across his relaxed and peaceful face. Ben smiled to himself, thinking back on the perfect last few months. His heart still fluttered every time he thought about Mike, and he felt joyful giggles bubble up through his lips every time the wolf said those three amazing words to him; I. Love. You.

He looked through some of his other pictures, being sure to skip past the more...eroticly-inclined photos he'd taken; one of Mike sprawled out on Ben's couch reading, one of him looking extra handsome (if that were possible) in his dark blue uniform, a selfie Ben took of them snuggled together in bed, and dozens more of the sexy wolf. He went back to the most recent pic he'd taken, which showed him, Mike and the saviours of the city themselves Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde out at a restaurant, and marvelled at how the wolf had subtly changed since they began their relationship. The lupine officer often told Ben how being with him made him feel like a better person, and while Ben himself always thought he was pretty great already, he couldn't deny the wolf's level of self-confidence had certainly grown. It was noticeable in just about every way, from the way he now walked with his head up high instead of lowered to the ground to his comfort around the other officers. He'd even felt bold enough to start boxing lessons in the small gym in the basement of the police precinct with Officer Rhinehorn, an older rhino who at one point was an amateur boxing champ! The chubby cheetah often found himself venturing down to the foreign world of the gym whenever he could while Mike was in the ring, partially to show his support (even though he didn't really care for the violence of the sport) and partially to drool over his boyfriend --something a surprisingly large section of his fellow co-workers, of both genders, seemed to enjoy as well. Watching him in that ring, grunting, dripping with sweat, the muscles in his arms and shoulders rippling under the fur, well, there'd been more than one time they'd had to lock themselves in the locker room for a little impromptu alone time.

Knowing his stop was coming in just a few moments and feeling a little naughty, he looked at one more picture; it was a POV shot of the wolf passionately sucking Ben's thick, stubby cock, his eyes partially closed but still looking straight up into the camera. The short, overweight cheetah felt his member twitch inside his uniform pants and decided it would be wise to just slip the phone back into his pocket before anyone noticed. He'd just calmed himself back down again as the train pulled into his stop. He exited the car onto the platform and walked up the small flight of stairs, panting a little by the time he reached the top, out onto the darkened street. From here it was just an easy two block walk to his apartment building, though thanks to his suddenly-increased level of horniness due to the last picture he looked at, it felt longer. He'd suddenly never been more desperate to feel the wolf's loving touch over every inch of his large body.

It surprised him how many of his co-workers were always asking questions about their sex life, and about what Mike was like in general. Many assumed, due to his rough exterior, he was a brute in the sack, like a jackhammer with fur. Quite to the contrary, the grey-furred wolf was a romantic at heart and a gentle, giving lover. That wasn't to say their time in bed was dispassionate or too soft, though; once he got going Mike could rattle a headboard with the best of them and it often took hours for Ben's head to stop swimming from post-coital bliss. At that moment, standing outside his apartment door fishing out his keys, he would've given anything, even doughnuts and Gazelle, to be in his arms.

Given his current state of sudden longing, one could imagine his shock, surprise and joy when he opened his door to the sight of the buff wolf leaning against the small table in his kitchen wearing nothing but black briefs and holding two full wine glasses, a long stemmed rose clenched between his teeth.

"Hi," he said around the ruby-red flower in his mouth.

Ben was too flabbergasted at first to respond in any way, his jaw hanging wide open, but he quickly found his voice again. "O-M-GOODNESS," he shouted excitedly, slamming the door shut behind him and rushing forward to wrap his arms around Mike's waist, laying his jowly face against his broad, bare, creamy-furred chest, "YOU are the best boyfriend EVER!" His decision to give the wolf a key to his place was clearly a good one.

Chuckling, Mike kissed the top of his lover's speckled head, "Naw, that title'd go ta you, Benny."

"You're too sweet," the cheetah said giggling, releasing his hold and accepting the glass of wine offered to him. He couldn't help but notice Mike's own glass was filled with sparkling water. "Didn't you have to do more work tonight?"

"Eh, yer more important than some paperwork," he said after removing the bloom from his mouth, "Ah'll just do it tomorrow mornin'."

Ben 'squeed' happily and kissed his black nosetip, "I love you, Mikey."

The wolf lightly booped the cheetah's nose in response with the red rose, saying, "Ah luv you too, baby. Now Ah know ya've had a long day, so go change an' rest up on tha couch while Ah finish yer dinner."

The chubby radio dispatcher had been so preoccupied with his boyfriend he hadn't noticed the fantastic smells in his kitchen until his attention was called to them.

"That smells amazing, what is it?"

"Makin' a lasagna, I jus' put it in the oven so ya got 'bout an 'our afore it's ready."

"Ooh, I wonder what we can do to pass the time," Ben said coyly, eyebrow cocked.

"Easy, Hot Shot, we got all night fer that."

"Hehe, ok, have it your way. Be right back!"

He sauntered into his bedroom with Mike's reply of 'I'm missin' ya already' following behind him and quickly stripped out of his uniform, stopping to admire his pear-shaped body in the mirror above his dresser. 'Mike isn't the only one feeling better about the way he looks thanks to this relationship,' he thought to himself as his small, pudgy hands roamed over his flabby chest and big round belly. His cock stirred again inside the tight pink briefs he was wearing, but he chose to ignore it for now, knowing what they'd be getting up to later. He hung the dark blue uniform up in his closet and walked back into the main area, setting his half-full wine glass down on the table before stretching flat out on his light green couch. "Mmm...ya look better'n a fully-stocked fridge," Mike exclaimed as he came into view from the kitchen and refilled Ben's glass.

"My favorite kind," the cheetah replied chortling, " here, let me make some room for you."

"Naw, yer fine right were y'ar." Mike grabbed hold of Ben's thick ankles and lifted them up just enough for him to slide into the seat under them and settled the supple chubby paws onto his lap.

"So how was yer day," he asked as he gently massaged the meaty paws on his lap, using his thumbs to make tight concentric circles in the center of his soles, making the big cat close his eyes and purr.

"Mmmm...it was ok...*oh that's the spot right there*...just sucked not seeing you."

"Yeah, ma day was 'bout tha same. This feel good, baby?" He'd graduated up to gently squeezing and rubbing his short stubby toes and the quiet moans were all the answer he needed.

"This is fantastic, Mikey. I do feel a little guilty, though. I mean, you're the one on your feet all day, I should be doing this for you."

"No worries, Benny, ya know Ah like to pamper ma man."

"Mmm...pamper away, baby, pamper away. Keep this up and I may keep you around," he said jokingly.

"Oh ya might, huh?"

"Yep! I could really use a personal ma...wait, w-what are you doing? You wouldn't do what I think you are, would you?"

Mike had stopped the gently massaging and was holding the cheetah's ankles locked under his arm. "Wouldn't dream of it," he said, then lightly skittered his claws against Ben's tender, supple paw pads, driving peels of laughter out of the poor chubby cat.

"MIHIHIHIHIKE STAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!"

"Stop? But Ben, these cute liddle paws a yer's are jus' beggin' to be tickled! An' ya sure seem ta be enjoyin' yerself!"

He teased the sensitive cheetah paws held firmly in his lap for just a few minutes before his claws came to a stop. "Here now, maybe this is more yer speed," he said as he leaned over and tenderly kissed and licked his six plump toes.

"Hehehe, that is MUCH more my speed," Clawhauser said. Over the past few months both young officers had learned new things about their bodies and sexual likes, and one such discovery was Ben's love of having his toes licked and sucked, and Mike was more than willing to oblige.

Both creatures moaned as the grey wolf took each toe into his mouth by turn, spending a few minutes thoroughly sucking each one like he was trying to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop before moving onto the next. By the time the last chubby digit popped out of Mike's sucking maw, both were panting heavily and hard as rocks. Howlard's hand travelled up to Ben's substantial belly and rubbed it in broad circles.

"Hey baby, afore anythin' else happens Ah wanna talk to ya 'bout somethin'."

The round cheetah opened his eyes and, seeing the serious look on his boyfriend's face, sat up so they were eye to eye. "Is something wrong," he asked, genuinely worried.

"N-no baby, the opposite. Yer tha most amazin' guy Ah ever m-met, an' e'ery minute Ah'm not with ya feels like an eternity. So I w-wanna ask, an' it's c-completely fine if ya don't want ta or think it's too soon, how w-wouldja feel 'bout...maybe...m-m-movin' in tagether?"

Ben was quiet for only a few seconds before he launched himself onto the buff wolf, squealing with pure joy and bathing his face and neck in sloppy kisses. "YES YES YES! OF COURSE, LET'S DO IT!"

"REALLY, ya mean it, yain't jus' sayin' that fer me," he asked excitedly.

"Yes I mean it! You've made me the happiest cheetah in Zootopia!"

Ben and Mike embraced enthusiastically and kissed passionately, their tongues wrestling back and forth for supremacy. Their hands had just began to descend lower down each other's bodies when they were interrupted by the sound of a kitchen timer frantically buzzing.

"Dang," the wolf said, "guess Ah better go pull that out."

"But Mikey," Ben whined, "I'm about to burst over here!"

Mike couldn't help but laugh at the tone his boyfriend used. "Don't worry, baby," he said standing up, his cock almost erupting from his black briefs, "Ah think ya can handle a minute more. Don't want a burned lasagna, now do we?"

"I'd let a million lasagnas burn right now if it meant finally getting some 'special time' with you!"

"Wow, ya must really be in a bad way if ya'd sacrifice food. I tell ya what, that stuff in there's gonna need a while ta cool and set, so why don't ya go inta yer bedroom an' make yerself comfortable?"

"I think you mean 'our' bedroom, now," he replied with that sexy smile of his as he stood and walked into the back room, making sure to put some extra sway in his hips.

"Dang, baby, that behind a yer's could make a grown man weep."

"Hehe, we'll see."

Ben slid his pink underwear off, exposing his wide, round ass and thick six inch cock, and stretched out on his cushy King-sized bed face down. He rolled onto his back and allowed his chubby hand to creep down to his rapidly hardening member, just teasing it with his fingertips. His golden eyes closed and he sighed in pleasure as he applied more pressure. He felt a little drop of pre-cum dribble down his shaft.

"Well, looks like ya don't really need me here, do ya," Mike said, making Ben smile and open his eyes.

"This was all your doing, Wolfy, don't blame me!"

"My doing, huh," he answered, sliding out of his own briefs to show his fully erect eight inch wolf cock, "guess Ah should finish what Ah start then."

He walked over to the bed and climbed on, straddling the chubby cheetah's waist and leaned down for more making out. Ben's hands rubbed and scratched the wolf's back as they explored each other's mouths again, their hard-ons rubbing together to create a fantastic sexual heat. They broke off their passionate kissing, a thin line of spittle momentarily suspended between their lips, and Mike nibbled at the tender spot where the cheetah's neck and shoulder met. The wolf really knew how to set Ben's nerves on fire, and the very light clash of teeth on that spot made the feline mewl and moan at a higher pitch than usual. The wolf slid off the cheetah onto his side and propped his head up on his fist.

"Hey Benny, can Ah ask ya somethin'?"

"Anything, Mikey, what is it?"

"Well, have ya ever thought 'bout, maybe, bein' tha one on top?"

"Sure I have! I've only ever been with total tops, though." His eyes popped open as realization dawned on him and he copied Mike's on-side-head-propped-on-fist position. "Are you trying to ask me to...to mount you?"

"Well," he said, his face a little hot, "if'n ya wanted ta try it. Ah mean, Ah've been curious 'bout it fer a while but never done it."

"I'd LOVE to be your first!"

They kissed again and Ben placed his hand on Mike's should, gently pushing down. The wolf took the hint and rolled over onto his belly, grabbing one of the fluffy pillows to put under his chest. The chubby cheetah gently kissed a line down his back until he was laying between the lupine's powerfully-built legs. He kneaded Mike's round, muscular ass-cheeks for a moment before spreading them apart to display his tight, pink, virgin hole. The wolf gasped sharply and almost jumped out of his fur as the cat's rough tongue came into contact with the smooth ring of muscle. Ben took his time, lapping slowly at Mike's tailhole until the wolf was quivering and relaxed before he lubed up a chubby finger with his saliva and gently pressed against the wolf's pucker until he finally broke through into his squishy insides.

"This OK, baby," Ben asked, slightly worried about the pained grunting coming from his boyfriend.

"Yeah," he responded, voice a little strained, "keep going."

The cheetah responded by sliding his finger deeper inside until he was in to the last knuckle, making Mike moan deeply and loudly into the pillow he was hugging as his prostate was reached. The wolf whimpered and thrust back against the probing finger as the round, hard gland was stroked and prodded. Once Ben judged he was loose enough he added a second chunky digit, making the lupine howl with pleasure into the pillow by pinching the raised area between them.

"Think you're ready to go all the way, Wolfy?"

"More'n ready, Benny, please give it ta me!"

"Up on your knees," he said, a big toothy smile on his face as he got up on his. Mike did as he was told, his chest still pressed to the mattress, while Ben spit on his throbbing member. He lined up his cockhead with the wolf's freshly-opened hole and, hands firmly gripping Mike's hips, began to press into him. Mike let out one small, muffled yelp of pain and the cheetah was in, slowly sinking deeper and deeper until all six, girthy inches were inside.

Ben couldn't believe how incredible being inside another male felt! It felt like he was buried hilt-deep into a sock filled with warm jelly, but with a wonderful pressure coming from all sides. As he began to thrust faster and deeper, he felt something open within him. Being on top, in control, he felt like a true predator for the first time. He began to snarl and growl, and he wrapped a hand against the back of Mike's neck, pressing his face more firmly against the mattress.

Mike, for his part, was having the time of his life. He couldn't believe how unbelievably good it felt to have his prostate stimulated in such a way. He was almost screaming into the mattress with pure lust, his orgasm close as he wrapped both hands around his drooling member under him, pumping fitfully. His balls tightened, and he released an ear-splitting howl as he drenched the sheets under him with his hot jizz. The sudden constriction of his already tight tailhole proved to be too much for the cheetah to resist and he let out an impressive roar of his own as he unloaded deep inside the wolf's guts. After a few frozen moments he slowly slid out of the well-used hole and feel over onto his back, panting heavily. Mike nestled against Ben's chubby neck, wrapping an arm around the feline's ample belly.

"Wow," Ben said, out of breath but still excited about what had just transpired, "wow wow wow, that was AMAZING!"

"Ah know, Benny, it was. By tha way, your paw on ma neck?"

"Oh gracious, I didn't hurt you did I," Ben asked, concerned stamped on his face.

Mike chuckled, "Naw Kitty, ya didn't hurt me, Ah liked it. Ah think we'll make a dominant top outta ya yet."

Ben couldn't help but giggle sweetly at that. "Oh Mikey, could you imagine me ordering you around?"

"From what Ah was hearin' and feelin', yeah Ah can, but that's fer another time. Right now Ah can hear a lasagna callin' ma name."

"Mmm, I think I can too!" ********************************************************************** Artificial rain poured down from the top of the vibrant green canopy of the Rainforest District, the steady rhythmic patter providing a soundtrack for Gracas as he walked through the night from his meeting to the train. Once finally arriving at the station, the anteater removed his phone and looked once again at the photo of his target, the meeting with local drug lord El Hefe still fresh on his mind. It seemed he'd taken quite the hit, monetarily speaking, recently, losing several of his dealers and a large chunk of his signature product, Starry Eyes, to the cops, and revenge was top priority in his mind. But not just normal revenge.

'I lost something important to me, so this cop should lose something too,' Hefe had said, referring to the wolf, Howlard, who'd been reported in the paper as the cop mainly responsible. Imagine everyone's surprise when the panther gang leader's second hand man, the one researching all those involved with the officer, stated that not only had his snooping revealed Howlard was a fag, but dating another cop as well!

Gracas looked once more at the photo of the fat cheetah, a glorified receptionist named Clawhauser, before placing it back in his pocket. 'See you in the morning, Ben,' he thought quietly to himself as the train arrived. ********************************************************************** Ben awoke to an empty bed, a chill going up his spine in the still darkened room. He looked around and saw the naked wolf, his arms braced against the sides of the bedroom window, silhouetted by the grey pre-dawn light.

"Mikey," he said sleepily, rubbing his eyes, "everything OK?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, go back ta sleep, baby."

Instead, the cheetah stood from the bed, stretching his back for a moment before padding over to his boyfriend and encircled his waist with his arms.

"Come on," he whined, kissing the wolf's back, "what's wrong?"

Mike sighed, "Something don't feel right."

"Something with us?"

The wolf chuckled reassuringly and stroked the hands clutched in front of him. "Naw Benny, things with us'r perfect. Ah mean Ah jus' got a bad feelin' is all."

He turned around to face the rotund feline and kissed him, his large hands holding his jowly cheeks. "Ah know Ah ain't gettin' back ta sleep, how 'bout Ah go grab us some early breakfast?"

"OK," he replied, worriedly stroking the wolf's cheek, "I love you."

Mike allowed him to kiss the scar above his eye and said, "I love you too, baby." ********************************************************************* It was a beautiful, cloudless morning in Zootopia, the sun shining bright and clear, as Mike and Ben walked together towards the massive glass-enshrouded ZPD precinct in the city central, discussing their recent decision to merge into one apartment.

"Ah think ma place is way too small fer tha both'a us," the buff wolf said, taking a sip of coffee.

"I agree," the cheetah said, "I think my apartment is a good size for both of us, and it's not like you really own very much so we could fit you in easily!"

"Yeah, but Ah don't want ya ta feel like it's gotta be your's, Ah'm fine with huntin' fer a new place that's jus' our's."

Mike reached the door first and held it open for his rotund boyfriend, entering right after him.

"Honestly I think it would just be so much easier to keep mine, and if we did that we could get you all moved in way quicker. I know I would love that. Oh hey, there's Nick and Judy!"

He pointed over to the front desk, his usual place of work, and Mike noticed the fox and bunny partners next to it chatting with Gladys, the night dispatcher. They walked over to the assembled officers, saying their 'good mornings.'

"Morning. Nice walk, Mikey," Nick said with a chuckle as he noticed the slight waddle the wolf was moving with, a cocky smirk on his face, "and what did you boys get up to last night?"

Judy shoved her friend and partner playfully, "Nick, don't tease! But really, it looks like you two had a good time last night."

"A GREAT time is more like it," Ben said.

"Ya can say that again, baby!"

All four officers were so involved in their friendly conversation, none of them noticed the shifty anteater enter through the large glass doors. The three beat cops began walking off toward the daily morning meeting, leaving Ben with his back turned talking to Gladys before the official end of her shift and the official beginning of his shift. Gracas dubbed this the perfect time for the very public retaliation he was hired to do.

"Benjamin Clawhauser," he shouted, pulling the pistol from the shoulder hilt under his jacket, pointing it directly at the cheetah as he turned around.

"El Hefe says 'hello.'"

The next few moments were a total blur to Ben; he remembered hearing the sound of a gun shot, a flash of blue and grey crossing in front of him. The next thing he knew, an anteater was underneath a pile of uniformed police, the gun laying forgotten on the floor, and Mike was laying face down next to him on the ground. The chubby feline instantly feel to his knees and gently rolled him onto his back. The wolf was gasping for breath, and with the way blood bubbled from the gunshot wound on the left side of his chest just below his pec Ben knew he'd been hit in the lung.

"No no no no, oh Mikey, no," he babbled, applying pressure to the bleeding opening with one hand while cupping the back of the wolf's head, "Gladys call 911!! You're gonna be OK baby, I promise!"

"B-b-ben..."

"Shhhh, don't try to talk, Wolfy, just concentrate on breathing, OK? Can you do that for me, just breathe. Oh you're doing so good, jus....keep your eyes open, sweetheart," Ben said as Mike's eyes began to close. "Stay awake for me, Mikey, just stay awake, OK? Stay with me, please!"

He looked up momentarily hearing a siren, and he just now noticed he was crying. "The ambulance is here baby, just stay awake a little while longer, you're doing so good. No no, eyes open, you can't go to sleep yet! Mikey, please stay with me, don't leave me, I love you so much!"

The last image Mike saw was his lover's tear-stained face, then everything went black. ************************************************************************ At first, Mike felt, heard and saw nothing, he was simply floating in a black ether realm; eventually things started coming back to him, but only in the most abstract way. He knew he was laying on his back, he could feel air being forced through his nostrils, he felt a tremendous pressure in his chest and he could hear something vaguely like static. He managed to force his eyes open halfway and he could make out light and moving fuzzy shapes, and he slowly realized the static was three separate voices.

"Ah, he's coming around nicely," he heard one of the voices say, "Michael, can you hear me?"

He nodded weakly in response. He tried to ask where he was but could only get out a croaky 'whe' before the voice shushed him.

"Don't try to speak yet, Michael. You're at St. Francis Hospital, you were shot in the left lung and you're just coming out of some extensive surgery. Do you remember anything about the shooting?"

He began to shake his head, but his eyes popped open completely as what happened came crashing back to him. "BENNY! BEN-AHAHAHAHAH," he shouted, crying out in pain as he tried to sit up and causing a burning fire to rip through his chest. Hands gently pushed him back down, and he felt a familiar paw envelope his own.

"I'm right here, Wolfy," Ben said, "I'm not going anywhere."

The pain in his chest was exactly what the young wolf needed to clear his vision fully, allowing him to see the chubby cheetah sitting next to his bed holding his hand, a mix of simultaneous worry and relief stamped on his sweet face. His eyes were puffy and red either from crying or lack of sleep, probably both. He could also see the doctor speaking to him was a large tiger with a full, trusting face and, surprisingly enough, his boss, Chief Bogo, sitting in a chair next to the window.

"Doctor," Ben asked, "will he still be able to work?"

"Well, injuries of this type take quite a time to heal fully, but I think it's safe to say we can at least get him behind a desk in about a month or so. And depending on how physical therapy goes, I think it's safe to assume he'll be back on the street in roughly six weeks."

"Good," Bogo spoke up from his place, "we can't afford to hire anymore officers right now."

"Quite," the tiger said, "well, I have other patients to check in on."

Ben waited until the surgeon tiger stepped out of the room before he leaned up and kissed the wolf's cheek. "Oh Mikey I was so scared, I thought I'd lost you when you went unconscious! And the thought that I might lose you because you saved my life, I just don't think I could've handled it!" He gently squeezed and stroked Mike's paw affectionately, "I know you're not supposed to talk right now, but I brought some of your stuff and I want you to tell me if there's anything you need I missed. Let's see, I got your phone charger, your toothbrush, that book you were reading, some cloths for when they release you, oh and I brought your sweatshirt in case you get cold. Can you think of anything else you ne....baby, are you OK," he asked, noticing tears streaming down the wolf's face. "Is the pain coming on too strong? The doctor told me you shouldn't be feeling it too much yet."

"Ah didn't save your life," he managed to croak out, his throat feeling dry as a wind-swept plain, "that hit was retaliation against me. Ah'm tha one that put yer life at risk. Ah knew something like this might happen and Ah stayed with ya anyway. Ah was selfish and weak an' it almost killed ya. Ya should go, get far away from ma as ya can afore they try again."

"Michael J Howlard!" Both wolf and cheetah jumped at the sudden outburst from the water buffalo in the corner. He stood from his seat and walked over to the bed looking more angry than usual. "Listen to me, I will not sit here and allow you to drown one of the most courageous things I've ever seen with your self-pity! This man here cares deeply for you, deeply enough I believe he would gladly give his life for you if he had to, and clearly you feel the same. That is a rare thing, don't you dare throw it away over some kind of perceived guilt."

Mike felt hot shame wash over him at the words he'd spoken before. "Ah'm so sorry Benny, you know Ah love ya with everythin' Ah got," he said, looking the big cat right in his beautiful gold-flecked brown eyes.

"I know you do, and I love you just as much, Mikey. I can't wait until the doc says you can leave so I can take you back to our home."

"Whatdya mean," he asked, confused.

"Oh, I asked some of the fellas to move your stuff into my apartment while you're in here. I hope it's OK, I kinda made the decision for you, but you're going to need someone to take care of you for a while after this and it's so much easier for both of us this way. You're not mad, are you?"

Mike grinned a big, toothy grin, "Course Ah ain't, Kitty."

"Yay! We'll talk more about the details later, but right now I want you to close those eyes and get some sleep, OK?"

"S'long as yer here."

"Trust me, I'll always be here!" ************************************************************************ Mike stood shirtless in front of the bathroom mirror, gingerly pawing at the circular scar under his left pec. Though it was still a bit tender to the touch, the outside was almost healed completely, and while the doctor had told him the lung itself would take a little longer due to the constant expansion and contraction and deep breaths were still certainly out of the question, the spongy organ had healed sufficiently enough to allow him to return to work, albeit just a desk job right now. While he didn't relish the idea of sitting on his tail and doing paperwork and dispatch for 8 hours a day for at least the next couple of weeks, it was certainly better than laying in bed feeling like a useless burden like he'd been doing for almost a solid month now.

Really the only thing that got him through the whole ordeal without too much depression sinking in was the cheerful and uplifting influence of incredible boyfriend, Benjamin. The sweet, chubby cheetah absolutely refused to let him give up and wallow in his negativity; even when he was feeling his lowest Ben was always there showering him with affection and his infectious enthusiasm. Even after his long shifts at the precinct were over he would come home and immediately put the wolf ahead of his own needs: cooking, cleaning the wound, making sure he took his medications, and anything else he could do to make Mike as comfortable as possible.

The rotund feline he was thinking about appeared behind him in the mirror, and a moment later two chunky, spotted arms circled around his waist.

"Ready for your first day back, Wolfy," he asked, his head resting on Mike's shoulder.

"Ready as Ah'll ever been, Ah suppose."

Ben giggled and kissed his neck. "I love you," he whispered.

"Ah love you, too."