Jack heaved a breath after stepping off the plane ramp and into the Richmond airport. He fished his phone out of his pocket and sent a message to Gabriel, “Finally on the ground. See you soon?” He sent one to Marcy as well, “I’m on the ground in Richmond. Should be back around 7.”

Gabriel’s reply chimed as soon as Jack put his phone in his pocket again, so he grabbed it and unlocked it. “Yes Jacky. I’m not far now.”

Jack smiled and headed for the baggage claim. As soon as he stepped out of the terminal and into the ticketing area he stopped dead in his tracks. There was Gabriel, leaning against an advertising cabinet, waiting for him. Jack walked toward him with a growing smile, Gabriel stood upright and opened his arms. The raccoon let himself fall into the horse’s embrace, Jack wrapping his arms around the bigger man’s waist.

“Hey there, Jacky,” Gabriel said, his voice soft and soothing.

Jack slid his hands up Gabriel’s back without a word. It wasn’t until a full minute later he remembered they weren’t in Basalt yet and quietly righted himself, clearing his throat in the process. “Hey,” Jack breathed quietly. “Let’s get my stuff and go.”

“Sure thing.” Gabriel trailed Jack closely, an arm around his shoulders.

A reply text from Marcy dinged on Jack’s phone. Jack looked down to read it: “Are you meeting Gabe tonight?”

Jack quickly texted back, “Already did. He got here before me apparently. ??”

The baggage claim was mostly empty, and Jack found his luggage within the first five items out of the chute. It took no time at all to get to Gabriel’s car. The horse had cleverly parked behind the shuttle station just below the arrival and departure bridge. Jack loaded up his things in the back and himself into the front seat. Jack leaned over the console now that there weren’t a crowd of eyes on them and pulled Gabriel down into a kiss. They held each other together for a good minute until Jack had to cough into his elbow.

Gabriel raised a brow, “Getting sick, love?”

“No,” Jack shook his head, “I hope not anyway. Also, I have some good news.”

“Can it wait til later?” Gabriel asked while starting up the SUV.

Jack nodded, settling back into his seat, “Sure. So what’s the plan?”

Gabriel withdrew and fanned out three index cards from a pocket on his vest. “One of my guys showed me this cute little trend, so I thought we should play. Pick a card, Jack, and we do what’s on it. We do this a couple, maybe three times and then probably call it a night.”

“Ooohh, okay.” Jack pinched out the middle card of the three and turned it around to read it. “Couples massage. Ten out of ten already, Gabe.”

“Oh good, that’s the one I was hoping for.” Gabriel leaned out of his window to tap the keys for his parking pass, after which the bar gate rose and let them out into the metroplex lanes. “I actually already made a reservation for that.”

“Nice.” Jack patted Gabriel’s shoulder. The raccoon just let his arm fall back to his side and Gabriel reached out to put them hand-in-hand. Jack smiled as he watched signs and cars go by out the windshield.

Gabriel pulled off the busy streets toward the shopping centers and turned down another side street a few blocks later. The spa building was situated between two office parks and had a bubbling fountain out front. Its lot was much fuller than Jack expected it to be. “Popular place,” he commented.

Gabriel nodded, “Aye. It’s got a good reputation.” He guided his vehicle to a stop in a spot near the back of the lot. “Let’s go see if it’s deserved.”

The lobby of the place was immaculate. Gold and peach colored tiles, a white-concrete fountain trickling soothingly in the center, and a piano off to the side of the door gently playing itself. The place smelled of sea salt, lavender, neutral lotion, and a hint of rubbing alcohol. Jack reached for Gabriel’s hand out of habit, linking their fingers together as they approached the empty counter. Gabriel leaned over to get a look down the hallways to either side and then straightened up with a gentle shrug, “Looks like everyone’s busy.”

The second the horse turned his head down to smile at Jack, a tall, lean lion man walked into the lobby from the hall to their right, wringing his paws into a hand towel. He dropped the towel into a small basket near the front desk and smiled, “Welcome to Cloud Nine Spa Works, do you have a reservation with us?”

Gabriel nodded once, “We do, good sir. Should be under Gabriel Baird.”

The lion typed something into the desk computer and clicked the mouse a few times before looking back at the pair and nodded, “I got it right here. Do either of you have any preferences for your masseur?”

“Like what?” Jack asked.

The lion explained, “Gender, species, or specialty techniques, like shiatsu or deep tissue skills.”

Gabriel snickered, “Is there a bear masseuse? And if so, can they see me today?”

“There sure is. A few, actually. I’m Jason, by the way,” The lion rubbed his head with one hand and looked at Jack, “And what about you, sir?”

Jack tapped his fingers on the counter, “Do you do massage work?”

Jason smiled, “I don’t. I’m housekeeping and clerical.”

“Aww,” Jack snapped his fingers quietly. “Are there any girls like me then?”

“Sure, let me go see if they’re here today and available.” Jason turned to walk away and then turned back with a single finger held up, “Oh, follow me first. Let’s get you two set up and comfortable.”

The two men followed Jason down the opposite hall from where he’d come, around a corner and down a hall lit only by outer windows, into a cozy side room carpeted in maroon plush rug with a pair of tables laid with soft-looking blankets. There were faux candles on shelves on each wall, a hanging planter with flowering ivies that might have been real, and a speaker affixed to each corner of the room. There was a wardrobe without doors in the corner opposite the door with several hangers and a few shelves in it.

Jason put his hands together, “Alright, this is you for the next forty minutes, once your techs begin. They’ll take you to the next experience after that, alright?” Both men nodded, Gabriel smiling big. “You can choose your blanket there and set it over the table. You can use all of them, none of them, or any combination in between. Now, you do not have to be naked. We’re supposed to ask that you leave your undergarments on, but some people don’t wear them so if you do strip down completely, don’t make a big deal about it. This is not a happy ending kind of place, you will be asked to leave and may be reported to police for solicitation.”

Gabriel nodded, already unbuttoning his shirt, “Don’t worry Jason, we’re not like that. Wouldn’t dream of it, sir.”

Jason sighed with a sad smile, “I figured, but it’s my job and you’d be surprised how many people try anyway and leave in shame, or cuffs.”

“I bet we wouldn’t,” Jack remarked. The raccoon was choosing his table padding, thumbing through the fabrics. He settled on a nice pair of grey polyester sheets and spread them over the surface. He set the unused ones into the wardrobe and kicked off his shoes in front of it. Jason had gone by the time Gabriel spread a thick wool blanket onto his table with a single sheet on top. The horse’s clothes were hung and folded into the wardrobe, leaving him wearing just shiny latex spanx with a noticeable bulge. Jack stripped down to just a pair of white bikini bottoms, tie strings and all. They both laid on a table, Jack carefully folding his tail under his stomach. A moment later there was a knock at the door which opened immediately after. A burly panda woman and a raccoon with dark fur and silver stripes and mask walked in, the panda carrying a small table and the raccoon carrying various bottles and supplies on a skillfully balanced tray.

“Hi boys,” the panda said, lifting Gabriel’s legs hanging off the end of his table and setting her little extension at its edge. She lowered his legs carefully so now only his feet hung off, a comfortable sigh coming from him. “I’m North, that’s Vicky, how are we today?”

Gabriel answered, “Oh I’m thrilled already, and still excited about trying this out. How about you, North?”

“Good to hear, Mister Baird. I’m g-”

“Oh lord no,” Gabriel interrupted, “Mister Baird is long gone. Please, Gabe suits me much better.”

North giggled and shrugged, putting her hands onto the horse’s shoulders, “Alright. Gabe. I hear you. Anything specific you’d like me to focus on today?”

“Yes North, yes. I work with my hands, so those shoulders and upper back need good attention,” Gabriel said, raising his head a little to look over toward Jack.

Vicky had finished placing the legs of the tray on the floor and was standing near Jack’s head, “Hi, what’s your name cutie, and would you like me to focus on a specific area today?”

Jack felt a shiver down his spine and cleared his throat, “Uhh, Jack, and I travel a lot, so I do a lot of sitting… So, can you do legs and lower back?”

“I sure can,” Vicky cooed. She ran her fingers on one hand down his back. Just when Jack was sure she would touch his ass, what felt like a towel fell over his hips to cover it. He heard her snicker before remarkably strong fingers slowly worked into his calves. It tickled for a moment, and Jack tensed up only to slowly relax at each circular pass around his legs. He sighed deeply as Vicky worked.

Gabriel smiled, North already working her forearms along his shoulder blades to put more of her weight on the hard knots in the horse’s body. “What do you do, Gabe? These are tough,” she commented.

“I build things down in Basalt,” he answered, letting out the rest of a breath as he felt her method working. North went in on Gabriel with good force, digging in with her thumbs and the heel of her palms in turn, soothing the area with her fingers when needed.

“How long have you two been together?” North asked, taking a detour up Gabriel’s shoulders to give her hands a rest.

Jack’s eyes slowly looked into Gabriel’s face. He was smirking. Aww, I didn’t want to do this here…

“We’ve got our own little thing going on,” Gabriel said quietly, looking into Jack’s eyes. “We’re here for each other in more than one way. That’s what matters to us.”

Jack smiled warmly at Gabriel’s answer and nodded. North quietly said, “Aww, that’s sweet. I’m glad for you both.”

Vicky worked her fingers up to Jack’s thighs, gently massaging the rest of his legs and coaxing more sighs from him. North’s questions were only if Gabriel was alright with things she did, Vicky asking Jack every so often how it felt and if he’d like something else.

“Actually,” Jack said softly, “do you do feet?”

“Of course,” Vicky answered, resting her fingers on his heels, “if that’s what you want.”

“If you don’t mind,” Jack said.

Vicky gave a chipper, “Mmmhmm,” and stepped over to the tray from before. She flexed her hands into some purple nitrile gloves and pumped one of the bottles to get a mild oil on them. Once they were slick and warm, she worked her fingers into the sole of Jack’s left foot firmly. “Yeah, this is needed,” she said calmly, working a knot just below his toes. Jack felt his eyes roll back in his head.

Gabriel rolled his shoulders, feeling them loosened quite a bit. The motion felt easy, even on the table. North worked her fingers and palms over his upper back and his neck for good measure. Vicky changed to Jack’s right foot and followed the same pattern of motion.

Gabriel and Jack enjoyed their massages mostly silently, the occasional groan or sigh, and each answering questions about what they wanted. Both women were working their guest’s necks patiently when a gentle piano tone flowed through the speakers on the walls.

“Alright fellas,” North said with a clap of her hands, “you can leave your clothes or bring them, it's up to you, but grab those towels and follow me, please.”

Gabriel swung off the massage table easily and wrapped his towel around his waist. Jack slowly peeled himself from the sheets, half-asleep from the relaxing sensations of the last ten minutes or so. He twisted the corners of the towel together and just held them. Gabriel held Jack in a side hug and led him out of the door behind North.

“So, next you get your choice of spa treatments,” the panda explained. “We have a rain sauna, mani-pedis, a mud soak with facial, hot stone treatment, or a sensory deprivation tank. Some people love the tank, don’t feel bad for thinking it’s odd though.”

“Have you been in the tank?” Jack asked idly.

North shook her head with vigor, “No no no, not for me. I’m not saying I’m scared of the idea, but I would rather flick an ancestor, you know what I mean?”

Gabriel giggled, hugged Jack closer, and said, “How long do we get for this part?”

Vicky turned away around a corner with her packed up tray, and North answered, “Twenty to forty minutes, give or take for setup.”

“I know it’s cliche,” Jack began, “but is there just like, a hot tub?”

“Yes!” North nodded, “We have a spa bath. It usually comes after the mud soak, but you can just use the bath. Totally within the rules, Jack.”

“I’d like to do that,” Jack confirmed.

“Sure thing. Gabe?”

Gabriel put a hand to his chin in thought for a moment. It took a good minute for him to answer, “I hate to be difficult, but-”

“Just the pedi part?” North guessed with a knowing smirk.

“Aye,” Gabriel nodded. “I just think a manicure would be wasted on my mitts.”

“Well,” North said, “It is your choice. We certainly won’t force anything on you. But, you can also just get the trim and treatment without getting the color.”

“Oh,” Gabriel seemed genuinely surprised, “suppose I didn’t think that was an option. Fair enough, I’ll do that then.”

“I do have to remind you it’ll be two different rooms,” North added.

Jack smiled and patted Gabriel’s side, “We’ll manage.”

“Okay then, Jack this is your stop,” North gestured to a swinging door to their right. “Go on in, there’s some soaking shorts on a cart near the spa, or you can go in the buff. One rule: use the bathroom right behind it. Don’t be that guy, please.”

Jack shook his head, “Oh, no no… I would never. I was about to ask for the facilities, in fact. So thanks, North.”

“Any time. Gabe, this way. We’re heading back toward the front for yours.”

Gabriel kissed the top of Jack’s head and let his arm fall from Jack’s side to sweep back toward where they had all come from, “Lead on.”

. . .

Through the swinging door Jack took a deep breath in. The room smelled like rain and garden soil with a hint of cocoa. The room had a set of three skylights letting in plenty of natural sunlight. There were two pairs of tubs filled with light brown bubbling spa mud and stark white porcelain baths on the outside edges of the room. There was a control panel next to some shelves stocked with towels and other supplies for the room and a door with a little blue circle depicting a toilet in each corner. Jack went to the back left restroom to relieve himself and wash his hands after.

Once he was back in the room, he checked the temperature of the spa water with his fingers. It was quite hot, Jack noticed it was steaming once he’d gotten close enough. I don’t know about spending twenty minutes in there, much less any more time. Jack looked back at the door to the room and decided to head toward the front to join Gabriel. He carefully pushed the door out and stepped into the hall, one hand on the towel at his waist for good measure.

Jack quickly realized he wasn’t sure which way was toward the front. He’d been so drowsy from the massage and depended on Gabriel’s leading arm that he didn’t know where to go. He picked a corner he thought would turn him toward the desk and took it. He passed in front of a door and heard a girly giggle. Jack’s curiosity got the better of him and he stepped back to look in the circular window on his tiptoes.

Inside was a dimly lit room with a massage table just like the one he had been on recently. It was occupied by a burly, fully nude rhino man and a cat girl wearing just a bikini bottom. She was sliding herself along his body using her arms on the table, her fur and his skin glistening with oil. The whole thing looked very intimate. Jack stepped back from the door, flush and confusion on his face.

North walked back up the hall Jack had turned out of and happened to see him. “Oh, Jack. Change your mind?”

Her voice snapped Jack back to the present. He furrowed his brows and pointed at the door a little more forcefully than he meant to. “I thought this wasn’t that kind of place.”

North looked into the window for a second and then patted Jack on the shoulder. “That’s called a nuru massage. It looks a bit wild, but it’s popular in Japan. And here, as you can surely imagine. It’s less about relaxation and more about simulated companionship. I can’t say exactly how, trade secret for employee safety, but: everyone who performs nuru service has multiple safety measures and any customer who gets too riled up about the experience is dealt with accordingly. I’ve done it a few times. It’s fun and different.”

Jack blinked a few times and shook his head. “Doesn’t make sense to me, but, I’m not really in the know. If you say so, North. Also yes,” Jack stretched his back and flexed his toes against the floor, “I did change my mind. I’d like to join Gabriel for a mani-pedi. The more I thought about it, the better it sounded.”

“No problem at all. Follow me, we’ll get you set up.” North gestured back down the hall she’d come from. “This place is a maze, I know.”

“How do you all deal?” Jack asked, following North’s pointing toward new directions as they went.

“Well,” North snickered, “You start to see a pattern to it all. But, at first, you just have to keep asking for directions.”

“Why not label the place?”

“You’d think, right?” North sighed, “But I’m not the owner, so you’d have to ask her.”

Jack shrugged and then felt himself smile as they rounded one more corner into a well-lit area with a few tvs playing random shows with subtitles on, Gabriel sitting in a big black leather chair, his feet in a deep basin at the foot of the chair, a gray furred and gray haired rabbit alternating rubbing his feet with a pumice stone and a damp cloth. Gabriel gave a small wave without lifting his wrist from the arm of the seat.

“Jacky,” he said as North led Jack over to an identical chair next to Gabriel’s, “it’s a heated massage chair. Twice the service. You want one, too?”

“Yeah, changed my mind. Thank you, North.”

The panda nodded, “Of course, our pleasure. Hop on up, we’ll get you a tech in a minute or two.” She knelt down and twisted a knob on the basin to start filling it with water.

Jack lifted himself up into the chair and settled in it with a few wiggles, adjusting the towel to cover himself better. The leather was cold against his fur, so Jack pressed a few buttons on the arm controls for heat and the “gentle” massage setting. It didn’t take long for either to kick in. North shut the water off a few moments later and walked away with another smile. Jack lowered his toes into the water, which was pleasantly warm, sighed, and reached over to link his fingers with Gabriel’s.

“How do you feel so far, love?” Gabriel tilted his head with a loving smile.

Jack returned the smile, closing his eyes again, “I feel great. This was a fantastic idea.”

“I’m so glad,” Gabriel lifted Jack’s hand to his lips for a gentle kiss to his fingers. “I’m excited about the second set of cards.”

“How many sets are there?” Jack asked, shifting in his seat some as the massage arms in the backrest kneaded his lower back.

“Just three, this time. Seemed like a good round number for a half day.”

Jack nodded in agreement and took another slow breath in and out. A little less than a minute later a white fox in a black apron, jeans and a blue polo pulled a rolling stool over to Jack’s chair and started setting things on a small table he’d brought with him. He and the bunny tending to Gabriel exchanged a few comments in Korean. Jack was rusty, having not thought much about the language since taking it in college eight years prior, but he caught enough to know the rabbit thought Gabriel’s feet were very clean, and his body was pretty.

Jack smiled to himself and replied in Korean as best he could remember how, “Yes, he is a very beautiful one.”

The fox and bunny stopped dead and looked at him then laughed, the fox replying, “That was decent, good even. I’m glad you weren’t one of the people we don’t enjoy… We’d probably end up on reddit, huh?”

Jack snickered, “Nah, I’m not that petty. Plus, I only caught like half of what you said. It’s been quite some time.”

“Well,” said the rabbit, “you did good. You should practice!”

Jack shrugged lightly. The fox lifted his feet from the water one by one, drying them with a clean cloth and setting them on a raised bit of cushion just above the basin. The fox said, in Korean again but slowly for Jack, “This one has good feet, too. Easy day.”

“I try,” Jack replied in English. The raccoon closed his eyes again to enjoy the feelings of being pampered. First, a gentle soap scrub followed by another few minutes of soaking. Next, his nails were trimmed and filed. Then some dead cuticle was cut away, followed by a pumice block. Gabriel’s treatment seemed to be just one step ahead of Jack’s. A bag of hot paraffin wax was tied around Jack’s feet to solidify and then be picked and washed away. Finally, Jack opted to have a color treatment, and chose a warm gold.

The manicures were similar in scope and process, without the pumice part. Jack got the same color on his fingers, Gabriel politely declining his color in perfect Korean, shocking everyone present into another little bout of laughter.

Gabriel answered Jack’s quizzical look by saying, “I love sushi, and both of the places in our town have Korean owners. I’ve been going for years, and I decided to learn after my first few visits.”

“Makes sense,” Jack nodded.

North appeared in that next moment carrying a white paper box with their clothes. “How was everything, gents?”

“Just grand,” Gabriel said with a slow stretch.

Jack agreed, “It was a lovely time.”

“I’m so glad to hear that! Here are your things, there’s a privacy booth behind those curtains,” she pointed toward a few stalls hidden behind satin sheets with stylized golden filigree of Eastern dragons and clouds, “and then you just go out that hall and to the right to get to the lobby.”

“Thank you so much, ma’am,” Gabriel said, taking the boxes from her and handing Jack his. “At the very least, I will be back.”

“I will too,” Jack added, “This would be great after any future international flights.”

“We’ll be glad to have you. Take care, thank you for choosing Cloud Nine.” North smiled and waved as she walked back to the further hall and disappeared again.

The boys got dressed and met by the hall leading out, both manicure techs gone by the time they were dressed and ready. There was a much younger rabbit girl emptying the basins and collecting the tools from near the chairs into a thick paper bag who paid them no mind. Gabriel dropped four ten dollar bills into a jar with a paper “tips” label on the front counter. They made it outside without incident, Gabriel held the door for a pair of mouse women who looked like they might be mother and daughter.

Jack bounced happily toward the SUV, his mind running through all the possibilities of what could be on the next card. Once they were sitting in the cab and Gabriel turned the key, he held up three new cards from the cubby on the door. “Alright Jacky, next.”

Jack picked the top card this time and turned it toward him. “The Bee and Lotus. Well well.”

“I thought it was a nice idea, seeing the first place we went again,” Gabriel explained. “If you’re not hungry we can save that one til last.”

“I’m actually really hungry. Didn’t notice during all that, but I am feeling it now,” Jack said with a hand on his stomach.

“Alright then,” Gabriel checked the car clock, “It’s just before six. We’ll hit Basalt shortly after six thirty, do you want to unpack first or no?”

“I’m not worried about that, Gabe. I’ve got four whole days before I need to do anything, thanks to good planning.” Jack reached across the cab to put his hand on Gabriel’s. “We can just go.”

“Alright then,” the horse nodded while steering slightly left onto the highway. “You said you had some news earlier. Care to share?”

“Right,” Jack said, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. “Well… I’d rather wait til the Bee, now. I know it seems silly, but… It’ll make sense once I do share. Is that alright?”

“Sure,” Gabriel said. “I’m a patient man, we both know this.”

Jack flushed a bit, and the ride was quiet for a while after. Ten exits later, Gabriel guided the SUV onto a junction heading west. Jack sighed quietly to himself and then asked, “Gabe… Can you imagine… Well, do you imagine a life with me?”

“Why do you ask, Jacky?”

“Because…” Jack hesitated for almost a full minute. “Because I have a hard time with that very thing, with you. And, it’s not because I don’t like you or I don’t want that. I just… I don’t have any idea what we would look like. Does that make sense?”

“I think so,” Gabriel said with a little nod. “To answer your question: yes, I do imagine what that life would be. I think it would be a lot of beautiful moments in between a lot of mundane time. I like to think we’ll have a lovely little prairie home that we retire to, something I could build for us. I imagine one day we’ll have a circle of friends like family, and not an ounce of sadness will stay for more than a day, no matter what. I think between what you know about the body and what I know about work and tools we’ll always be prepared for anything life can throw at us. I think we’ll fight,” Gabriel glanced over and saw Jack looked sad, “and when we do I think we’ll come to understand one another better as we work to resolve things.”

Jack squeezed Gabriel’s hand lovingly. He smiled and sniffed, putting his other elbow on the window ridge and resting his face against his palm. Gabriel smiled while facing the road, music from the radio quietly filling the air. Jack stayed like that for a few miles, lost in his thoughts.

Gabriel happened to glance over again as a tear was dropping off the bottom of Jack’s muzzle. “Everything alright, love?”

Jack nodded slowly, letting go of Gabriel’s hand to wipe his eyes with a thumb and replace his hand on the back of the horse’s. “Yes. I could see it, finally. I could see us. Thank you…”

Gabriel smiled warmly as he guided the SUV off the highway and into Basalt’s city limits. “Thank you, love.”

Jack sighed as familiar street signs started going by. Gabriel turned left shortly after, and pulled into a parking lot within another minute. The bright white Bee and Lotus sign was all lit up and a throng of customers were walking in.

“Safe and sound,” Gabriel said, turning his key to the off position. He patted Jack’s knee, “Come on, let’s get some fine food.”

Jack unbuckled and let himself out of the cab, “Yes. Let’s.”

The little waiting area’s seats were completely filled with chatty guests. Gabriel hugged Jack against him as they stepped up to the hostess podium to be greeted by a cream-colored otter girl. “Hiii, welcome in. Just two?”

They both nodded with a smile. She handed Gabriel a ready buzzer and gestured to the side as another three people waited behind them. Gabriel leaned against the wall near the end of one of the plush bench seats. He looked down to see two teenage cat boys, one with soft orange stripes and the other a stark black with a very pink nose, cuddling with one another. He felt Jack squeeze his hand and lowered his head to rest on Jack’s shoulder. Gabe murmured, “Look down nice and slow like, Jacky.”

Jack did so, catching sight of the boys just in time to witness them share a sweet little kiss. The raccoon thought to himself, Aww! Jack turned his head up to kiss Gabriel’s cheek in the same way. Jack turned around to nuzzle into Gabriel’s chest. “Warms my heart.”

Gabriel took hold of Jack’s hands, sliding a hand down Jack’s left arm to stop on his waist. He swayed them both gently, careful not to disturb anyone else. The cat couple on the bench got up not even a minute later with an active buzzer of their own and were led off by a burly looking hawk holding their menus. A few minutes later the buzzer went off in Gabriel’s pocket. The horse withdrew it and handed it to the returning otter hostess, who grabbed two menus and led the boys back. Gabriel remembered which booth his and Jack’s first date had been in. He glanced inside the circular archway and saw the cats again, looking intently at their menus. The otter girl held out her hand two arches later, “Enjoy!”

Jack slipped into the far booth seat and Gabriel ducked into the close side with a sigh. The horse reached a hand across the table and Jack interlaced their fingers, looking through his menu with one hand. Gabriel knew what he wanted so he just waited with a soft smile.

“Are we getting a bottle or no?” Jack asked without looking up.

Gabriel pursed his lips to think for a moment, “Ahh, why not? It’s a special occasion, right?”

Jack glanced over his menu and nodded slowly, flipping a page with his thumb. “What kind are you thinking?”

“We should try the sake, and get a Sauvignon.”

“Mkay, I’m game,” Jack said, setting his menu aside just as the waiter approached.

“Hello gentlemen,” said a crocodile man in full chef regalia, “I’m Chef Nolan, and I’ll be taking care of you this evening. Would you like to hear about our wine selections or are you ready to order?”

“I think we have a good handle on it, chef,” Gabriel said with a nod. “I’ll take the tempura trio, twelve piece, and the smallest bottle of sake I can get.”

“Great choice. Would you like a chilled or warm bottle?”

Gabriel raised a brow, “What would you recommend?”

“I think chilled is better, personally.”

“I’ll give that a try, then. Jacky?” Gabriel gestured to his partner, and Nolan turned to him as well.

“I just want the big tuna plate, six spicy the rest not. And we’d like a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc as well,” Jack closed his menu for emphasis. “And yes, we know it’s the local vintner's stock. Not to be haughty, we’ve been here before is all.”

“Good deal,” Nolan said with a nod. “I’ll get those in, and should be out to you soon. Thank you for making it easy on me.”

After Nolan had left, Gabriel looked across the table at Jack and tilted his head down, “So about that news?”

Jack tapped his fingers on the table gently, “Right, I said here didn’t I?..” The raccoon bunched up his shoulders slowly, feeling tension build in his upper back. Come on, you just had that massage, don’t undo it all… He took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose. Jack looked across the table to Gabriel. The horse wore a disarming smile with his hands folded patiently on the table. Jack purposefully put his feet flat on the floor, took in another breath, and said, “Gabriel, will you become my boyfriend?”

Gabriel didn’t flinch nor balk, just kept the same little smile. He unfolded his hands and reached both across the table. Jack reached one hand out and Gabriel closed his fingers atop it. “Of course I will, love.”

“How long has it been?..” Jack asked quietly.

Gabriel shook his head, “It’s not a big-”

“Please?”

Gabriel slowly took in and let out a breath, examining Jack’s face the whole while. He finally answered, “Just shy of thirteen months. Why, Jacky?”

Jack smiled, “Because things have changed for me. You said we could have a conversation.” The raccoon stood up from his seat, checked the aisle for passers by, and sat himself next to Gabriel. “I want you to know, to have the trust and the feeling and the evidence that I’m yours. I want to be yours, to say us. I…” Jack felt the speech he’d practiced so intensely throughout his flight break apart in his head. He stared into the swirling black glitter of the resin table for what felt like millions of years. Jack slowly looked up into Gabriel’s face, and Gabriel could tell the raccoon was struggling.

The horse pulled Jack into an embrace and stroked the back of his head all the way down his shirt. Gabriel felt Jack sigh. “Lov- Jack… I hadn’t considered anyone else from the moment we came in here together the first time. I’ve never been the type to fuss about labels and such, so none of that was ever a problem to me. I figured if it was for you, you would have said something. Was I wrong to assume?” Jack shook his head against Gabriel’s chest. “Then, if this’s what you want, I’m going to be here for you the same. I’ll call you whatever you want me to, as long as you’ll spend time with me, care about me, and keep showing me love without guilt. That’s all I’ve ever thought of us, Jacky.”

Jack let out a soft little laugh. “I guess… We were both waiting on the other, weren’t we?”

“A little bit,” Gabriel nodded, holding Jack tighter. “Let’s resolve to talk a little more about ourselves, eh? Might save us another waiting bout.”

Jack turned his head up to look at Gabriel with a little, “Mmmhmm.” He lifted his knees under himself to reach up and kiss Gabriel lightly on the lips.

A gentle porcelain clink on their table brought them both back to the restaurant a moment later. Nolan smiled sheepishly, setting another sake cup down carefully. “Sorry…” He set the bottle between the cups and then lowered the wine bottle near the back of the table with two wide glasses next to it.

Jack smiled, “You’re good, Nolan. And thank you.”

The crocodile adjusted his toque, “You’re welcome. Plates should be out in three to five, not long now.”

Jack stood up after Nolan had walked away again. He felt a brief pang of sadness but decided it was better for both of them to have space to eat. Gabriel poured a splash of sake into one of the little clay saucer-cups and then downed it.

“That’s different,” he commented after smacking his lips. “It’s like… It’s like a dry wine but not. It’s starchy and slightly floral. I like it.”

Jack picked up the other cup and held it out with both hands for Gabriel to fill. Once he had, Jack threw back his cup. It was stronger than he expected, and he coughed quite a bit after swallowing. “Uhh huuu- woo, damn. I’m shocked you tasted anything in that…”

Gabriel laughed, “Well when your old man gives you bourbon and brandy for your first time drinking, almost anything else seems mild.”

Jack pulled the cork string on their wine bottle evenly to open it with a satisfying little pop. He poured himself a glass and offered the second to Gabriel. The horse shook his head, “I’m gonna finish this first.” He tipped the sake bottle into the offered wine glass and took it from Jack once the bottle was empty.

“So, I never asked,” Jack said after a small sip of wine, “what was your father like?”

“He was a right bastard, and a twaddling git to boot,” Gabriel said flatly, swirling the sake in his glass. He took a drink and then laughed, “Ah, that’s false, it’s a lie.” Jack let a held breath out into a snicker. “He was a good man. Patient, dedicated to mum, worshiped the ground she walked, I tell you. He loved me, he loved a good bottle, and he only had two friends that I ever met. Both of them men in kind, and just like him. They talked a lot and often, but never about anyone who wasn’t there to defend themselves or hear their praises.”

Jack nodded along, taking another sip as he listened. When Gabriel had finished and taken another sip himself, Jack asked, “How did we get this far on small talk and the day’s events?”

Gabriel snickered, “Oh, simple Jacky: we never said anything worth fighting over or disagreeing on.”

Jack folded his hands together and nodded dumbly, “Huh… How about that?”

“What about you, Jack? Tell me about your folks down in,” Gabriel shuddered, “buhh, Florida.”

Jack smirked, “It’s not that bad. To visit.” Jack cleared his throat, “My dad’s always been kind of distant with me. Not neglectful or anything, just not the loving, supportive father Marceline has. I always thought maybe he just never wanted kids. But I never went without anything, and he would go pretty much all out for birthdays and any holidays we hosted. Once I’d thought about it, he was probably just tired from his work. He is better now that he’s retired.”

Gabriel nodded after almost emptying his glass of sake. “Aye, it can feel like that, certainly. My da after many a shift was too tired to play much, if at all. It got better after the union. What about dear ol’ Jacky Mum?”

Jack smiled genuinely, “She’s definitely the household rock. Quiet, demure woman. You’d never know she was a national rifle champion, army veteran with a purple heart, and olympic javelin finalist. She has a fierce sense of justice. I was getting some really nasty notes in my locker in middle school, and one week she finally had enough of that and what it was doing to me. So she sat on the principal’s bench all the school day, changing hoodies and pants so she didn’t look the same to the kids in the hall and caught the person doing it. A gull boy named Corbin. She saw him shove some paper into the vents of my locker, took a picture, and went straight to the police to charge him with harassment. The charge stuck, he went to juvie for some months I think, since I had been placed in counseling, and, err, well, generally hadn’t taken the whole affair too well…”

“Were you self-harming?” Gabriel asked, reaching out a hand.

Jack took the horse by the hand, linking their fingers. “Worse… I dove off the roof. It didn’t work at all. Somehow, I wasn’t even injured. But, that was the real impetus for what mom did… She was coming down the block and happened to see me from the corner. All the houses were all flat, duplex-style places so anyone on a roof was plainly visible.”

“I bet that was a Hell of a conversation…” Gabriel stroked the side of Jack’s hand with his thumb.

“She just asked me to trust her to help. I said don’t make me go back, and she took me out of school for a week.”

Gabriel sighed quietly, “Parents do good things sometimes, don’t they?”

“They do,” Jack agreed.

“What about Marcy?” Gabriel asked with a sly grin.

Jack raised a brow, “What about her?”

“You two are very close. I’ve got half a dozen cousins of my own and not a one stuck around Virginia.” Gabriel snorted a little, “Call me jealous. And curious.”

Jack explained, “We grew up together as little kids. My folks moved shortly after we turned four. Our birthdays are a month apart. We all used to live on the same property and Marcy and I got to play together every day pretty much. The family stayed close so we all got together for holidays and such. She was going to go to Virginia State with me but decided to do some volunteer work abroad. That’s where she met Joice,” Jack made a sour face, “and then they connected back in the states and Marcy moved to Texas with her, and then… Well it went bad very quickly. She had no support network around her, abuse on all sides. She told me she sold her body to make enough cash to finally leave, because Joice had given herself access to everything Marcy had.”

Gabriel set down his empty glass and held up his free hand, “She didn’t tell me that part…”

Jack shook his head, “Honestly, Gabe… The first time she called me from there, I knew something was wrong. I wanted to drop everything and rush down…” Jack set down his glass and rubbed the bridge of his muzzle with his fingers. “I wonder if I could have spared her some of it.”

“Nahh,” Gabriel balked softly, squeezing Jack’s hand reassuringly, “Don’t do that to yourself, Jack. What’s done is done, and nothing that happened to Marceline is your fault… Not a damned bit of it.”

“I know,” Jack sighed and then took in a long breath through his nose. “It’s just… I had a right gut feeling, and I didn’t act on it. It weighs on me sometimes.”

“Jack, you’ve done so much for her without a second thought since then. You can’t let someone else’s cruelty erase the love you have now.” Gabriel held Jack’s hand with both of his. “I know it’s not that simple in reality, but what happened to her had nothing to do with you and everything to do with one cruel person creating a situation that did nothing but harm. I get that hindsight tells you that you did something wrong, but you didn’t. There’s no guarantee that you wouldn’t have been hurt or worse going down there. As callous as this might sound, you had your own life going on, too. That isn’t less significant because someone you love got hurt. You did what you thought was right for you at the time, and having new information doesn’t change that either. I know it’s not something I can just talk away for you. But it can help to have someone in your corner.” Gabriel leaned down and kissed the back of Jack’s hand. “I never want you to think someone else’s evil and cruelty is on your shoulders, love.”

Jack smiled warmly and stepped out of the booth again to wrap his arms around Gabriel’s shoulders. “Thank you,” he said quietly into the horse’s neck.

Gabriel returned the hug, “Of course.”

Jack sat back down after a few moments, and barely ten seconds later Nolan appeared with their plates of sushi. “Here we are gentlemen. Tempura for you sir,” he slid a warm platter of fried shrimp and fish strips wrapped in rice and seaweed in front of Gabriel. “And big tuna for you,” Jack’s plate was loaded with fish strips atop various vegetable wraps, six of them sprinkled with red and orange spices. “Enjoy, anything else I can get you for now?”

“A water, if you don’t mind sir,” Gabriel said, already pinching up a shrimp roll.

“Certainly,” the chef nodded and headed off since Jack stuffed a pair of spicy rice and celery rolls into his mouth.

After he’d enjoyed his first mouthful, Jack sighed, “Oh god I’m so hungry. I might get a second plate. A small one, but still.” He stuffed in another two spicy ones. “Mmmmph.”

Gabriel snickered, eating his one at a time but one after the other. He paused to pour some of the wine and have a drink. Nolan delivered the water glass the moment Gabriel put the wine down. “Thank you, thank you.”

“No problem, how is everything?” Nolan asked with folded hands.

Jack nodded with a thumbs up. Gabriel smiled and said, “Perfect.”

“Excellent. I’ll be back in a few to check on you.” Nolan stepped away with a smile toward another filled booth across the small aisle.

“Jacky,” Gabriel interrupted Jack lifting more food. “Could I try one of the spicy ones?”

“Sure, sure,” Jack said, turning his plate so Gabriel could reach one of the dusted pieces.

“Would you bring it to me?” Gabriel said with a slightly teasing tone.

Jack felt his neck get a little hot. “Oh… Yeah…” He picked up the roll and carefully stepped over to sit in the seat with Gabriel.

“It’s only fair,” Gabriel cooed and picked up a roll of his with fried fish on top. He cupped his hand to Jack’s cheek, the raccoon opened his mouth and let Gabriel place the sushi on his tongue. Jack closed delicately around the morsel, leaning into Gabriel’s touch. Once he’d finished it, Jack turned up his gaze and scratched Gabriel’s chin lightly with his free hand. Gabriel parted his lips for Jack, and the raccoon gently placed the roll in Gabriel’s mouth, brushing a piece of rice from his lip gingerly. The horse ate the roll slowly, Jack holding his face with each hand. Once Gabriel swallowed he opened his eyes slowly. “I think it’s just chili powder.”

Jack broke into a fit of snickering. “I think so, too.”

Gabriel turned back to the table and put an arm around Jack’s waist. He pulled Jack’s plate to his side of the table. It was a two-person table so it was a little crowded to eat that way, but Jack didn’t mind. He laid his head against Gabriel’s side and enjoyed the rest of his sushi. They ended up having two glasses of wine each. At some point, Gabriel excused himself to the restroom and came back with his hand over his mouth.

“Something wrong?” Jack asked.

“No,” Gabriel said, muffled by his fingers. He cleared his throat, put his hand down on Jack’s shoulder, and lowly said, “Those cats are absolutely lost in each other. It’s a bit inappropriate, but it was so adorable in a way.”

As Jack stood to let Gabriel back into the booth, he stepped into the aisle a bit for a glance, and sure enough, the dark furred boy was practically on top of the orange one. There were at least two fallen rolls under their table, probably dropped during nervous attempts to feed one other. Jack sat back down with a giggle and shook his head, “Boys will be boys.”

Gabriel coughed into clearing his throat, “Ah, what I wouldn’t do to have that particular moment of my life back.”

“Oh?” Jack had settled in and was having one of his last three rolls. “Wha’u’meen?”

Gabriel booped his finger on Jack’s muzzle. “Manners, Jacky.” Gabriel took another sip of wine. “My first boy kiss was not so romantic. Not even close.” Jack swallowed and sat expectantly with his hands in his lap. Gabriel rolled his eyes and kissed Jack’s forehead. “It happened in a smelly high school locker room. I was getting my things for the weekend, to take home and wash you see. And Blake Sherry was there, taking a shower because, if I remember right, his bathroom was being fixed or renovated… He couldn’t at home. I liked the way he looked, he’s a broad elephant boy, and I didn’t have any idea he might have been into guys at the time. We were basketball mates. But, I was staring, dirty clothes in hand, and he turned around to wash his back and sees me.” Gabriel shook his head, “I’m cooked at that point, gotta say something because being gay can be a death sentence in athletics. So I says, “You missed a spot,” and he laughs and I think that’s the end of it. Blake makes a show of looking down on me, and sure enough it’s very obvious I’ve got hardwood.”

“Oh Gabe,” Jack snickered.

“Aye… At that point, I was mortified. I was sure something awful would follow. But he waved me over. I go. He waves me closer. So I stand right by the stall, getting splashed a bit. He waves one more. I drop my sweaty stuff on a bench and step in, school slacks and polo still on. Brainless. But… He wrapped his trunk around my shoulders, pulled me in, and right when the last class bell rang we kissed until the final day bell. If you’ve never seen an elephant’s-”

“They have prehensile members,” Jack quipped a bit more excitedly than he intended.

“Yes,” Gabriel confirmed. “I didn’t know how prehensile until I feel his thing stroking mine. I said, “No one can know about this right?” And he just says, “Never.”

“Oh my gosh,” Jack said, pinching up his last roll and eating it quickly. “First kiss and first time?”

“No, not really,” Gabriel shrugged. “Well, kinda. We just used our hands on each other until I finished on his belly and him on my cheek.”

“Ooh-ho-ho, Gabe. That’s quite naughty for you.” Jack made playful circles around Gabriel’s chest with a finger. “I mean, public place, wet school boy uniform? Consider me a little jealous…”

Gabriel laughed lightly, “Don’t be. I felt a total fool after, changed into my smelly gym clothes and went home to do all my laundry like that. I missed the bus and had to walk, as well.”

“Did it ever happen again?” Jack smirked.

Gabriel patted the top of his lover’s head, “Aye… Not in the locker room. We snuck around my house under the guise of practicing for games. His father was quite the hardarse and didn’t care for me at all. I think he had a sense, or was closeted himself. But, we did actually practice. Blake wanted to play ball for college so he was actually pretty serious. But then, we’d go into my place, shower together and cuddle or more til he had to leave at nine. I lived out of the district, so no one ever saw us or suspected anything.”

“Your mom knew, didn’t she?”

Gabriel laughed and then put one of his last few shrimp rolls in his mouth. Once he’d finished it he answered, “She very much did. I mean, we were a horse and an elephant with teenage levels of horniness in an upstairs bedroom. There was some noise. Bless my father, he always said we shouldn’t wrestle so hard or we’d end up hurt and unable to play ball.”

Jack laughed in earnest, taking another sip of his wine and hugging Gabriel by the side. “Bless him indeed. That’s funny. If only they knew.”

“They?”

“Our fathers.” Jack took a longer drink and let out a breath. “Fair is fair. Do you want to know?”

“I do, actually.” Gabriel turned in the seat, setting another roll in his lips and chewing. He gestured with his hand to let Jack know to go on.

“So, my first was not with a relationship. It was my one of only two guy friends who stuck with me through the depressed getting-awful-notes phase. Joseph Cripke, a border collie from New York. He was asking me a bunch of questions about what it felt like to be gay one weekend he was spending with us. I finally just asked what it was all about, and he says he thinks he might be gay.”

“Oh lord,” Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Well, that’s unfair. Go on, love.”

“Not entirely unfair. He is married to a woman now.” Jack tapped his fingers on the table. “Right, so I asked who he likes or thinks he likes, and he tells me the name of a boy one grade ahead of us that I admit was cute, even now, so I’m like, “Well you have to talk to him and find out if you have any chemistry,” you know, normal how to get a relationship talk.”

“Right.”

“At this point in my life, I’ve had one boyfriend at all, and we never did anything, we just came out to each other as kind of a test run and decided we should date to see if we really were gay. And we did, and we were, and he kissed really well but nothing further ever happened. So, I’m talking to Jo for a while about all this, and finally he spits it out: “Can I just practice with you, and find out if I am or not?” Gabriel nodded knowingly but kept silent. “I go through five stages of panic worrying that my friend is going to find out I’m bad at Gay and then he’ll think Gay is Lame, et cetera. After collecting my thoughts I said no at first because I wasn’t going to let him use me. But he insisted he just wanted to know for sure with someone who wouldn’t make fun of him or be weird about it or demand he roll over for them, so on and so on. Knowing how hard it was for me, I finally said, okay okay, but two rules. One: no sex, spoiler alert we broke that rule. Two: pet names only, to keep things less weird.” He chose to say babe, so I picked baby.”

“That’s adorable,” Gabriel said, polishing off his last sushi roll.

“I asked if he wanted to take the lead or if he wanted me to. He said he didn’t know what he was doing, so I said, “Okay, if I go too far the safeword is bridge.” And we started kissing, little ones at first. It was maybe five minutes. My dad actually interrupted us by knocking and saying it was bedtime. I was so clever I just got off my bed and laid down with him on the floor. Maybe two more little kisses and then he just hugs me to him and opens his mouth. I was kinda not ready for it, and I almost sneezed. I just let him do his exploring for a minute, and then I started getting into it. He pulled me on top of him and you know how I am, I went with it. I guess he was a good enough kisser because by the time I felt him against my thigh, I was willing to disregard rule number one. I didn’t even think about it, I just reached down and caressed it, and he just let me.”

“So bold of you Jacky,” Gabriel cooed, wrapping his arms around Jack’s shoulders.

“Right?! It gets better, too. He’s all panting and shaking a little, and says, “I thought you said no sex,” so I said, “If you want me not to, I won’t.” He whimpered a little puppy sound and goes, “No it's fine.” So, I laid us side-by-side and used my hands on us both. Apparently I don’t know how to please canines, because I finished before Jo, and all over him. He seemed a little worried, asked for a towel. I said don’t worry, I got this, and I cleaned him up with my mouth. And since I was down there I figured what the heck and slid him out of the sheath and gave him a long, slow lick. The sound he made, Gabe, I thought he was going to cum right then but he didn’t. Like I said, I didn’t know how to please a canine, so it was taking a while. Eventually, my jaw got tired, so I got off him, hugged the pillow, and told him if he wanted to he could have me to get off.” Gabriel smiled with a sympathetic expression in his eyes. “Eeyup. At first, it was fine and I was enjoying it, bucking back a little. But as soon as he got close, we both bucked one too hard and bam, knot in my guts. I was so shocked I don’t even think I was breathing. And when I say I felt it, I felt him finish. Despite the knot, it got out a little.”

“My my,” Gabriel breathed, running his fingers through Jack’s hair. Both of their glasses were empty but neither had gone for another.

“We carefully laid down, and he was inside me either until we woke up that morning or at some point during the night I guess. Either way, I enjoyed it thoroughly despite the non-relationship, and we fooled around a few more times before he ended up moving with his family that fall. He knotted me twice in one visit. I don’t know why, we were just incredibly horny that last week of summer, and we spent the whole day in my room, undisturbed somehow.”

“Jacky, Jacky. I didn’t expect so many details…” Gabriel shifted his leg, and Jack looked down to see Gabriel was hard.

Jack turned his head up and kissed up along Gabriel’s cheek, stopping by his ear to coo, “Should we use the restroom before we go?..”

Gabriel felt his neck and cheeks get hot. “Jacky, we live here…”

“I know,” the raccoon murred into his lover’s ear. “I’ll be quiet.” Jack fished out his wallet and dropped four twenties on the table.

Gabriel picked up two of the bills and handed them back to Jack, dropping two of his own on the table. “It’s not quiet I’m worried about…”

“Is it messy? You’re worried the excitement, the taboo will make too big a mess of me, pup?” Jack petted Gabriel’s neck teasingly.

Gabriel took a long slow breath and tilted his head back and forth for a moment. “Jacky…”

The smaller male reached up, pulled himself back up to Gabriel’s face, and nibbled his ear. “Yes… baby…”

Gabriel’s want of Jack overpowered his reason. He lifted the raccoon out of the booth and set him on the floor, standing quickly to hide his aching erection against Jack’s back. Jack put his hands behind his back and fondled the horse’s member through his pants, walking along as Gabriel firmly but evenly pushed him forward. Once they were in the stark white bathroom with glazed tiles and four stalls, Gabriel led Jack to the first stall and locked it behind them. He let out his held breath and picked Jack up again.

The raccoon wrapped his legs around Gabriel’s waist. He hugged himself against the horse to whisper in his ear, “Mmm, I think it might be the wine.”

Gabriel grabbed Jack’s shoulder to drag him down a bit and lock their lips together, silencing a surprised little squeak from Jack. Gabriel flexed his fingers into Jack’s ass. Gabriel broke the kiss and looked around before looking Jack directly in the eyes. “This is crazy. But you drive me crazy, love… And after last time… I think you awoke something in me.”

Jack giggled and reached between them to unbutton his jean shorts. Gabriel took hold of Jack’s wrist in one hand while using the other arm to balance him down to the floor. “You, clothes, off,” the horse said, with a waggling finger for emphasis. Jack slid off his shirt which Gabriel took and hung from the door hook. The raccoon shimmied his hips so his shorts fell on their own and dragged them up to Gabriel’s waiting hand with his shoe. Gabriel hung Jack’s shorts and then turned back with his hands on his belt. He unclasped the buckle, unbuttoned and unzipped his slacks, and dragged his still mostly erect cock from inside.

Gabriel leaned forward so his lips were right near Jack’s ear and lowly said, “Now listen to me, love. You’re gonna get this nice and wet, and then I’m going to lift you up and take you. And I’ll be done when I’m done.”

Jack gave a stifled little moan in his throat without opening his mouth and lowered himself to his knees. He pawed his way up Gabriel’s strong legs, wrapping his hands around Gabriel’s waist for leverage. His face lifted up Gabriel’s dick, which had fully hardened again as Jack licked and kissed along the base toward the head. Gabriel sighed through his nose, closing his eyes while trying desperately not to cum right on Jack’s face. Jack had been right: the taboo of it all drove Gabriel wild, a searing flash of excitement ran up his spine the moment Jack licked his head. The raccoon slid his lips more than half down the horse cock without effort, one of his hands moving forward to cup and roll Gabriel’s balls in turn in his palm. Gabriel grabbed the top of the stall to keep his balance, the metal creaking in his grip. The horse bent backward slightly, choking back a moan into just a sigh and holding Jack’s head with the other hand. He wrapped his fingers in Jack’s hair to keep the raccoon from moving yet, feeling the sensation in his spine spill into his whole pelvis, he knew he’d cum far too soon if he let Jack suck his dick properly. Gabriel took a few long breaths, but they didn’t help. Jack shook his head, sliding Gabriel’s dick along his wet mouth and throat. Gabriel gave up and bucked his hips down, forcing the rest of his nine inches into Jack’s body and came hard. Jack let out a snicker through his nose against Gabriel’s stomach and ran his hands up the horse’s abs. Gabriel kept Jack there for a good minute before finally withdrawing from his lips, Jack sucking in a proper breath, his jaw and some of his chest soaked with saliva.

Jack got to his feet but stayed crouched so that Gabriel’s dick was near his soaked chest. “I thought you wanted to take me?..” the raccoon murmured.

Gabriel smiled, stroking his wet dick with one hand, “Oh I do. And I will. Jacky…” Gabriel bent down as he pulled the raccoon up to him by the chin with the hand that had previously held the stall. “When have I ever gone back on my word?..”

Jack felt a tingling shiver rush through his entire body. He couldn’t tell and didn’t care if it was from Gabriel’s voice or the cool room. He swooned back to his knees and put his lips right back on the horse’s cock. He licked Gabriel’s head and slid the entire length down his throat again without so much as a hitch. It helped that the dick was only half hard but Jack put in efforts to change that. The raccoon slid one hand around to Gabriel’s ass and massaged his star with his middle finger, the other hand gripping and working the base of Gabriel’s length. Jack felt the thick cock harden a bit more each time his lips went down it, a little gurgling swallow escaped his throat. Jack let himself up for a breath and Gabriel pulled him up by the chin again. Jack let out a pleased little giggle only for Gabriel to cover his mouth with the same hand that had been on his dick before; Jack could smell the saliva. Gabriel let his hand slide down to Jack’s shoulder and turned the smaller male around to face the other way. Then the horse pressed his lover’s body forward and down. The raccoon wiggled his hips gently only for the horse’s other strong hand to hold them in place while the first released Jack’s shoulder to press Gabriel’s hard, slick cock between Jack’s ass cheeks. The horse slid his member back and forth a few times to lube up Jack’s back door.

The raccoon breathed in and leaned over further, stretching his arms between the assistive rails in the stall. He rocked his hips to and fro until Gabriel lined up his head with Jack’s hole. Jack murmured, “Be gentle Gabe, we’re in public… Ohhnnn!..” Jack stifled a moan as he felt thick horse cock slide inside of him.

Gabriel bent over, wrapped his arms around Jack’s chest and hips to lift him straight up, and kissed the side of his head right by his ear. The horse whispered, “No.”

Gabriel pulled his arms down and thrust his hips up, burying all nine inches roughly into Jack’s ass with a sharp slap of his pelvis meeting Jack’s cheeks. Jack’s eyes rolled back in his head and he reached behind his shoulder to hold Gabriel’s neck with one arm and wrapped his other fingers around his own erect dick. Gabriel bent his knees and started forcefully bouncing Jack up and down his length, driving his hips up each time Jack was coming down to make the sound of flesh slapping against fur.

Just as Gabriel had found a good rhythm and was starting to feel a second orgasm building in him, the bathroom door creaked to announce a visitor. Jack held his breath and shut his eyes, also covering his muzzle with the hand from Gabriel’s neck to hide a giddy smile at the thrill from the taboo of potentially getting caught. Gabriel shifted his hands from around Jack to his legs, letting out a sigh since it required less effort. Whoever had come in paid them no mind. They heard a zipper and faint splattering against a urinal. Jack resumed stroking his prick, tilting his head back and letting go of his face to whisper in Gabriel’s ear, “I’m gonna cum.”

Gabriel slowly shook his head, murmuring back, “Don’t you dare. Not like that…” The horse put his lips to Jack’s neck, biting him playfully. “You be a good boy, Jacky…”

The raccoon opened his eyes slowly, tilting his head to peck his lips to Gabriel’s cheek. Jack mouthed, “Okay.”

The horse bucked up his whole body to get a better grip on Jack’s legs and a better angle for stealth: Gabriel was leaning back while holding Jack upright as best he could, letting him thrust in and out with just his hips instead of having to make the loud, slapping bounces. Jack threw his head back and forward as Gabriel fucked into him, each time making a pleasured expression without letting out a sound, which somehow drove Gabriel even more wild. So much so that he would buck hard enough to make another small slap between their bodies, coaxing a sigh from himself and a muffled breath from Jack. Neither of them heard or noticed when their unknown company had left. Gabriel was transfixed on Jack’s expressions, delving into his lover’s body, absorbed in the thrill of it all while still being completely attentive to Jack. He pulled Jack’s thighs apart more and widened his own stance, feeling the pulsing of an orgasm in his stomach. “Hnn, Jack, I’m cumming,” the horse grunted, bending forward to keep his balance while a wave of heat and ice ran up his legs, cock, and spine in tandem, thick white cum dripping down his stiff dick as he filled Jack.

Jack murred and shivered, wrapping his hands around Gabriel’s neck behind him as best he could. The horse held Jack there for a good minute before slowly lowering him to the tile floor again. Jack stretched his legs briefly and then sat down on the toilet, tearing off a bit of paper to clean himself up. While he did so, he licked the lines of cum from Gabriel’s length still near his face. Gabriel winced for a moment from the sensation still fresh in his nerves but let Jack have his fun.

Once Jack was finished he kissed Gabriel’s glans and sat up straight with his hands in his nude lap. The horse beckoned him up and Jack stood. Gabriel knelt down, running his hands down Jack’s sides as he got to his knees. He took hold of Jack’s waist, kissed his way down the raccoon’s stomach, and slid his broad tongue along Jack’s dick, which made Jack’s body go stiff at the attention. Jack held his hands over his muzzle only for Gabriel to reach up and slowly pull them away by the wrist. The horse caressed Jack’s cheek with a finger and then slid his lips down Jack’s five inches, sucking and licking all the way. Jack made more silent, pleased expressions. Gabriel looked into Jack’s eyes, and Jack’s knees buckled a little. Gabriel kept Jack’s full length in his mouth and just licked and sucked for a bit, watching Jack and reveling in the thrill of it all.

Both of their legs were plainly visible beneath the partition; there was no hiding what was going on. Jack looked down, taking notice. The far door opened again. Jack’s eyes snapped toward the sound and he grabbed hold of the assist bars, mouthing with just a hint of his voice, “Gabe, I’m-”

Gabriel already knew: thick seed pulsed against his tongue, a bit of sweetness to it. The horse slid his tongue back and forth, Jack nearly doubling over at the intense sensation while choking back a whimper. Gabriel sucked harder, making sure his tongue pressed into Jack’s ureal path to get every drop. Jack closed his eyes with one more silent moaning facial expression. A gasp tried to escape Jack’s lips as Gabriel kissed the raccoon roughly, wrapping the smaller male up in an embrace and lifting him once more. Jack slid his tongue into Gabriel’s lips and moaned in earnest, tasting his own cum still in Gabriel’s mouth. Gabriel flexed his tongue forward, making sure they were both licking the thick orgasm together. Gabriel could tell Jack’s closed eyes were rolling back in his head and it made the horse smirk. He lowered Jack in the bear hug and tilted his head down, pushing his tongue along his cheeks and lips to sweep all the thick seed into Jack’s mouth. Jack sucked Gabriel’s tongue roughly to get every last drop before swallowing while still holding the horse’s tongue in his lips.

Gabriel sighed quietly as the door to the room opened again. He started passing Jack’s clothes back to him. As Jack was buttoning his shorts, a breathy sigh came from another stall alongside a telltale sustained splash. Gabriel rolled his eyes as Jack stifled snickering laughter with one hand.

Gabriel leaned down to whisper, “I’ll be in the car.”

Jack kissed the horse’s cheek, and replied, “Right behind you.”

Gabriel zipped up his slacks after putting his dick back in his underwear, unlocked the stall and pulled it to as he stepped out, and then headed for the door.

Once he was outside, the sunset was a marvelous shade of fading violet and a few of the parking lot lights were on. The two cat boys from before were sitting on the rubber-hole bench, the orange boy curled in his black-furred partner’s lap as he ran his hand through the orange boy’s hair again and again. Gabriel smiled again and started toward the SUV. He unlocked the door and sat down with a long sigh. Gabriel inserted his key and turned it over without looking. Once he had opened his eyes, Jack was just one row away.

The raccoon slid into the cab and closed his door. Jack leaned over the console and wrapped his arms around Gabriel tightly. Gabriel tilted his head toward the embrace and reached up from his lap with one hand to lay it on Jack’s shoulder across the front of the raccoon’s arms. “Love?..”

Jack softly said, “Everything’s fine. I just… I’m appreciating the passion you’ve shown me. No one has ever treated me the way you do, Gabe. I-” Jack slowly let go and sat back into the passenger seat. “I just wanted to acknowledge your efforts. And, I hope that something I do for you makes you feel as treasured as you make me feel.”

“Jack…” Gabriel smiled again and reached across the console to take Jack’s hand in his. “You do, every time you choose me. Every time you give me time, energy, and earnest companionship. You’re not hanging me off your arm at some business affair, or dragging me into a new gym every third week for a new crowd of selfies and likes.” Jack saw a single small tear make a slightly darker brown streak down Gabriel’s cheek, “I’m not a prize to you. The way you treat me shows it. That means more to me than any date, title, or what other thing a person could offer. You give me an honest love. That means everything to me.” Gabriel closed his eyes tightly and shook his head once. The horse took a deep breath and opened his eyes to look Jack directly in his. “That’s all I’ll ever need from you. Whatever else you give me is a brilliant bonus.”

Jack bounced himself onto his knees and leaned over the console again to place his hands on his lover’s cheeks, kiss him patiently, and gingerly massage the wet fur on his face so it would dry a little quicker. Jack felt another wet drop on his thumb and couldn’t stifle a laugh that broke their kiss. “I’m sorry Gabe, I-”

“It’s not a bad tear, love.”

Jack kissed Gabriel’s forehead, just above his nose, and then his lips for a few more moments. “I figured.” Jack wiped away the fresh tear and one more on the other side before sitting back in his seat again. “How about those last three cards?”

Gabriel nodded slowly, reaching across the way into his glove box. “Just two, actually.” He held the cards between his fingers.

Jack could almost read these two cards, the marker lines were so thick and dark. The others had been written in pen. One of the words was most likely “place” on each. Ah, must be my place, your place. Jack playfully pointed and then bounced a finger back and forth between the two options. He was just having fun teasing Gabriel more than actually trying to make a decision. By the time he elected to snatch up one of the cards in his own pinched fingers, he’d chosen “your place.”

Jack turned the card around and snickered. “Wait,” he teased, “your place as in I’m picking the card slash saying it, so it’s your house? Or your place as in you wrote the card so it’s my apartment?”

Gabriel gently bapped Jack’s nose with a finger, “The second one, you cheeky boy you.”

Jack handed the card back to Gabriel’s waiting open hand, “Juuust making sure. Love.”

Gabriel gave a glowing smile as he dropped the cards into the cutout in his door and faced forward to buckle in. Jack did the same and they were off toward Jack’s home.

As Gabriel turned toward the neighborhood Jack said, “You know… I think I’m still hungry. I blame the wine.”

“Well,” Gabriel offered, “I have some supplies I bought for one of the other dinner cards. I could still do that.”

“Ooh, that sounds amazing. Would you mind?”

Gabriel reached between them to squeeze Jack’s hand lovingly. “Of course not Jacky. What time are the girls due back?”

“I’m not sure. Marcy hasn’t said anything since the airport, actually. I assumed she was working,” Jack explained.

The horse shrugged, “Well, I’ll make the whole thing anyway. If you like it, there’ll be leftovers.”

“Fair enough.” Jack stroked the side of Gabriel’s hand with his thumb. The raccoon smiled, thinking back on their day together. ”Thank you, Gabe. For a wonderful afternoon and evening.”

“You’re most welcome, love.”

. . .

Jack set his keys on the little deco table by his door and wheeled his luggage into the bedroom. Gabriel unpacked his groceries in the kitchen while Jack started his first load of laundry. Jack dumped in the crumpled, worn clothes from his luggage and then stripped completely down in the little hall to drop in the day’s clothes as well. He stepped into his room, tossed his shoes toward his bedside table, and swiped a pair of shorts from a drawer in his dresser. Jack draped them over his left arm and padded into the kitchenette.

“Quick shower, before you get started?” Jack offered.

Gabriel glanced up and down Jack’s nude form a few times with a sly grin. “Oh?”

Jack put his free hand on his hip with a roll of his eyes. “For hygiene reasons, you randy man.”

Gabriel left the counter to step up to Jack who tilted his head back to follow Gabriel’s face. The horse bent down just enough to kiss Jack’s upturned lips briefly. “Go ahead, love. I’m alright, I think. Take your time, part of this is a casserole so it’ll take a good half hour at least.”

Jack murred quietly and pulled Gabriel back down with a hand on his neck for a deeper kiss. The horse ran his fingers down Jack’s sides to playfully pat his bottom. Jack snickered as their kiss broke. “Okay, okay… One more before I get in?”

Gabriel gave a little snort and flipped his wrist as he turned back to the countertops. “Let me at least get this in the oven there… And then we’ll see what happens.”

Jack shook his head and wandered out to his couch. He sent a text to Marcy, “When are you coming home?” and then laid across the cushions facing the tv. He grabbed the remote from the coffee table, pressed the power button, and set the channel to music instead of shows. Mellow guitar filled the room as Jack laid back, folding his hands behind his head and enjoying a little time to just be nude in his place.

Jack heard Gabriel shaking something into his dish and then squeezing a bottle of something in next. He wanted to go and watch but decided not to in favor of catching a few more minutes of rest. It’s not that I’m tired. I just feel like slowing down right now. The oven’s beeping alarm went off, and a moment later the sound of glass on a wire rack scraped into the air, the door closing with a dull clap after.

Gabriel stepped around the partition wall dusting off his hands. The horse lifted Jack’s upper body and sat down on the end of the couch, lowering Jack’s head into his lap once he was settled. “That should do.”

“Oh good.” Jack smiled up at Gabriel, shivered as his AC came on and dusted them both with cooler air, and rolled over to crawl more into Gabriel’s lap. Gabriel sat back against the couch and let Jack move about. The horse wrapped his arms around the raccoon once Jack had settled against Gabriel’s body.

“Would you be disappointed if I said no?”

Jack saw Gabriel’s eyes were closed but shook his head anyway, “Of course not. You’re not my toy, Gabe. You’re not obligated to sex with me.”

Gabriel smiled and sighed slowly out his nose. “Go take your shower. If you can believe it, I am tired.”

Jack snickered, patting his lover on the cheek gently, “My big strong man wore himself out being a brilliant partner today. Happens to the best of us.”

Gabriel tossed his head slightly, snickering and patting Jack’s naked ass with one hand. “Go on, cheeky boyo. But…” Jack paused half-way out of Gabriel’s lap to look down again. “Is it alright if I stayed tonight?”

Jack kissed Gabriel’s forehead. “Yes.”

“Then I’m going to grab my bag and get comfortable.”

“You had a bag? Expecting my answer, eh?” Jack giggled and pushed Gabriel’s chest playfully.

“Maybe. Or, maybe I had you figured out already, Jacky boy.” Gabriel opened one eye with a smirk.

Jack laughed and bounced on one leg to keep his balance as he lifted himself off the horse and the couch. “Oh please, like I’m some kind of puzzle…” The raccoon rolled his eyes, “I’m easier to read than a flash card.”

Gabriel leaned forward and slowly stood. “After a month to get to know you, sure. But that’s not a bad thing.”

Jack paused at the hallway entrance, “No?”

Gabriel stretched his arms up and slowly let them down by his sides, “Nnnnnno love. Not one bit.”

Jack padded into the spare room and into the bathroom. He heard his front door open and close as he stepped into the shower and then turned the knob to hot water. Once the steam started rising, Jack stepped into the water and just let it run over and off his body for a few minutes. He eventually reached toward the wall for a bar of soap hung by a looped rope and ran it all over himself. Once there were enough bubbles, Jack took a loofah off the same hook and scrubbed his whole body twice over. After a thorough rinse he squeezed out just enough of Marcy’s shampoo to wash his hair. He thought to himself, You know, I could just buy this stuff. Who’s going to question me doing that in Basalt? Jack nodded to himself, resolving to get some of the vanilla scent for himself.

Once he’d rinsed everything again and was satisfied he was clean, Jack shut the water off and toweled off. He slid his selected shorts on and walked back into the living room. The warm scent of potatoes cooking filled the room. Gabriel was lying across the middle section of the couch wearing just a black and violet tartan kilt, his legs stretched out and off the cushions. “Smells nice. Nice view, too,” Jack smirked, padding over to caress the horse’s strong figure.

Gabriel snickered and heaved his right arm in a long, slow arc to land on Jack’s shoulder. “Come sit,” he murmured.

Jack knelt onto the couch and laid himself gently along Gabriel’s side, the horse’s arm sliding down Jack’s side to embrace him at the hip. Gabriel kissed Jack’s temple and sighed into a cute little yawn. The raccoon tilted his head up to kiss Gabriel’s chin before cuddling into his side.

“You know…” Jack said softly, “if you’re really that tired, I can run down to-”

Gabriel softly closed his fingers around Jack’s muzzle to quiet him. The horse’s fingers moved over to cup Jack’s cheek. “I’m alright, just resting meself while there’s nothing to be done. Thank you, Jack. For the concern.”

Jack snickered, took Gabriel’s hand in his and interlaced their fingers. “Okay, Gabe.”

The pair stayed cuddled up for a little over a half hour until Gabriel’s phone announced the end of a timer he’d set. The horse gently picked himself up from the couch and out from under Jack. He walked into the kitchen partition and clicked on a stove burner. Jack got up as well and padded into his room to collect a spare sheet from his closet for later cuddling, turning his AC system up two degrees while coming back down the hall.

Jack sat back down on the couch and checked his phone. Marcy had seen but hadn’t replied to his text. He shrugged and checked his work emails just in case. Nothing was new, so Jack set the phone down and laid back on his couch, unfurling the sheet over himself for a bit of warmth. A few minutes later onion, lemon pepper, and cooking fish reached his nose, and Jack nodded approvingly. “Coming along nicely,” Jack said toward the partition.

“Aye,” came a short reply. Before too long, the scratching tink of dinnerware on the countertop sounded, followed by something being dropped onto said plate, and the clink of silverware. Jack sat up on the couch just in time for Gabriel to appear with a plate of salmon steak and potato casserole. “Will that do you love?”

“I do believe,” Jack said as Gabriel set the plate on his coffee table. The raccoon ate every bite slowly. Mainly because the food came out great but Jack was also feeling tired finally. Once he’d finished he got up to rinse his dishes and put them aside in the sink. Gabriel had already put the rest of the food into tupperware containers. Jack patted them lightly before returning to the couch again, Gabriel draped over it like before only this time his feet were on the couch, and crawling up beside his lover.

“Thank you so much,” Jack murmured, rolling onto his back as Gabriel took him into a gentle hold.

“Think nothing of it, love.”

They laid together for forty minutes before hearing a key in the door to announce the return of the girls.