FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The car ran with a buttery smoothness that even Vasili's rough handling couldn't upset. It moved through the busy traffic like a shark, keeping its passengers insulated from the angry honks and nasty exhaust smells. The bear hit the brakes in front of a club in one of the seedy yet flashy parts of town and a valet immediately came to park his car. A queue of patrons were waiting to be checked for admittance but a doorman with an obsequious smile simply waved Vas in.

“They, uh, know you here?" Jack asked.

“They know how much money I leave in their pockets," Vas guffawed and sent the panther stumbling forward with a slap on the back.

Vas had his own table in a corner of the club, some distance from the rest of the customers. Two people were already waiting for them. The first was a lioness of indeterminate age with a mean face who puffed on a long drooping hookah, and the other was a grey hare in a leather coat who nursed a glass of liqueur. As Jack's eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness he noticed that the slender male had several nicks in his long ears, some shaped like triangles and others like circles or squares. He wasn't sure if they were battle scars or some sort of esoteric fashion statement.

“Sarah, Yan, there's someone I want you to welcome today!" Vas erupted and wrapped his arm around Jack's shoulders to hug him. “This guy here, his name is Jack, and he's an old friend of mine. He's been with me from the start, when we had nothing and we had to watch out for each other. Today, he's out of jail, and we're going to do business together."

Jack knew he was supposed to say something, so he mumbled a 'Hi' and extended his hand. The hare considered the young man who was attached to the offered limb before he accepted the handshake. “Pleased to meet you Jack, name's Yan. Can't wait to hear what you and Vas were up to in the good old days," he said with a disarming smile. His hand was lean and wiry, like the rest of his body.

“Oh, I already have an idea. A handsome boy like him, he must have been quite the darling in the joint," the lioness snickered in a cloud of scented smoke.

Vas's huge paw sent the hookah flying out of Sarah's mouth and tumbling on the floor where it shattered with a hiss of steam.

“You take that back! Jack's no bitch, he kept his mouth shut and he did his time like a man."

Sarah glared at the brawnier carnivore like a coiled snake and for an instant Jack was deadly sure the table would erupt in violence. Then she wiped the trickle of blood at the corner of her lips and settled back in her seat.

“Come on Vas, you know I'd never judge someone for what they did to survive. I've spread my own legs too many times to throw stones."

“As to you," she turned her golden eyes towards Jack and blew him a kiss, “If you fancy a round with a lady to celebrate your freedom just let me know. I could show you a trick or two I learned from my first job."

“Just make sure you're up to date on your jabs before you go anywhere near her," Yan said and knocked down his glass.

“Easy to stay clean when you don't get your dick wet," she shot back.

“Enough, let's get drunk," Vas said and shoved Jack into a seat, “I want the best of everything, all in one bucket."

Jack's glass never seemed to get empty, no matter how much he drank. The waiter always made sure to bring more stuff without anyone having to ask. He never took the empty bottles away, perhaps because he knew Vas took pride in his growing alcoholic body count. Jack had no idea what was poured into his glass but after a couple rounds the booze felt like it was trying to eat through his stomach. The polar bear regaled everyone with tales of their adventures together, though in his stories he and Jack didn't rob lousy corner shops and didn't have sex each night on a filthy mattress.

They drank and drank as the day and evening wore on. Vas's roaring voice got louder, his gestures more unhinged and the flame in his eyes wilder but none of the patrons at the other tables complained. Instead they paid their tabs and cautiously left. Sarah grew more lascivious and she caressed Jack's thigh until she was almost fondling his cock through the fabric of his pants. As to Yan, he spoke little but he looked more high-strung with every glass he downed, like an overly wound-up toy.

Jack did not remember when they left the club, how they lost Sarah and Yan or how he ended up in Vas's new place. He stood in the middle of the vast living room, looking at his luxurious surroundings and wondering why their crappy flat looked so much bigger now.

“Tonight's the night you stop being a bitch. Tonight you become a man!" Vas laughed and made him take a swig of his bottle.

The polar bear tapped two piles of a mixture of blow and ground Viagra on a glass table, one for him and one for Jack. After both of them had snorted the powder he gestured the panther to follow him to the bedroom. There on the king-size bed a male marten waited for them. He looked a couple years younger than Jack and he was nude, his russet fur looking silky and shiny under the soft light.

Vas emerged naked from the bathroom, his cock turgid and red, and he climbed atop the bed. Jack watched with a weird sense of dissociation and déjà-vu as the polar bear fucked the young man's thighs until he splattered his seed all over the expensive-looking bedsheets.

“Your turn now," Vas grunted after rolling over to his side and letting out a sigh of satisfaction.

Jack's temples started to pound. He wanted to bolt, to run out of the door and keep running, but his body lurched forward and he crawled on top of the younger man still fully clothed.

“I'm sorry," he whispered to him with a whisky stained breath.

“It's okay," he replied timidly, looking away from the panther.

The marten's slender hands unbuttoned Jack's pants and dipped in to pull out his half flaccid cock, giving it a couple strokes to try to make it harden. When it failed to do so he squirmed to turn around under Jack and grinded it against his plump buttocks, trying to will life into the member. Vasili was watching them with half lidded eyes, starting to doze off but still paying attention to Jack's performance, so the panther made humping motions against the youth, his dick rubbing on his fur like a limp noodle. The marten helped by making appropriate moaning noises, but when the polar bear started to snore Jack rolled off him with a sense of relief.

The marten curled up by Vasili's side without a second glance at Jack, leaving him staring awkwardly at the pair. He got up to leave, but then realized that he had no money and no place to go. He sat slowly on the bed's edge, and when no one said anything he settled down to lay on the bed again, his hands crossed on his belly and stared at the ceiling while the other two slept close by.

The next morning the marten was gone. The room smelled of old cum and fresh polar bear farts, and Jack's throbbing hangover needed fresh air, so he snuck out quietly.

--

Sarah was staking out Vasili's place, and when Jack emerged on the sidewalk she called for him. She was standing next to a sensible sized city car and wore clothing suggesting professionalism, looking like a burnt out realtor. She had been drinking a tall cup of bubble tea, but she tossed her half finished drink to the trash bin when Jack walked up to her.

“About the time, sleepyhead." She did not sound angry, but just impatient. “I was starting to think that you wouldn't show up before my need to go to the bathroom took over."

“You've been here all this time, just waiting for me?" Jack shielded his eyes from the piercing sunlight.

Sarah took off her sunglasses. “Somebody needs to get you a phone and a place to stay, and Yan was busy." She bit the handle of the glasses that she had been twirling around. “And I wanted to get a better look at you anyway."

Jack sighed. His head ached. “Let's get going then."

“Rude." Sarah had stayed behind when Jack had started towards the car, crossing her arms as she watched his back.

“I'm sorry." Jack stopped. “I want to get to know you better too."

Sarah nodded and petted Jack on the top of his head. “Now that's better. I got egg muffins for good boys like you waiting in my car." She opened the driver's side door.

“Didn't you need to go before we left?" Jack pointed up towards Vasili's apartment.

“Nah, I got great muscle control." She slipped into the car, and Jack followed her.

They joined the traffic and drove silently while Jack nibbled at the cold, stale egg muffin. Grease had congealed on it making him feel ill, so he put it back in the paper bag.

“So you work for Vasili?"

Sarah gave him almost a pitying look. “Yan and I work for the Family. Vasili sees to it that the Family's… needs are respected in this part of the town. He's the brawn to my—well, Yan handles the nerd stuff so he's the brain. I'm more of a people person so you can think of me as the face of the operation." She flashed a smile at Jack. “It's a pretty one, don't you agree?"

Jack made a noncommittal sound, and thought for a moment before speaking up. “I don't believe Yan."

“About what?"

“About you having STDs. You're too classy looking for that."

“What a weird compliment. But thanks. You shouldn't believe me about Yan not getting his dick wet."

“Why?"

“That you should ask Yan himself. You should ask Yan about his dick situation." She grinned and turned on the radio for happy sunny driving music.

--

In the parking lot of a megamall Sarah counted a stack of small denomination bills for him as an advance, pressed them in his hand and told him to get new clothes. They got Jack a prepaid phone and keys to his flat in a district with high apartment buildings and low incomes, then drove to check it out. His new place had a view of concrete high-rises, cheap furniture smelling of plastic and laminate, and thin walls inviting him to participate in the lives of his neighbors. It felt unreal to him, so he set down the bag of stale muffins on the kitchen counter to anchor his arrival. Without asking Sarah went into the bathroom, leaving Jack to sit alone on a flimsy couch trying not to listen to the sounds. It was the first time in his life that he had a place of his own, and someone else was already using it.

“Whew, it was about time. The flush isn't working by the way," Sarah sighed as she walked into view.

“So, what do you need me to do?" Jack asked her.

“That's for Vas to decide. Give me your phone so I can add my number and his… There, but don't call me in the middle of the night just because you had a bad dream and are freaking out."

“I've been to jail, I think I can handle it."

“I hope so. The rent on this place ain't going to pay itself, so whatever Vas has in mind for you, you better be good at it."

Jack's eyes wandered over to the digital clock on the wall and his bowels clenched. 2:20 flashed in bright neon red.

“Shit! I'm supposed to meet my parole officer at half past," he squealed and jumped out of his seat.

“You better run fast then," Sarah said and lit a cigarette.

“Can you give me a ride? Please?"

“Do I look like a taxi? Oh all right, but you're buying breakfast next time. And not egg muffins."

Sarah didn't merely drive Jack to the big grey concrete building that housed the administrative offices, she escorted him into the main hall and gave him a big hug in front of the visitors and employees.

“Now just be a good boy and do what the nice policeman says. Mamma loves you," she hushed loudly before Jack could wiggle out of her grip.

Jack was twenty minutes late to his appointment, but in the end it didn't matter much because the previous appointment was also running late. He took a chair in the corridor outside the office and observed the cracked linoleum at his feet. “It doesn't matter much" could have been the place's motto. The employees at the reception desk looked like they spent most of their days watching the clock move, and his fellow ex-convicts didn't seem thrilled by the training courses or resume-writing workshops that the posters on the walls advertised. He remembered the advice Greene gave him: “Nod when they talk to you, send a few job applications to show you've tried and, above all, don't make anyone's day difficult. If you do that they'll leave you in peace."

The door of the office opened and he heard a young but firm voice coming from inside. “I will see you next month, and be sure to make a good impression at your new job, I'm counting on you."

A slim lizard wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt two sizes too big stepped out and walked past Jack without giving him a glance. “Next please," the voice requested.

Stepping into the office was like crossing a portal to a different world. Sure, the paint on the walls was faded and the air conditioning was on long-term sick leave, but the room was kept neat and dusted, and the officer's working space was free of the clutter that adorned every other employee's desk. The man himself was a red fox who couldn't have been more than halfway through his twenties. He wore a pressed white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a blue silk tie with a subtle floral pattern and a pair of olive chinos. His face, while youthful, had lost the smooth roundness that was common in teenage boys, and when he cast his eyes on Jack his expression was sharp and professional.

“Good afternoon mister Andropolous, my name is Alex," the fox started and got up to shake Jack's hand, “I hope you didn't have to wait for too long. Unfortunately I have twelve appointments booked today and even small delays add up."

Jack shook the fox's hand and racked his brain for the hidden mockery in his words. Finding none and feeling even more suspicious as a result, he cautiously took the seat that the other man offered him in front of the desk.

“I have read your file," Alex continued and glanced at his laptop screen, “First let me take you through the basics…"

The fox re-explained to Jack the terms of his probation. The panther nodded, only half-listening at first but then noticing something strange. When Alex spoke he sounded like he actually cared. The people who did the reinsertion program back at the prison read their script, offered to take the always nonexistent questions and then left. The fox was different, he carefully explained each point to Jack without sounding bored or condescending, as if he really believed he was here to help and not simply tick boxes.

“...so you already have an address, that's good," Alex said and wrote something down. “You'll need to look for a job too. Do you have prior experience or qualifications?"

“Uh… I can drive, so maybe I could be a bus driver or something?" Jack blurted, feeling stupid before he even finished his sentence.

Alex chuckled. “Well, I'm afraid you will need to have your record wiped clean before they let you drive people around. But with good conduct that might actually happen. In the meantime I'll print you a list of openings from companies with which we have partnerships, I'd like you to look at them and…"

His voice trailed off. Jack wasn't paying attention, he was staring at the other man, wondering if the white fur of his throat was as soft to the touch as it was pleasing to the eye.

“Are you listening?"

“Sorry," Jack snapped back to reality, “I was just… looking at this," he added, pointing towards a diploma framed on the wall behind Alex.

The fox looked behind him. In addition to the diploma several pictures adorned the wall. One showed the fox in a black robe and hat flanked by what Jack assumed were his parents, another showed him, drenched with sweat, holding a tennis racket and a silver cup.

“Oh yes," Alex said with a smile of slight embarrassment, “My parents never forgave me for taking this job. But we're not here to talk about me. Let's focus on you."

Fifteen minutes later Jack was walking out of the building with a list of job openings in his pocket and Alex's number on his phone, just in case he had questions. The fox had scheduled another appointment for next week but Jack didn't mind. Alex had shaken his hand again before he left, and his fingers had felt soft and sure at the same time. He hoped they would shake hands again next time they met.

--

Jack sat in the darkened sports car waiting, while the rain tapped its roof and cried on the windshield. A giant neon sign cast its pink light across his face, pulsing along the muffled hum and thud of night club music. The hour was late but the city was just waking up, its contents spilling on the streets in search of thrills and driven by desires. A burly shape detached itself from the shadows and crossed the street, squaring its shoulders against the rain and weaving between mopeds and cars, until it reached the car and squeezed inside smelling of sweat and damp clothing.

“I got the goods," Vasili said and wiped back his wet hair. “Now is your turn to push the merchandise to people."

“I don't know if I can do it, Vas." Jack felt nervous.

“Of course you can. You have what people want, so they come to you. Nothing could be simpler!"

He took a brown paper bag out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Jack.

“Robbing stores, that was dumb business. Dumb, dumb business. If you want to make money in this world, then you have to sell instead. You understand?"

“I mean how do I, like, advertise? I don't know what to say."

Vasili growled. “Are you dumb or blind? You've seen a pusher on a street corner, stand around like them!"

He sighed and continued with a softly encouraging tone, as if he was trying to lure someone into his lair.

“You are young, and good looking. You look like a party boy, right? The customers, they see me and they run away, they think I want to mug them. But you, they trust."

Jack turned around the paper bag on his lap, not wanting to look inside. “I don't want to go to jail again, Vas."

“Then don't fuck up. Now go." He said the last word low and filled with threat of violence.

Jack hurried onto the street and the car slid off the curb, prowling slowly among the traffic until its red lights disappeared into the distance.

He huddled there for a moment, hesitating where to go, but his varsity jacket did nothing against the rain so he stepped under the marquee of a street corner bodega and tried to look inconspicuous. The cold fluorescent light from overhead gave him a pale look and made him stick out like an exclamation mark. The shopkeeper behind the windows gave him a suspicious glare, but returned to serve customers picking up smokes and condoms.

Jack felt a knot of tension clenching his stomach. Part of him wanted to run, but he knew that Vasili would come after him, especially with the drugs he was carrying in his pocket. He could throw them away, but that would make his situation even worse when he got caught. Worse still, another part of him wanted to please the man, to make himself feel useful, but he was afraid of doing that too. He had never been much of a talker, and did not like approaching people.

Then the city made his decision for him.

Three youths not even out of their teens cornered him. They had fashionable haircuts and wore expensive sneakers, grinning and jostling each other. The closest of them was not older than Jack when he ran away from home, and he spoke to him in a hushed voice.

“Hey man, you selling?" Jack blinked so he continued. “A little pick me up, you know?"

Jack nodded and stuck his hand in his pocket, feeling the little plastic packets inside.

“How much?"

Jack froze. He had no idea what to ask, and Vasili had not told him. He saw a folded up stack of bills in the teen's hand and motioned at it. “That's enough."

He moved to press a handful of the bags into the teen's palm and switch them for the money, but in his nervousness he dropped the bills, and they fluttered down to soak up the wet pavement. The kids laughed at him when he crouched to pick them up and told him to chill, his embarrassment burning up to the tips of his ears. Thankfully they walked away, whooping and hollering, leaving him shoving the wet bills in his pocket. His heart hammered in his chest and he felt that he needed to disappear right there and then, so he pushed past the throng of people and ducked into a dark alleway.

Jack leaned against the building's damp brick wall, feeling its coarseness against the back of his head as he craned to look at the cloud covered sky, letting the rain wash away his tears as he waited for his breathing to calm down. He did not look forward to explaining to Vasili how he had messed up even this simple transaction. He swallowed, his mouth dry. He should run, sell what he had to keep running and hope that it would take a long time for Vasili to catch up.

But he could not. There was something heavy in his pocket that weighed him down: his phone with Alex's number. He did not understand why, but thought of disappointing that fox and his gentle smile felt even worse than the wrath of Vasili. He took out the phone and thumbed its surface nervously, the rain drops making it slick in his hand. He had a decision to make.

The screen glowed bright in the darkness of the night. Jack scrolled until his thumb hovered over Alex's number. He put the phone away and paced back and forth under the rain, the damp filth on the pavement making squishy noises under his sneakers. He took a deep breath, darted towards the street and stopped right on the threshold, as if repelled by the light and the rumble of the crowd.

Jack slinked back into the alleyway and took up his phone again. Stress gnawed at his bowels as he pressed Alex's number and brought the phone to his ear. The phone rang several times, and for a moment Jack felt something approaching guilty relief at the thought that Alex wouldn't pick up. Then a voice answered.

“Hello?"

Jack froze and bit his lip. “Hi, it's Jack," he whispered.

“...Sorry, who?"

“Jack, uh, Jack Andropolous. I was at your office the other day."

“Ah."

“Can… can I see you?"

There was a long pause. “Huh… office hours are from 10 to 6 in the evening."

“S-sorry," Jack stammered, “I don't know who to tell. I'm outside, there's this guy, and he knows where I live and…" he trailed off, realizing he was about to talk about drug dealing to his parole officer.

Seconds passed. “Are you in danger? Can you call the police?"

“Yes… and no. I, I'd rather talk to you if that's ok," Jack said and closed his eyes, the anxiety rolling like waves through his body.

There was another silence, the hesitating silence of someone who was also faced with a very difficult decision.

“I'll give you my address," Alex finally said, “You can come over, but if you are drunk, high or not alone I will call the police. Do you understand?"

The flat was only a couple blocks away, but Jack was drenched by the time he stood in front of the video intercom. There was a long interval between the time he pressed the button and the time the building's front door unlocked, as if Alex wanted to be absolutely sure no one was lurking behind the panther. Jack couldn't blame him.

A small plaque next to the second door of the fourth floor stated “Alexander Holloway". When Jack knocked, the fox opened the door slightly, took a good look at the cat and the corridor, and then bid him to enter.

The inside was neat, just like Alex's office, but also cosy. The ceiling light gave off a soft warm glow that bathed a beige-walled living room furnished with a brown leather couch, a bookcase and a small coffee table on which a book and an empty glass stood. Several well-kept potted plants and a large TV completed the picture.

“You might want to take off your shoes."

Jack looked down at the mess his mucky sneakers had made on the carpet and another wave of stress rushed through his bowels. “Sorry! I wasn't thinking…" he blurted as he lifted his feet to remove the shoes. Alex watched him from a couple steps away as he did so, his right hand firmly buried in the pocket of the evening gown he was wearing. Only when Jack meekly looked around with his dirty sneakers dangling from his hand did he seem to relax.

“Oh, just leave them by the entrance," he said, gesturing towards the door. “Your socks are drenched too."

A bare-footed Jack sat stiffly on the couch, a towel tucked under his buttocks to soak up the dampness of his pants.

“Now, will you tell me what's going on?" Alex said.

“I…" he began and stopped. “I'm not sure how to explain…"

“Well, we have time. I don't have anything planned for this evening… anymore," Alex said with a faint smile. He wore black plaid pajamas under his gown, and his fur looked and smelled slightly damp, as if he had just had a hot bath. Jack had a sudden vision of his host scrambling out of the bathtub to pick up the phone.

“I'm sorry for barging in like this. I should not be bothering you," Jack mumbled and made a move to get up.

“No, no! Just relax and take your time. Do you want to drink something?"

“Oh, do you have iced coffee? No? uh, I'll just have what you're having."

“I'm having a rum and coke, but I'm afraid I'll have to see your ID before I serve you alcohol. Government rules you see," the fox smiled and picked up the glass on the table.

“Ah, I don't have my ID with me," Jack said, “But a coke sounds good."

The fox looked at him for a moment, his expression split between bemusement and a strained attempt not to laugh. “A coke it is, then," he chuckled.

Jack watched Alex as the young man headed for the kitchen, the bottom of his navy-blue gown flowing gracefully around his slippered feet. There was something in his right pocket, the one in which his hand had been tucked earlier. Pepper spray, he guessed. Seeing Jack follow simple instructions and take off his shoes without losing his balance must have reassured Alex that his visitor wasn't drugged out of his mind.

His eyes drifted to the book on the coffee table. The cover was plain and the author's name didn't ring a bell. He lifted the cover and flipped through a few of the pages beneath. No pictures either.

“You like to read?"

Jack quickly drew back his hand like one caught shoplifting. “Yeah! Of course," he replied and tried to think of something that wasn't a comic book. Mercifully, Alex did not ask who his favorite writer was when he handed him his drink and sat next to him.

“So, let's start all over again. What's the matter?" the vulpine said and took a sip.

Jack stared at the ice cubes that clinked within his glass and swallowed the big knot in his throat. “There's this guy who picked me up after I left jail. He gave me a place to stay, but he wants me to do something for him…"

“Something that you don't want to do?" Alex asked with compassion, which was a new experience to Jack. He felt as if he was borrowing something not meant for him.

“Y-yeah. Maybe. I don't know." Jack leaned on his knees and fiddled with the glass. “I owe him big time. And I look up to him. I just can't say no to him, you know?"

Alex got closer and mimicked his pose. He smelled faintly of strawberries. “What makes you happy, Jack?"

“I…don't know."

“I've met several troubled young men like you, and the ones who couldn't figure out what they really wanted ended up going back to jail. I don't want that to happen to you, okay?"

Jack's frustration flared up. “It's not just what I want! It's easy to say that when you have something and someone, but I have nothing!"

“I let you in as a friend, not a client."

“...Sorry." Jack looked down again. Being called a friend did something to him, and he was already feeling it slipping between his fingers.

“Your circumstances gave you bad choices, but that doesn't make you a bad person," Alex continued unperturbed. “There's potential for good inside you, but I can't bring it out on my own. You need to take the first step even if it's a scary one."

Jack gave Alex a sideways look. “Can you really help me?" His heart skipped a beat when he imagined Alex saying 'yes'. It was a weird, light feeling.

“I can offer you a place to stay for the night. We'll figure it out from there." He got up. “You can take off your soaked clothes in the bathroom while I look for dry ones for you."

The bathroom was small and efficient, its only concessions to comfort a fluffy rug on the floor and scented candles on the rim of the bathtub. The clothes stuck to his skin as he peeled them off one by one and dropped them where he stood, then stepped out of the wet pile almost gingerly, his paw pads sinking into the soft rug. He leaned on the sink as he examined himself in the mirror, and saw a young man that he was not sure that he recognized. He still had his slender and toned build, the shape of his lean muscles easy to make out under his skin, but his shiny black fur clung to his hide wet and mussed up. His good sized manhood dangled flaccid between his legs, breathing easy after being trapped in his damp underwear, as black and smooth as the rest of his body.

[i]I look good, he said to himself. I can get hard even if I'm not into the guy,[/i] he continued, [i]my cum loads are big.[/i] He felt his cock twitch and tighten, rising to a half arc, with a vein on its side tracing its shape on the skin. He shook his head. [i]That is how others see me. That's not who I am.[/i] He sighed and drew to his full height. He did not know who he saw, but the longer he stared at the stranger the more he felt a rebellion rising in his chest. [i]There's good in me, no matter what anyone says.[/i]

Then he made eye contact with the fox in the corner of the mirror. He had caught a full glimpse of Jack's body when he had opened the bathroom door, his bare nakedness catching his host by surprise.

“S-sorry!" Alex stammered and crouched to set down the clothes he had in his arms, then backed away in a hurry. Jack groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had not done anything and he was already causing trouble.

After drying himself with a towel and dressing up in a pair of little too short sweat pants and a faded t-shirt that advocated turning down drugs, he stepped out into the living room. Alex was sitting on an armchair to the side of the couch, crossing his legs and looking awkward.

“I'm sorry," Jack mumbled.

“No, it's my fault. I should've knocked."

“Thanks. For letting me stay for the night that is. You're right by me." Jack settled on the couch and tapped his knees. Suddenly he felt more nervous than when robbing the bodega. There was nothing going right in his life in the past few hours.

“Thanks. Again, I'm sorry about what happened."

The rain had not ceased, and it drummed the windows with increased ferocity.

“So. Uh, you want me to suck your cock?" Jack asked.

“What? No!" Alex looked aghast.

“I'm sorry! I didn't mean that you look gay." Jack felt his cheeks and the tips of his ears burning with embarrassment.

“No, it's… as my client it would be highly improper to have sexual relations with you." Alex reached to a side table to take a sip of his rum and coke, eager for a pause in the conversation, and adjusted his legs. He was pitching a tent on the front of his pajamas, and hiding it poorly.

“I'm sorry." Jack rubbed his palms on his thighs. He felt sweaty for no reason. “It's just…guys who are nice to me usually want something in return. And I'm okay with that. Or, like, I'm not…but I would be with you."

“Christ, are you trying to land me in jail too," Alex huffed.

“But you said that you let me in as a friend not a client, right?" Jack prodded the thin ice.

“Yes… but one does not exclude the other. It's not as simple as that," Alex looked away and crossed his leg in an attempt to rearrange his hard-on.

“You asked me what would make me happy," Jack said and shuffled closer to Alex, “Making you happy is what would make me happy, even if it's for one night."

The fox took another sip, hiding behind his glass as he gulped down the liquor. “I'm your probation officer, I'm supposed to monitor you. That's a clear conflict of interest…"

“But would that make you happy? No one would know, and I don't have anything else to give you."

Alex bit his lip and turned his eyes towards Jack. They were the colour of dark honey, and their usual glint of quiet assurance was vacillating like a candle in a gust of wind. He lowered his hand to put down his glass and dropped it on the carpet.

“Damn!" he muttered and leaned over to pick up the spilled drink.

“Oh no!" Jack blurted. He kneeled and hurriedly stripped off his t-shirt to mop up the puddle.

“Don't worry, don't worry, ah, you're just spreading it…"

Jack looked up to apologize when his eyes stopped at the level of Alex's crotch.

“Uh, your…" he began.

The half-crouching Alex gave him a puzzled look and then followed the feline's gaze. Two of the buttons of his pajama pants weren't fastened, and a good half of a pink arousal was protruding from his fly.

They stared at each other, Alex looking too mortified to even try to hide his now undeniably erect penis. Gathering his courage, Jack swallowed and extended a hand.

“Please, let me do it for you. I can just touch it if you don't want me to use my mouth…"

Alex caught his wrist before his fingers could close around the exposed member.

“What did I tell you?" the fox said.

Heat and cold washed through Jack's body. [i]That's it, now I'm getting kicked out. I blew it, someone was nice to me and I blew it.[/i] He shut his eyes and awaited the outburst.

“I said let's take our time and figure this out."

The panther heard the words but did not understand them, or at least he did not think he did. Yet when he opened his eyes Alex was smiling, the cloud of hesitation lifted from his pointy face.

“I mean, are you going to put your hand inside my pants without even kissing me first?"

It was only when their mouths met that Jack dared believe his ears. Their kiss started clumsily, the feline's short snout struggling to align to Alex's longer muzzle, but then they figured it out. Vasili had never kissed Jack but Greene had. Alex was different, he did not force his tongue into Jack's mouth, he did not smother him with a hungry lust that disregarded his own comfort or desires. When their lips parted they panted a bit and then Jack helped Alex take off his gown and pajama shirt.

“Your fur feels nice," Jack said and combed the thick, silky white hair of Alex's chest.

“You have no idea how long it takes to brush every morning."

“Oh, I could help you with that."

“Not sure that counts as finding a job but it's a start."

There was a moment of hesitation, as if both men waited for the other to expose himself fully first. Jack had been naked in front of other men more times than he could recall but somehow this felt different, more solemn. Finally, Alex undid the remaining buttons of his pajamas and slipped out of his pants. His genitals were white like the rest of his belly, with a plum-sized sack and a hairy sheath from which a rod of glistening male flesh poked out. It had a faint salty smell and had already made the fur around Alex's slit wet.

Jack followed suit and wriggled out of his sweatpants. His taut, smooth cock bobbed up and down as he sat kneeling in front of the fox.

“So that's how felines are," Alex said after a pause.

“You don't like it?" Jack asked with a tone of genuine worry.

“Oh! That's not what I meant. It's just I had never seen a cat naked before, at least, not in real life," he looked like he really wanted to ask how it felt to have your dick dangling between your legs all day long but didn't dare.

“I was also surprised the first time I saw how a dog was like. The knot hurts a bit when you're not expecting it."

“I'm not going to hurt you."

“I'm used to it! I mean, if you want to take me and pretend I'm a girl we can do that."

“You don't need to pretend to be somebody else," Alex smiled.

The fox leaned over for another kiss. This time paws ventured between legs, shyly at first and then more boldly, with Jack fondling Alex's sheath and the fox stroking the panther's smooth erection. A little pinching and massaging soon freed the canine member from its fleshy foreskin. It was a lot like Greene's, a stiff rod tapered at the tip and with a bulb at its base, but Jack found it far cuter.

“Let me do something first, my bits are a tad sensitive when exposed," the vulpine whispered in his ear.

He got up and went to the bathroom, re-emerging with a small bottle of lubricant. Jack started to turn around to present his rear end to Alex but the fox gently stopped him. Under his guidance the two sat on the floor facing each other, legs straddling until they were so close their erections touched. Then Alex squeezed a good helping of gel into Jack's open palm and wrapped the cat's paw around their two shafts.

But when Jack tightened his grip around their members, squeezing his jet black skin against the red raw fox cock, Alex gasped and winced.

“Ah, a little less roughly…"

“Sorry."

“It's okay. Hold it gently, like a baby bird." He smiled, looking a little shy. “I need to be worked up to enjoy the tightness."

Jack adjusted his hold, and soon Alex relaxed, leaning his forehead against Jack's and resting his hand on the panther's shoulder lightly. His breathing grew heavier as their marble hard cocks squelched together, and for a while his panting was the only sound besides the rain's cool fingers drumming the window pane.

Clear precum squirted from Alex's pointy tip on Jack's swollen glans and rolled down its side. The panther exhaled, realizing only then that he had been holding his breath in anticipation of doing something wrong, and a wave of relief shuddered down his entire body. Alex smelled nice, almost feminine, and he felt safe.

“I love you," he said with the quickest little whisper, a shameful show of emotion that would get laughed at.

“I love you too," Alex whispered back instead, nibbling his ear with his quick little teeth.

“I'm sorry."

“You sound stupid when you apologize," Alex said as he nuzzled lovingly Jack's cheek and clung around his neck in an embrace.

“... I'm sorry," Jack said, getting flustered but in a good way.

“Idiot," Alex said and kissed him on the mouth.

They panted and shivered in arousal, bucking their hips to thrust into the panther's grasp, lips parted into a sensuous breath and toes curling in desire, but then Alex detached himself from his night dark lover and spread his legs open wide, leaning back with his hands planted on the carpeting.

“I'm getting really close…" he said while looking coyly at Jack, meeting his gaze at first and then wandering down at his own knot. “Now it's okay for you to grip me hard."

Jack hesitated, but with an encouraging nod from Alex he closed his fingers around the tight knot at the base of the vulpine cock. Alex adjusted his position a little, and the slick knot plopped out of Jack's grip, leaving him holding the base of the cock behind it. The fox's soft, fuzzy sheath felt velvety in his hand, and Alex moaned when he made a squeezing motion.

“Mhh, milk it like that, you can tug it as hard as you like…" he said quieter and quieter.

Alex's nostrils twitched as Jack did as told, tightening his grip firmly and pulling the member taut. The fox thrusted his pelvis forward to present himself fully at the panther's mercy, and made whimpering little sounds as his malehood was stretched out. His cute pink cock turned dark red from arousal, and without a warning he gasped sharply and shot his load on Jack's hand and arm. Three pulses of semen spurted from his tip while he hissed between his teeth, his entire body convulsing with each jet, and glistened on Jack's black fur like pearls.

Alex fell back, sweaty and spent, and gathered his breath while looking at Jack with half lidded eyes.

“You're amazing," he said with genuine admiration. “Here, your turn next."

He crawled up and onto Jack, resting his upper body on his lap and toyed with his aching cock. His slender fox fingers stroked his meaty panther cock curiously, but his exploration was cut short by Jack too climaxing quickly. As turned on as he was even the slightest touch was enough to drive him over the edge, and he exploded in bliss in Alex's hands. Alex pressed Jack's cock against his black furred belly, his cock head touching his belly button and filling it with pulse after pulse of hot panther seed. Alex smiled and dipped his finger in it, tickling him, and curled by his side.

Jack petted at the fox under his arm without thinking about it. Cuddling him felt nice. Little rivulets of his own cum dripped over his belly and down his sides, tickling him as they cooled, but he was in no hurry to get up.

Alex made a long, drawn out sigh. “You're going to get me in so much trouble." He glanced up and frowned playfully. “Don't say it."

“...Sorry “

“Idiot,' he said and kissed him again.

Jack stayed quiet for a moment and then pressed Alex closer to his body. Without saying a word the two boys squirmed until they laid on their sides on the floor, facing each other and enjoying the moment. Their spent cocks were only half-deflated, and with a little help Jack managed to get them to accidentally bump a couple of times. The fox smiled and pretended not to notice when Jack discreetly shifted his body to make their manhoods kiss one more time.

“Tssk…" Alex mused as he looked at the clear fluid that still leaked from his tip and onto the carpet, “There goes my security deposit."

“I can clean it up tomorrow," Jack replied.

“Mmhhh… you'd look really pretty in a maid's apron."

They went to the bathroom to clean themselves. Alex showed the panther the special canine lotion he used to wash his intimate parts and insisted that Jack try some. They went under the jet of hot water together, Alex's hands lathered Jack with the lotion and then the panther got hard and soon they were both sticky and panting again.

The rain was still beating on the windows when they slipped under the warm sheets of Alex's bed. It was the one-and-a-half size kind, just big enough for two provided they curled up really close to each other. Jack had offered to sleep on the couch, but Alex would have none of it and insisted that his guest should have the more comfortable bed while he slept in the living room. They eventually agreed to share it, a compromise that left Jack secretly elated.

“Thank you," he whispered.

“For what?"

Alex's features were hard to make out in the darkness of the room, but his eyes glinted when he turned his face towards Jack.

“For not hanging up when I called you."

Alex blinked, then after a few seconds he spoke in a lower voice. “I admit I hesitated a little."

“Oh, I don't want to be any trouble."

“It's a bit late for that," Alex chuckled and then yawned, “But maybe I needed some trouble in my life."

In his life. The words made Jack's heart thump. He didn't say anything, perhaps not to remind the fox that he was only supposed to stay for the night. As he drifted into slumber he dimly remembered the towering, overbearing figure of Vas but his somnolent brain smothered the thought. Surely now things would be alright.

Jack blinked sleepily as he awoke. This didn't feel or look like his prison bed but then of course he wasn't in prison anymore, he was with Vas. He frowned when he realised the bedroom didn't smell or sound like Vas either.

“You more of a coffee or tea guy?"

Alex's pointy head peeked through the door frame. With him wafted a scent of grilled bread and fresh brew.

“Ugghh, coffee if that's ok?"

“That's ok because I don't have any tea."

Jack smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. He wore only the old T-shirt Alex had given him. He tried not to think about his lower body exposed naked in Alex's sight because the thought would be sure to make him hard again.

Breakfast was toast with marmalade. Alex had to go to work but he'd give Jack a spare set of keys.

“It's not like anyone's monitoring my life," Alex said after swallowing a last piece of toast, “But it's probably best if you don't use my address when applying for jobs."

Jack nodded. Of course, job applications, he would do it and he'd not fuck up. Not out of fear of being yelled at but out of fear of disappointing Alex. In fact he wanted to get started right now, so he grabbed his phone when his friend went to the bathroom.

He had nine missed calls, and unread messages in the double-digits. The most recent notifications read “the fuck you ignoring me for you little cunt where are you" and “fucking call me now!!!" at four in the morning. He shot up from his chair and paced up and down the room, feeling like his bowels were about to give way.

“Anything wrong?" Alex called from the bathroom.

“No, no, all fine…" Jack mumbled as he frantically scrolled through the flow of ursine rage. A message from a different number caught his eye.

“Hey dude Vas is asking why you're not picking up."

It was from Yan. The last thing he wanted to do was to call Vas, but every minute he delayed would make the bear even more mad. Perhaps he could call Yan and Yan could call Vas.

“Hello?"

“Hi. It's, it's Jack."

“Jack? Why are you calling me instead of Vas? He wanted to know if you had sold it."

The panther bit his lip. “I sold some but, uh, there were issues."

“Weren't you supposed to be a pro?" then, after a pause, “Don't tell me you lost it?"

“No, I still have it. I just need… some contacts, you know? To sell it."

“For god's sake. Just come over and I'll sort this shit out, but only because I don't want to deal with Vas when he wakes up."

Jack almost ran to the door but as he turned the handle he remembered his dick was flopping around. His clothes were dry and Alex caught him just as he finished wriggling his feet into his shoes.

“What? You're leaving already?"

“Gotta do something. But I'll be back!"

“Oh, ok. But this isn't anything illegal, right?"

There was surprise and worry in the fox's eyes. Jack tried to think of something to say, something that would prevent the worry from turning to disappointment but his mind was blank.

“I'm sorry," he said softly after closing the door.

--

Jack stood in a white cube of a room and his feeling of being out of place was turning into a sense of alienation. There were paintings on the walls with splotches of color on them forming no recognizable shapes, and stylish looking people wandered in and out in twos and threes holding tall glasses of sparkling wine, their chatter punctuated only by smug chuckles. They paid him less attention than the air around him.

To his relief the gray hare appeared in the doorway, carrying a drink and wearing a jacket with rolled up sleeves, a loose tie, and snazzy electric blue slacks.

“What is this place?" Jack asked Yan after hurrying to his side.

“Like I said, the grand opening of my friend's gallery. Do you have it?"

“Like, right here?" Jack was taken aback like a kid tempted to break the rules.

Yan glanced around, showing that they were on their own for the time being, and put out his hand impatiently. Jack gave the brown paper bag to him, and the hare stashed it in his jacket pocket. He downed his drink in a single go.

“You have to understand that I'm not going to save your rear end on a habitual basis," he said in an annoyed tone of voice. “I can move this much merchandise today and today only, got it?"

“S…thank you, Yan. I owe you one." Jack scratched the back of his head with nervous relief.

“You bet you do. I need to know that my team member is going to pull his weight from now on."

“I promise I will, Yan. This won't happen-"

“So tell me exactly what happened yesterday," he continued as if he had rehearsed the conversation beforehand.

“I, uh, met a guy…"

“So you couldn't keep it in your pants for two seconds?" Yan massaged his forehead. “That's why you thought that you don't need to do your job?"

“No, it's different! He was my parole officer, you see."

Yan stopped. “What."

“I was in a tight spot, and it was raining, and he offered me a place to stay and one thing led to another…"

“You're telling me that you went to sleep with your parole officer while you had drugs on you?"

Jack could make only a meek nod. Yan slicked back his long ears and grimaced.

“There must be a million guys to sleep with in the city and you just had to pick the one who is working for the cops!?"

“It's… it's different with him. Please, you can't tell Vasili about this!"

“Sure. Whatever. You have to clear this with Vas on your own. I didn't hear any of this from you, understood?"

Jack nodded again, but was curtly dismissed when Yan turned his shoulder to him and joined the other guests in the gallery.

--

That noon was intensely awkward for Jack. He went to wait at Vasili's place to meet him, feeling that it was more polite than calling him, but the polar bear had not yet woken up. He sat on a designer chair in the foyer for far too long for comfort, but eventually Vasili appeared wearing just his bathrobe. Upon seeing Jack his expression changed from worry to anger, until it finally settled on silent, brooding rage. Jack knew better than to speak up when he was in one of his moods, and just waited trying to look harmless.

Vasili cracked an egg in a tall glass and topped it to the brim with beer, then slammed the fridge door shut loud enough to rattle its contents and startle Jack.

“Yan says the money's counted for," he said with a low, flat voice. “That's good. Nobody steals from me, and lives. You hear me?"

Jack gulped and nodded.

“Speak up when asked a question you little shit!" Vasili bellowed and flung the glass in Jack's direction. It smashed against the wall in an explosion of beer and glass shards.

“I'm sorry Vas! I won't mess up again!"

“Damn sure you won't," Vasili huffed with a quieter voice again. He settled on a couch and lit a cigarette. “You are still young and still dumb. A cocky guy like you gets over his head, thinks he's the hot shit when he gets a little money in his pocket. I've seen it before. It's no big deal."

Jack stood in attention, shifting his weight from foot to foot while Vasili spoke to himself, lost in his thoughts. Suddenly the polar bear pierced him with his clear blue eyes.

“But nobody cheats on me. Nobody. You have something to confess?"

Jack shook his head. “No, Vas. I just partied a little too much. I couldn't handle my booze. I'm dumb like that."

Vasili's gaze lingered on him, looking for telltale signs of deceit.

“Fine," he relented. “Fine. Never turn down a call from me again. Got it?"

“Of course, Vas."

“Now piss off, I meet important people soon." He waved his large hand at Jack without looking at him.

When Jack slunk off Vasili's apartment and onto the streets he was taken over by a sense of foreboding instead of relief, and no matter how fast he walked he could not outpace it. Two days later he received a text message that his scheduled meeting had been postponed due to his parole officer having become unavailable.

--

Jack staggered into his kitchen and collapsed on a chair. He looked at the message again. It was impeccably impersonal, most likely generated automatically the moment someone cancelled the appointment in whatever booking system Alex's office was using. Yet to Jack it was more accusatory than the harshest words could have been. Alex was mad at him. So mad he wouldn't even have him as a client anymore. The fox had greeted him in his home, listened to him without judging him, made him feel like perhaps he mattered to someone. And as usual he blew it.

A tear fell wetly on his screen, blurring the letters of the terse message. He wanted to talk to Alex, tell him that he was sorry he disappeared without an explanation, sorry that he did not throw the drugs into the trash and turn his life around. He began to type between sobs but his thoughts poured out in a rambling, embarrassing mess and he deleted it all. He wiped the snot from his nose and tried to control his breathing. He had to see Alex in person. He owed him a thank you and an apology, even if that was the last time he spoke to his friend.

One hour later Jack swiped the key Alex had given him and timidly stepped into the residence's lobby. He pressed the elevator's button and rehearsed his speech as the machine took him to the fourth floor. A minute later he was in front of Alex's flat and after three false starts he summoned the courage to knock on the door.

There was no answer. He knocked a second time and again the dull sound was followed by silence. Jack licked his lips, shamefully tempted to seize the excuse and run away. Finally he used the key and peeked inside.

“A-Alex?"

The fox wasn't home, which struck Jack as odd given that it was Saturday. An empty glass of coke and rum was on the coffee table and the plant by the window looked like it needed watering. Jack stood uneasily in the middle of what could have been home but where he now felt like an intruder. He finally sat on the sofa and resolved to wait for Alex's return.

The outside had grown dark and Jack was pacing the living room with eyes that were wild with stress. He opened the door and half stepped into the corridor, hoping to detect the echo of approaching footsteps. There was nothing, so he looked out the window to check if Alex was around the corner. For what must have been the twelfth time he took out his phone and thought about messaging him. Then a notification flashed.

“I need you on a job this week. Drop by my place tomorrow early afternoon. Be punctual."

It wasn't from Alex, it was from Vas. Jack exhaled in annoyance.

“Sure. I just need to check when my next parole appointment is."

He was about to put his phone away when the device vibrated again.

“You don't need to worry about that shit anymore. Don't make excuses and be there."

Jack stared at the message, his throat dry and his stomach in a knot. He selected Alex's number and called him. The phone rang and rang until it cut itself off. He feverishly typed a message. “Are you alright? Where are you??"

The answer came after the longest half-hour of Jack's life.

“Hey sorry, just woke up and saw your text. I can't call now because I'm at the hospital but please please don't panic."

Jack panicked and sent out a flurry of messages. Alex responded and said someone had followed him yesterday evening and had beaten him unconscious in the parking lot. Thankfully a good soul had driven the attacker away and called an ambulance. He told Jack not to worry, he was on painkillers right now but he'd be better tomorrow. The panther finally realised that his questions were likely exhausting his friend and he left him to sleep after agreeing to visit him first thing in the morning.

Tears streaked down Jack's fur. He walked towards the bedroom where the two of them had spent that night together. The outline of the fox's body was still visible on the bed sheets, and when he slipped still clothed under the blankets he breathed the soft vulpine scent that was imprinted into the fabric, and the realization that it would grow faint and disappear if Alex didn't come back made him sob. Then he thought of Vas's message, half-warning, half-taunt and all disdainful. He wept and dug his claws into the pillow in impotent rage until he fell into a restless sleep.