FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A 'Brothers in Arms' fan story.

Chapter 4: Fated Ignition.

Co-writen by Tigertwins19 a.k.a Dioscuri95 and Isle-the-wolf.

Hot and sweaty. Everything was too hot in uniform. A simple fact and a pain in the ass rolled into one, thought Cassius as he scratched at the rashes on his sweat-soaked neck. Not that he actually complained out loud: he rarely did so. But if he would, and just if, a too-hot-too tight uniform would've been a worthy subject. But complaining about the situations he found himself in wouldn't improve them, the panther rationalized.

Some fellow soldier's eyes fell on him as he passed, the way the uniform accented and showed off his thick arms, pecs and thighs along with his toned back and plump, muscular rear-end. He was used to the looks, hell a vain part of him enjoyed them. Cassius finally found what he had been searching for: a canister of water. Barely lukewarm. He shrugged with one shoulder. A drink was a drink.

He idly scratched at his neck where sweat had begun to irritate his skin beneath his fur. He never let his attention completely leave his surroundings though; the curse of heightened instincts and battlefield experience.

Someone approached him from the corner of his eye and Cassius held the canteen out without thinking. "Want some?" he said in a deep rumbling voice, smiling despite not seeing who it was.

A quick tap from the underside of the canister caused some water to splash onto Cassius, making his uniform a bit damp down below. "Hehehe, you looked like you needed to refresh a bit." Charr smirked at him.

"You—for the record—are an ass." Cassius said with a smirk, not letting the prank sour his mood any, in fact, it felt quite nice. "But you're right, I did need that. I think you need some too!" Cassius poured the remaining water down on the serge's front.

"H-Hey...Tch, look what you did, and I only brought one other change of clothes, too..." Charr tried to sound annoyed, but the humours glint in his eyes didn't match his words, a small smile curling at the edges of his mouth.

"Then why not go and change now, Sir?" He probably sounded too eager, but Cassius didn't really care. The leopard's body was one he couldn't get enough of seeing...and being pressed up against. Even if Cassius still hadn't made up his mind about confessing how he really felt, he was running out of time to remain undecided.

Three days. That was all he had left.

Charr smiled like a man with a secret. It struck Cassius that he'd missed that smile; his chest grew warm, crowded, as he bathed in its warmth. So many years alone. So many years of no-strings attached booty calls. Too many. He should've spent them looking for someone like Charr...

They had both needed space after...after that 'nocturnal mission'. Still, he'd missed Charr, though he had no right to do so, something he was all too aware of. It made him feel needy and all too clingy. Less like a disciplined soldier and more like a lovestruck teenager unable to get his priorities straight.

"Can't." Charr shrugged. "Gonna go skinny-dipping later down in this nice little lagoon pool me and Alpha team happened upon during FOB patrol." he rummaged around in his pocket before he fished up a cigar, lit it and stuck it with practiced ease into his mouth, a nest of smoke whirling around his face as he exhaled.

"Sounds nice, hope you'll enjoy yourself, Sir."

"What, don't wanna tag along?"

"I...I don't know..."

Charr slapped him softly on the back, "C'mon, you've been working yourself to the bone these past few days—time for some fun! "

Had he? Cassius didn't think so. What must be seen as something bordering on workaholism to most people was the usual pace Cassius ran on. It was how he had been trained since a child. It had been expected of him to give his all and more: To exceed expectations daily.

"See it as a favor to me—your CO." Charr said as he took another smoke of his cigar.

"I mean...Sure." Cassius rubbed behind his neck. "As long as the others don't mind..."

Truth to be told, the fact that Charr wanted to spend time with him, even after what they had done—what he had done—shocked him more than anything. But the offer to spend time with Charr and the others, being part of something larger than himself, was too much of a temptation to resist. Even if just for a little while. He figured he could cut himself some slack, just this once.

They agreed to meet after the evening meal, Charr giving him a thumbs-up as he headed on his way, and Cassius decided to try and dig around and see if he could find his swimming-trunks, just in case. No need to flash himself before the others, if more out of concern for the others self-esteem than any would-be embarrassment on his part. As a soldier, he was used to being in the buff, after all.

Just as Cassius was heading towards the sleeping tent and his bootlocker, the sensation of being pricked at the back of the neck, as if by a pair of needles, caught him off-guard.

He stiffened, turned around, his brow furrowed in suspicion.

A few yards away, Ethan stood, arms crossed, eyes narrowed darkly towards him.

The panther raised an eyebrow in a silent inclination, kept it raised until the puma appeared to scoff and turn away.

Well, whatever, brat, Cassius thought as he entered the tent. Once he left, he wouldn't miss Ethan, truth be told. He suspected the notion was true for Ethan as well.

* * *

Moonlight gifted the small lagoon shimmering edges of light as it dusted across its surface in silver ripples. Veils of mist hung low in the blue half-gloom. Despite himself, the scene set his mind into deeper thought than he'd like.

Am I just fooling myself...have I been alone for too long? Is it merely lust and infatuation? ...No. I don't feel like it is. Being alone made me miss more than his body...I didn't know just how much I missed his smile, his laugh, until I saw and heard them again. Could he have missed me too? Even just a little bit...?

Cassius scanned the vicinity from force of habit, yet there was no-one there, besides him...and some discarded clothing by the edge of the lagoon pool.

A spike of adrenaline shot through his chest. Surely Charr knew not to go swimming alone...

Now trembling with a sudden onslaught of adrenaline, he hurriedly knelt by the rocky pool side.

"Charr, you down there—Sarge?!" His mind flashed back to the ambush in the jungle; it had been close, terrifyingly close that they'd both would've died that day. Only saved by Cassius' supernatural reflexes and luck. He made mistakes evidently, and luck only tended to stay for so long...Had someone survived their retribution that night and tracked them down?

The surface remained almost mirror-smooth, still and quiet, giving no answers.

Cassius whipped the towel from his shoulders as he grit his teeth, bared them as his eyes narrowed, "Tch! You gotta be kidding me...!" he briskly pulled off his swimming-trunks; if there were enemies underwater there'd be less for them to get a hold of if he were naked.

"If you aren't down there 'Sir' I'll find you and kick your--"

"--Ass?"

Cassius froze, hunched forward—squating by the pool's edge, ready to leap—as Charr's voice sounded right from behind him.

Cassius' sea-green eyes winded as something pressed against his bare ass.

It felt like a foot.

"Charr, what are you—"

"And—"

"H-Hey now, wait—"

"—In you go!"

With an undignified, high-pitched yelp Cassius plummeted into the water, bubbles tickling his bare arms, chest and thighs.

Two strong strokes with his limbs had him resurface. He coughed up some water he'd swallowed, too caught off guard to remember to close his mouth .

"What—What was that for?" Cassius said between coughs.

Charr smirked where he stood, arms crossed over his chest, a thoroughly pleased look on his face as he said, "Heh. That was for talking shit about your dashing CO."

Cassius scarcely heard him, eyes zeroed in on the leopard. Charr stood naked, his buff, muscular body bare, his heavy cock and full balls resting between his thick thighs. Moonlight poured over him, bathed him in a silver glow.

For a few heartbeats, Cassius held his breath, void of everything.

Then he felt how he hardened under the water, shaft going from flaccid to achingly stiff in a matter of heartbeats. His pulse throbbed through it as he swallowed to wet his suddenly dry throat. Fuck. I want him. I want to be inside him. Become one with him—touch and taste and pleasure him. I want...to make love to him!

Had it been anyone else, Cassius would have tried to summon up his military discipline to resist despite his arousal, to at least try and act cool-headed, but he was only too aware that his time with Charr was coming to a close, no matter how much he wished it wasn't. That knowledge was more than enough to burst through any doubts, throw caution to the wind along with military protocol and pride.

"C'mon, what's with that serious expression, huh?" Charr said, hands on his hips, his head slanted to the side.

"No...It's nothing." Cassius hurried to shrug and look away, hands drawing swirls and aimless patterns in the water.

He suddenly couldn't look at Charr for some reason, his face hot and probably blushing. "Just thinking..."

And trying to will away a hard-on. His mind helpfully supplied. Maybe I am reading too much into this...Even if he were ready to start something beyond just sex...Would it be worth risking our professional relationship ending? Our friendship ending? Would it even work? Can't forget he's got a son too...doubt the kid would be thrilled with some guy just moving in out of the blue...And I need to look after my men...

Charr's smile turned cocky as his hunches lowered, body tensing up in preparation of a leap.

"You think way too much, Cass!" The leopard sprung off the pool's edge, arms curling around his knees, as he canoonballed into the water, splashing the panther sopping wet, or he would have, if Cassius hadn't been in the water already.

"Did you have to do that? I am soaked already..." Cassius grumbled as he wiped his face. His hand froze, ears flicking up on his head as Charr's words hit home.

Wait a moment...Did he call me 'Cass' just now? Cassius stared in disbelief at a chuckling Charr. For some reason he couldn't explain, the fact that Charr had a nickname for him, of all people, made his chest squeeze together delightfully. Goosebumbs washed down his back and flanks.

A heady rush swept through him. I can't be that special to him...Can I? The thought made him swallow, heart beating faster just at the possibility that that might be the case. No-one has given me a nickname before...It feels like a gift! For a moment the swelling in his chest almost brought him to tears.

The moment broke as another splash of water slapped him in the face, and Charr's cocky tone filled his ears. "C'mon, enough day-dreaming—knuckle-up and come at me!" Charr raised his hands, grinned like a fighter in the ring, palms open and face alight with a self-assured smirk that made Cassius want to splash him or kiss him. Both. He wanted to do both.

"Heh, nice show of confidence but just so you know Sir—you'll lose."

Charr smirked in response, "Far too much confidence, Sagat. And too much talk."

Cassius smiled back as they began to circle each other in the shallows, stepped in and out of blue moonbeams, their studly, magnifique physiques covered in water drops as if they were two sparring kings bedecked in jewels.

They grappled, each one struggling against the other's strength. An inch given was quickly taken back.

"That afraid to...Hn...lose, Cass?" Charr flexed his eyebrows, smirking.

Cassius didn't let show how his heart did a somersault at the nickname. Panting from the strain of keeping Charr at bay, he replied, "What about you? You're...Ngh...not holding back either, right?"

"Heh. Of course not. But I play dirty when I have to!"

Cassius' eyes bulged once more as he felt how a hand closed around his stiff manhood, sliding up and down swiftly, sending tingles racing through it as the foreskin was rhythmically pulled back and forth.

The panther spluttered, knees going weak from the sudden fondling. "H-Hey—that's c-cheating!" His tail lashed about in a frenzy at being had so quick and so easily, but also from the fact that they were out in the open, naked and without weapons. What some might say to be paranoia, Cassius saw as simply being prepared for anything, even if 'anything' was very unlikely to happen.

"Heh. Safety first, haven't you heard? Can't have you hitting someone with this big rifle of yours..."

Charr licked his lips, his hand never straying from Cassius' hard, twitching member, gaze equally lustfull as victorious.

Cassius barely heard him, mind having started to fog over as his uncut cock was expertly stroked. Someone else's hand always felt better than his own, and Charr's hand, rough and calloused from years in the military, dragged across his hot flesh in fast, rhythmic pumps that made the panther's thighs tremble and his breath hitch. Every time he reached the head, he twisted, making Cassius' toes curl against the lagoon's bottom, seeking grip against the sand and pebbles underneath for purchase.

Damn it, can't let him have all the fun! the big black panther thought as he bent his head down to take one of Charr's nipples into his mouth. He sucked on it, gently at first, kept the flicks of his tongue slow, tested the waters and waited for Charr's reaction with a thumping heart.

Charr stiffened before he pressed the hand that wasn't busying itself with Cassius' cock against the back of the panther's head to keep his mouth pressed against him. "Damn, Cass...You and that tongue of yours—Nnf!"

Cassius sucked harder in response, lavished the sensitive, juicy nipple with gentle nips of his teeth and swipes of his skilled tongue. Own arousal mounting, sparks raced through his cock, and he grunted around Charr's nipple, hands grabbing hold to squeeze the leopard's ass in greedy fistfuls.

Charr chuckled while glancing down over his shoulder. "Finally went after what you wanted, eh?" He wiggled his big ass even as Cassius massaged and played with it.

The leopard sped up the jerking motion of his hand, closed his large hand tighter around Cassius' twitching member.

The panther, having essentially muzzled himself, flinched, a grimace of pleasure scrunching up his face.

"Ngh...Charr! F-fuck!" Cassius clenched his teeth as tremors rushed through his legs, coming all at once from his cock. He clenched all ten fingers into the leopard's ass, tried to reign in his rapidly slipping self-control, paralyzed and breathless already, and they weren't even fucking!

Slightly out of breath, Charr chuckled as he stepped back a little, and Cassius let out a small, half-choked sound of disappointment at the loss of contact.

"Heh, don't look so disappointed, don't want you to finish too early...Kinda cute though—You're a needy guy!"

Cassius felt how heat streaked up his face and he hurried to glance away, face pulled into a disgruntled frown. "Yeah, yeah—Laugh it up!"

Charr did laugh again in response, and Cassius felt how his stomach made another traitorous flip.

God, he had seen and heard many beautiful things over the years, but the sound and look of Charr Gadot had to be one he'd never grow tired of. And one he'd miss dearly.

Cassius pushed those thoughts away, not wanting to ruin the mood and instead focused on getting in the mood for some serious manhandling, eventual partings be damned!

The leopard seemed to share his mood as he jerked a thumb over his shoulder, dark eyes eager and shining with lust. "Let's get on dry land first though, yeah?"

Cassius hummed and nodded eagerly before they both began to wade back to the pool's edge. As they climbed over it, the buff panther's arousal pressed hot and hard against his lower belly, at full-mast and almost ready to burst with tension.

He caught how Charr looked over his shoulder, eyes angled down, how he licked his chops and sauntered in front of him as if he owned the ground he walked on, undoubtedly aware of how bad Cassius wanted him, the tease.

Cassius resisted the burning urge to jerk off at the mere sight of those round spotted cheeks, all within arm's reach. Inhaling through his nose and exhaling, he steeled himself. He could be patient, he could wait. It would be well worth it if he managed to hold on to his self-control, without a doubt.

They stopped under a palm tree, not too far from the pool, the water shifting and clucking sent an unexpected pang of nostalgia through Cassius' chest. They had met on a beach, hell, they had fucked right there on it without even knowing each other's names! Did Charr remember it with as much fondness as he did? The panther's heartbeat sped up in a flutter at the chance that Charr just might.

The leopard was in the process of spreading out a towel, the muscles of his toned back and arms rippling as he moved in-between the shadows of the palm tree's large leaves and the moonlight...Just like that very first time, those years ago...

The sight sent a deep ache through Cassius, then, something in the back of his head snapped at the sight, giving way.

Emotional floodgates opened wide and before he could stop, he'd taken the steps necessary to wrap his arms around Charr from behind and press himself against that broad and chiseled back, flush against his own hard chest. Breathless, with throat parched, he could only pant as he, helpless to resist, dipped his cock between those gorgeous cheeks, his pulsating member throbbing right against Charr's tight hole.

He huffed and grunted as he ground his aching stiffness mindlessly, Cassius rasped against Charr's neck, "Your ass feels good...It feels so good, Charr...!" he whispered breathly between gulps of air, even as he hooked his chin over Charr's shoulder, wrapped him up in his arms and pressed himself against him even more firmly.

He wouldn't be able to hold on much longer if he kept going at his current pace, but the pleasure, simply too good, the notion that he was gonna cum on the leopard's spotted ass was too naughty to pass up.

Barely able to think, let alone speak, still he tried. "I-It's happening, Charr...I'm gonna...!" Just that he voiced it made his cock swell and twitch, every inch hot and throbbing. "I'm gonna do it—I'm gonna cum all over you!" he said, voice gravelly and thick with swelling pleasure.

"Mmm...About time..."Charr rolled and wiggled his big butt, grinded it against Cassius, all the while looking at him over his shoulder with eyes glinting dark with lust. "Go on, Cass. Cum for me. Spill that milk!"

Cassius stiffened, teeth gritted and fingers clenching down on whatever inch of Charr he'd gripped onto. "O-Oh fuck—!" He groaned, breaths turning high and laboured as he peaked.

Then, his fuse ignited and burned out.

His back arched as his orgasm hit, bolts of pleasure and warm tingling waves crashed over him, face contorting as the heavy jolts surged through him as his cock shot out jet after jet of panther cum to splash onto the leopard's back and ass cheeks, painting it in white, glossy ropes.

"Oh...Oh damn..." Cassius wiped his forehead free of sweat as his chest heaved rapidly up and down. Either he'd gotten really excited or he'd been more pent up than he'd first thought...

He let out a breathless chuckle as Charr proceeded to wiggle his spotted rump, rather impatient. But oh so invitingly. The panther reached out to playfully pat one cheek. "Heh. Sarge—Something you need?" He said with feigned confusion, even as his spent erection began to rise again, ready for more.

"Pfft. Fool. You know what I need. C'mon, you can still go, right?" Charr proceeded to arch his back in that way that Cassius loved, ass wiggling once again teasingly, as if the panther needed any more encouragement!

He shifted closer and rubbed his renewed erection lightly between Charr's cheeks, chuckling, before grasping the leopard's hips and pressing his tip against Charr's center. A moment of slight resistance, then his glands sank in, the rest of him following suit. His breath hitched as he bottomed out, hips pressed up all the way against the leopard's strong, warm body, while his even hotter insides squeezed him tight like an old friend. A lurching, rolling wave of almost-orgasm made him stiffen, toes curling against the rock and sand, so close despite just having sunk inside, it took all of Cassius' willpower not to throw it all to the wind and selfishly hammer away.

No, he'd wait...this wasn't just about him.

As if on a que, Charr pressed his ass against the panther's groin and thighs with an impatient snort.

"Gonna get started, soldier...? What's with you tonight, Cass? You're acting weird...You feeling sick or somethin?"

The question took Cassius aback. "N-No! I'm fine, it's just..." He rested a hand on the leopard's ass, still being wiggled so nonchalantly despite them talking, despite the atmosphere shifting into something more serious. "It's just that...I'll be leaving soon. And..." Cassius' voice lowered as he glanced away, blush burning on his face and his neck as he finally whispered what had been eating away at his mind."...And I am scared you'll...Forget me."

Charr said nothing for a while, the both of them instead surrounded by the sounds of the night; crickets in the tall grass and the wind through the leaves filled the silence instead.

Cassius found himself once again speechless and unsure, his tail lashed about in indecision.

His heart sank as the silence continued uninterrupted: he shouldn't have said anything in the first place. Some things were better left unsaid and yet he always seemed to complicate things even when having no intention of doing so...Even when just wishing to be honest.

"Make sure I don't forget you, then...You can do that, right?" Charr said.

The challenge, so blatantly, flippantly issued, made the panther huff in arousal-laced humour, a slow, victorious smirk growing across his face as his ears flipped themselves up on his head once more. Leave it to the sarge to turn the mood right back to where they both wanted it. Briefly, he wondered if Charr even considered what it could mean to him, but figured it was just the leopard's competitive streak showing.

It doesn't matter now. Now, all that matters is making him feel good...

Cassius started to move, slowly at first, let the sound of their buff bodies slapping together guide him, along with the hot, swarming pleasure that assaulted his senses; made even more sensitive after his first release, he couldn't bite back the small noises that slipped out as he kicked up his slides into a light pounding against Charr's ass, the leopard's plump rump jiggling with every impact as Cassius grew bolder with his movements. Arousal surging, flushing through him on a hot wave when Charr's undeniably husky, pleased voice muttered encouragement perhaps not meant to be heard.

"Yeah...that's more like it...Just like that...Nn!" Charr shifted his weight from his palms onto his forearms, his body meeting Cassius' perfectly, the leopard reading the rhythm as easily as the panther. Not surprising, they'd done this dozens of times by now, after all.

Cassius' eyes became half-lidded at the muttering words of enjoyment from Charr; drunk on the heat and pleasure, the warm, massaging grip on his cock rippled around him when he pressed inside all the way, his heart hammering as he strained to hear even the slightest bit of more praise from his partner; confirmation that he was making Charr feel as good as he felt, the need only making him more tenacious in eliciting a louder response, made him work the body under him with double the fervour.

More...Let me hear you...Please let me hear your voice more...! Cassius thought as he gripped Charr 's hips tighter and thumped himself off of the leopard's ass harder, his balls swinging like a clock's pendulum as they slapped off of Charr's taint as he pounded, his head empty of all thoughts save the need to pleasure Charr to the utmost edge, the heated rush of blood in his ears, the sweat coating their bodies in warm dampness, their combined musk that scented the humid night air. Their combined groans and grunts was music as the sounds joined the larger, nocturnal symphony.

Come what may, this was their moment, no matter how one-sided it might end up to be, no matter how many years would pass and how many other lovers Charr might take, Cassius would make sure that if he couldn't be one of them, at least Charr would remember him as being good to him in bed: Having endured his own share of selfish bed partners, Cassius had always made it his mission to please whomever he was with as much as possible, denied so much throughout his life, he'd give the care and affection that kept elluding him to others.

Cassius let his jaw hang slack; strings of drool trickling down the corner of his mouth as sweat raced down his straining, bounced muscles, eyes fixed on the sight of his thick cock being plunged rapidly back and forth into Charr; the leopard's back beautifully arched as he dictated the pace as much as Cassius did, perspiration glimmered like jewels on the toned expanse of muscle, every one of the panther's thrusts met with a well-timed buck in return that made Cassius gasp as he was expertly squeezed, heart fluttering when Charr grinded every inch of him with expert twists and wiggles of his ass.

Cassius froze, trapped in a surge of ecstasy, left to tremble and shake, powerless to do anything but let out weak, uneven moans as Charr rolled back on his cock, fully sheathed from glands to root as he wiggled in place, velvety walls contracting and pulling moan after moan from Cassius.

"C...Charr—That's too much—slow d-down a bit—!" Cassius threw his head back, spine stiffening as his hands curled into claw- like shapes involuntarily. "I-I'll cum if you k-keep doing that..." he whimpered out, eyes squeezing shut as he felt that familiar tension starting to swell through his stomach, his body started to shake and tense up. Just a second longer—

Just as Cassius was about to hurdle off the edge, Charr stopped moving. Blinking the stars away and all but winded, he lightly shoved his hips forward as if that would set Charr off again. His hips worked fruitlessly against Charr's rear to get them back to the furious pace they had been going at, yet the leopard wouldn't budge.

Cassius felt his heart positively sink as Charr looked over his shoulder with the most wicked smirk he'd ever seen on him as he grinded down on the panther's cock in torturously small circles with his hips, barely any stimulus at all.

"What was that? Want more? But you said you couldn't hold it just now...?" The words teasing all on their own already, was only reinforced by the agonizingly slow circling of the leopard that sent goosebumps up Cassius' back.

His shaft and hips twitched with want, which drew an amused huff from Charr.

Cassius whimpered and leaned back onto his palms as the torture continued, unable to move save to press a palm to Charr's ass, eyes nailed to the spot were their bodies met and joined. his ears burned as he muttered with half-lidded eyes, "You're something else, Charr— Damn...!"

In the safety of his mind he dared to finish the sentence: I...I love you. I'm in love with you. I'll...

Raw emotions flooded him at the thought. Care, heat, tenderness, all jumbled together with longing and a bittersweetness so strong he could almost taste it on his tongue.

For the second time that night, he snapped. Soldier's discipline giving way to the tender man's heart.

"...I'll show you!" Cassius growled and grabbed hold of Charr's hips and began to pound anew, filled with a fierce desire to turn Charr's teasing smugness into the dazed pleasure he'd felt. Wanted to make the sarge moan and groan, wanted to make him weak with pleasure and unable to even think coherently, let alone tease him. Yes, he'd show him!

Charr, as ever, chuckled and wriggled his spotted ass into Cassius' lap and made no move to resist as the panther pushed his front down and yanked his hips and ass up to meet his thrusts.

"Heh. Finally decided to...Mmf...get serious, huh?" Charr said, groaning when Cassius rammed his sweet spots repeatedly, his expression growing lax and lewd as his composure waned by the minute.

Cassius, panting but still going strong just drilled harder, hips pistoning even as his member began to twitch and jerk warningly, heating up from the friction as his climax began to rise to the fore.

That's because I have made up my mind...I am not running away any more...!

"Charr...I'm gonna...!" Cassius groaned out, grimacing as he gripped Charr's ass and hips tighter, fingers digging in for leverage as he rapidly slipped towards the edge again: he wouldn't be able to hold it back, not this time, no matter how he strained to keep going.

Charr must've sensed it too, because he began to push back harder into Cassius' desperate hammering, warm walls trembling as they gripped his cock as it swelled and grew even hotter inside him, milking him, pushing him closer to his release. Tingling waves washed up his shaft and thighs, and as Cassius finally slammed home one last time, his second orgasm crashed over him.

Pleasure ripped through him, so mind-numbing that he almost forgot himself and confessed his love, but by some small miracle managed to catch himself in time and press his mouth to Charr's shoulder instead, teeth gently nipped at pelt and skin. Seeking a distraction, he reached down between Charr's legs and jerked him off, the leopard's thighs trembling as he tensed up, flinched with a groan and spent himself on the towel, his sticky cum coating Cassius' hand and streaking across the rough wool in thick ropes.

Silence fell, only broken by their shared, uneven breathing in the starlit dark. Slowly, the sounds of nature began to return to their dazed senses, the nocturnal world slipping back into focus once more.

Cassius drew back first, sweat-covered chest rising and falling rapidly as he pulled out his softening member and watched his excess seed spill out and ooze down Charr's taint.

A victorious smirk formed as he noted with no small amount of satisfaction how Charr's chest heaved up and down, just as winded as Cassius was as he rolled onto his back, tongue lolling out as he gulped down air. A streak of male pride made him purr under his breath as he moved to sit down next to Charr.

"So...Satisfied for tonight, Charr?"

"Hah...Yeah. Damn, Cass. That was...Mmm...good. That was good, soldier." Charr said, humming as he curled one arm under his head.

It made Cassius long to lay his head down on Charr's chest and have him play with his scalp, grab his hand and kiss each of Charr's calloused knuckles. A lump formed in his throat. Unable to act on his feelings, he simply shifted closer.

Soon enough they'd caught their breaths, laying side-by-side staring up at the silent night sky with its countless stars, both of them seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

Cassius took a deep breath and let it out. No more running from here...No matter what comes.

"Charr, would you have dinner with me before I leave?"

Even though he had his eyes fixed on a pair of stars—one bigger and brighter, while the one next to it was smaller—the panther felt his cheeks and the inside of his ears heat up, but didn't let that stop him from turning to gauge Charr's reaction.

Charr let out a small chuckle, seemingly amused by the question, so that could be a good sign, Cassius told himself. "Hah, first you give me a good fuck and now you wanna make me dinner? Must be my lucky day..." he scratched idly at his chest as he seemed to consider Cassius' words, his face giving nothing away of what he might be thinking.

Cassius found himself unable to look away, while his heart pounded in his chest as the seconds ticked by without an answer.

Silently conceding defeat, Cassius finally turned back to the night sky and swallowed down the disappointment that welled up. Of course, of course he'd have to cross the line; Sharing a bed and fucking for stress relief was one thing; some soldiers did that after all, given their highly stressful enviroment, it wasn't that surprising, but they'd accomplish it and manage to keep their feelings at bay, or at most realize that there was no more depth to the arrangement besides sexual satisfaction.

But he hadn't been able to keep his feelings at bay. He hadn't managed to see their arrangement for what it was; something to keep boredom away and to take a load off. Easing mounting pressure. No attachment, no connection. Simply something fun.

I only have myself to blame for this: I'm the one who fell in love, even though I knew from the start it would be unrequited. What the hell is _ wrong _ with me?

"Have you decided on dishes yet...? Heh. Just so y'know, I'm a big eater," Charr quipped beside him as he patted his stomach.

For a moment, the shock from Charr's words stilled Cassius completely. Mind blank, he could do nothing but stare ahead, heart kicked sky-high, while the beats of it thundered inside his head, the only sound there. Then, a beaming smile streatched from ear to ear, that made his cheeks ache from the wild joy of it but he didn't care as the meaning behind the leopard's words became clear.

He had said yes! Charr had said yes!

It was all he could do to not start flailing like a child as the bubbling, tingling sensation spread warmly through his stomach and limbs. Once more, he had to quench the impulse to reach over and hug Charr close. Somehow, Cassius managed to contain himself.

"A-ah, no, not yet. Any allergies I need to know about?" Cassius, having no wish to embarrass himself further, quickly blurted out the question, red face turned to the side to hide, while behind him, his tail flashed in an almost vibrating blurr.

"No, none of that..." Charr leaned back with an amused huff as he eyed Cassius' tail for a moment as it friskly wagged, beating a pattern into the ground as it thumped against it. "Hmph. You really like cooking, huh?"

"...S-Shut up, dude..." Cassius muttered even as his tail kept smacking against the ground, as if in agreement to Charr's statement.

* * *

A while later, the two having dressed and leisurely made their way back to base, they parted with a simple goodnight to head back to their respective tents.

Despite the passion settled, Cassius found his hands trembling as he stopped under an overhanging light; the amber shaft washing over him in tones of gold, a few stray moths and fireflies swarmed, each one crowding towards the lightbulb.

He looked at his hand as it shook, a sensation as of drowning, choking it settled over him without warning, constricting.

No going back from here. He will reject my feelings for him. It will hurt, I know it will. But..._he closed the hand in front of him and settled it against his chest, allowing the steady beat of his heart to slowly douse the sudden anxiety. ..._But come what may, I won't run away from it anymore. Men lost their lives because I was too wrapped up in my emotions. Good men, who didn't deserve nor had to die if only I had kept my focus. Confessing my love for him won't bring any of them back...But at least they won't have died for nothing. My fallen brothers, I know I don't deserve it but...Give me strength.

A rustle behind him snapped Cassius out of his thoughts and in an instant he went from anxious to battle-ready. Reaching out, he yanked the on-coming person around and locked them instinctively into a blood choke.

"F-Fucker! Asshole—lemme go already...!" The half-strangled, gurgling curses snapped Cassius out of his battle-focus, his narrowed eyes widening as the familiar voice of Ethan reached him through the sudden red mist.

Cassius huffed out an annoyed sigh before he let the wriggling soldier go, arms crossing over his chest: he was not in the mood to deal with Ethan. Not tonight, he didn't want the afterglow of Charr's company to be sullied by a half-witted, barely dry-behind-the-ears man-baby who was more interested in cock-fighting than doing his actual job.

“Am I going to have to call HQ to tell them you've been stalking me, Ethan?" Cassius said, tone low and firm, almost like a father that scolded a neighbour's kid. A dab of chagrin at the notion; no, Ethan definitely wouldn't benefit from any of the sort.

“You are a PMC. A mercenary: loyal only to the one who hands you your paycheck, can't blame me for not trusting you," Ethan almost hissed.

Cassius inhaled slowly and somehow managed to not roll his eyes. What was with this brat? Had he been dropped on his head as a kid? Thrown down the stairs?

“Every soldier gets paid, Ethan. That includes me, Serge, even you." Somehow, he found himself calming down. He could handle Ethan, he realized, as long as he didn't bring up Charr again, like last time.

“No. A soldier fights for ideals."

Of all the replies he'd expected, Cassius admitted privately that that one hadn't been one of them. Maybe Ethan was simply lonely? Or afraid of being ignored and abandoned. Or maybe, Cassius thought, he was self-projecting a tad too much...

“And what are yours then, kid?" Cassius asked, too curious no to.

“To be the best there ever was—to see my enemies either fleeing or dead before me."

“I see..." Cassius said evenly, somehow disappointed with the reply, yet what should he have expected?

“'I see?' Is that all you can say?" Ethan's gaze narrowed further, a glint of fire flickering behind his eyes. “I suppose I am not that surprised: A mercenary doesn't know anything about honour, after all, battle is a sport to people like you, monsters who wear a uniform like a wolf wears sheep's wool!"

For a split second Cassius thought about stating the fact that Ethan didn't know much about honor, either; having brought a knife into what should've been a harmless sparring match between colleagues, but found himself unable to voice it in the end.

Blessed silence. Broken only by Ethan's slight panting as the cougar tried to catch his breath after his outburst.

Cassius wished that could be the end of it.

“Why you? Why you and not me...What does he see in someone like you?!"

Cassius tensed up as Ethan's fists balled at his side, tremors rocking through the cougar's body, tension pulled taunt in his muscles as fire ignited fully in his eyes. The fated collision was at hand, the last few inches of the fuse between them about to burn out and set the explosion off. It had been coming for a while, despite Cassius attempts to diffuse it.

Still, something softened inside Cassius and he couldn't bear to throw the first punch, no matter what training or instinct urged him on. Instead, he sighed, shoulders slumping as he said.

“I'm sorry, Ethan, if I had known-“

“You'd what?! I don't care what you say! If anyone deserves to be praised it's me dammit! ME! Before you arrived I was the best there was here, save the sarge himself. Marksmanship, close-quarter-combat, scouting, medical—I did it all and yet he NEVER has treated me like he's treated you!" Etha snarled, eyes wide, black pupils narrowed into crazed pin-pricks.

“So you...love him, too?" Cassius asked, a tad taken aback at just how easy it was to admit what he felt to Ethan of all people, especially when he'd denied and rationalized it away to himself for so long.

Ethan grimaced like he'd smelt something bad, and it tracked. He was envious of the fact that Charr thought Cassius the better soldier than Ethan, not as a love rival. Cassius felt a part of himself relax at that realization, despite the fact that Charr had never shown that sort of interest in the cougar. Ethan seemed much too immature to draw that kind of attention his way.

“I am no faggot like you or whatever sexual deviational term you use..."

Cassius crossed his arms, face drying up. “Bisexual, if you must know."

Ethan sneered at him, “Gross. So you'll sleep with anyone—_anything—_then? No surprise Sergeant Gadot isn't—“

“Don't say anything about him! This is between you and me, Ethan. I've said it before: Don't drag Charr into this." Even as the molten fire lit in his gut and Cassius knew that that was what Ethan had wanted, he found himself unable to extinguish it, to push it away and regain reason. The damn brat was lucky he'd put some distance between them...

Cassius clenched his teeth together. Enough. He thought, fuming. I have had enough.

Cassius balled one of his hands so hard he thought the skin of his knuckles would tear open over the bones of his knuckles as he fought to keep it together, until finally, the dam burst and collapsed. He found himself half-choking on the fire in his blood, the quiet maelstrom in his chest as he spoke, voice tight, cutting and low, as it came out between his suddenly chopped exhales.

“You speak of Charr as if—As if he's some prize that you think you deserve. He's a person! Someone who's felt and lived through more pain, loss and loneliness for longer than you've even been alive! You think I am weak because I am different—Because I chose to show other emotions besides anger and aggression. But you know what? I don't care anymore, Ethan! I've tried to get along with you, I really have, but my patience with you has run dry. It did a while ago but I had to be professional since you refused to be. And I pray that Charr sees you for the person you really are: a weak, self-centered, vapid brat who only cares about showing off how big and strong and tough he is!"

Without thinking, Cassius stalked forward and grabbed Ethan by the collar, yanked him close and hissed into his face, fangs glimmering underneath the dingy light.

“You say that I am a disgrace, a monster? You wanna see a real monster? Go and find a mirror." With a thrust of his arm, Cassius threw Ethan away from him and stalked away in the direction of his own tent without waiting for a reply.

He didn't get far, though, next thing he knew he bumped into someone as he rounded a corner of a small shack, one of a handful of the small structures that they had incorporated into the Forward Operation Base.

Cassius let out a soft grunt at the impact, but quickly caught his balance and on instinct, took hold of the person's arm so they didn't topple.

It was dark, but not so much that Cassius' night vision didn't pick up on the stripes that peaked out from underneath the person's t-shirt and the rounded ears on their head.

“Prowess? What are you doing here so late? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Cassius blurted out without thinking, surprised to see the tiger out and about. Alexander wasn't on the night- watch.

The tiger seemed taken aback for a moment, before he regained his wits and replied with, “Ah, about that...Yeah, was about to, but Anders came to my tent and said he heard some people screaming and asked me to help check it out." Alexander looked at him and his expression told Cassius that he thought that the panther would know more.

Flushing, the panther scrathed behind his neck. Time to face the music...

“Um...That was me. I'm so sorry to have disturbed you guys so late at night. I ran into Ethan. Or rather, he spooked me, I panicked and locked him into a blood choke. He's fine now, don't worry about it, but uh...he wasn't exactly happy about it." Cassius tried to smile reassuringly but felt how it didn't reach his eyes, how stiff it pulled on the tendons of his cheeks.

Alexander seemed to be about to reply, before a horrified look broke out over his face, and the second Cassius noticed, it was already too late.

With a roar, someone crashed into Cassius from behind, the momentum of the impact sending both of them to the ground.

Muscle memory taking over, Cassius fought back, tried to wriggle free as Ethan straddled him, roaring at the top of his lungs how he'd make Cassius show proper respect for a real soldier as he began to rain blows down onto Cassius' face.

Bringing his fists up to shield his face from the onslaught, Cassius felt how something soured in the pit of his stomach; Pity. It stayed his hands just like it had every other time he'd had to interact with the younger soldier, despite how mean and nasty the kid was, it chained him down because in spite of Ethan's behaviour, Cassius had thought him a lost kid, but had been proven wrong time and time again; Ethan didn't hunger for companionship or connection; he was greedy for recognition, for the submission of his peers. The notion became hammered home with every punch that rained down on his aching forearms, as real as could be: he'd always see Cassius as a monster, no matter what he did.

The chains of pity evaporated utterly when Ethan wrapped his hands around the panther's throat and began to squeeze.

Cassius narrowed his eyes. That's it. You're done, kid.

Cassius saw the instant Ethan noticed the cold glint in his eyes but didn't care, insides cold and void as he stared into the younger feline's face as fear began to envelop and worm itself into every muscle of his face.

Clamping hold of Ethan's wrists, Cassius jerked them apart while at the same time he pulled a knee up and delivered a swift, precise kick to the cougar's midsection.

Ethan went flying, landing in a heap on the dirt with a heavy thud. It sounded like it hurt. Cassius hoped it had.

Alexander was by his side in a heartbeat. “Commander Sagat, are you okay, are you hurt?! It happened so fast, I couldn't stop him..."

Panting and reaching up to trace his aching throat, Cassius gave a croaking laugh, “Yeah, I'll say...He surprised me too. Kid's faster than I thought..." Cassius winched; he'd be feeling his throat tomorrow for sure.

“M-My stomach...What—what did you do to my stomach...?!" Ethan's hoarse, gasping cry drew Cassius' attention. He rose, stilled Alexander with a gesture and a grateful smile as the tiger reached out to help him.

Cassius looked coldly down on Ethan as he struggled on the ground, face a grimace of pain, one hand pressed to his side, yet he glared the instance their eyes met.

“I broke one of your ribs, Ethan. With just one kick, I might add. You're lucky I was a bit out of it: I once punched a man so hard in the chest his heart stopped." Cassius stated.

“Bastard. When I get up I'll—“

“—Go see a medic and thank your lucky fucking star Sagat didn't break your damn neck while he was at it."

All three men stiffened as Charr's clipped voice rang out, with enough controlled anger to it that it would make even the most rebellious of soldier freeze and cower.

Scary...But kinda sexy too if I am honest. Casssius thought to himself in passing even as he snapped off a crisp salute, face the very image of a professional soldier greeting his superior.

“Sergeant Gadot, sir. I apologize for my part in disturbing the base at this late hour, sir!" Cassius said.

“Well well, would you look at that..." Charr turned his head toward Ethan, who shrunk away, curled into himself as if a monster loomed over him. “See that Ethan, you listening? That over there?" He pointed a finger in Cassius' direction even as he yanked the cougar up by the collar, teeth bared in a furious sneer, voice dangerous, cold and low as he continued.

“That is how a 'real' soldier acts: Using violence only out of necessity and having the brain to tell when that is required. You are not that, all you are is a little shit and a thug!"

“I must still defend my honour, as a man—“

“What HONOR?!" Charr snarled as he yanked Ethan up closer still, spit almost flying into the cougar's wide-eyed face. “You have the fucking gall to talk about honor while ATTACKING one of your own allies—your own brother in arms—from BEHIND?" Charr, having said that, turned to three soldiers who unabashedly looked on with blatant glee at Ethan's chew-out. The leopard made an impatient gesture towards Ethan, who still struggled to stand. “Well, what are you jackasses standing around for? Help this brat get to medical, on the double!"

Caught red-handed, the trio scrambled to follow the order, not daring to upset their superior further.

Cassius found himself staring, unfocused and unsure. He almost couldn't wrap his mind around what was happening. He'd never seen Charr so angry at Ethan before. Annoyed certainly. But never like this. Not because of him. Not for him.

The adrenaline surging through his body still turned into something softer, warmer. Like a secure blanket around his shoulders. No-one had ever gotten angry on his behalf before. Moisture gathered in the corner of his eyes, his chest so full that he couldn't even tell what emotion took precedence. He had always known, somewhere in the back of his head, even at that first meeting of theirs years ago, that he'd be safe in Charr's company but to feel it so blatantly made him almost feel drunk.

Only thing he did know for certain was that he found himself even more in love with Charr than before, if that was even possible. Oh, now he really had to make their last evening together something truly special, no holds-barred. A night for the ages-

A pair of fingers impatiently snapping in front of his face jolted Cassius back into reality.

“Sagat—respond!" Charr's authoritative clipped tone demanded. Perhaps it was just Cassius' imagination, but underneath the irritation of a late-night brawl he thought he saw genuine worry in Charr's eyes. He must've walked up to him, and Cassius had been so out of it, so lost in his thoughts, that he hadn't noticed or responded when talked to. Ouch. That wasn't good.

Flushing, the panther straightened even further and hurried to snap off another salute. “Sorry, Sarge. Mind repeating that, sir?" Better to forgo excuses all together; excuses were like assholes, everyone had them and they all stunk.

Charr crossed his arms, sighing. “I said: don't think I am letting you off either, you're going for a medical check-up as well, that bruising on your throat looks nasty."

Cassius was just about to reply when Charr stepped close, fist curling into the front of his olive green t-shirt to yank him closer. Heat surged through Cassius, for a wild couple of breaths, he thought that Charr might kiss him. He'd certainly love to kiss Charr; that was one of the things he'd never dared to do. It felt too intimate. Felt too much like stepping over a line that he shouldn't cross.

Charr let out a huff and Cassius couldn't repress the shiver that shuddered through him as it ghosted over his sensitive, rounded ear. It made him swallow reflex to wet his suddenly parched throat. What this man did to him...

“This doesn't change anything—You still owe me dinner tomorrow. Don't think you can call in sick on me because of that brat—I am counting on you, Cass," Charr whispered in a rumbling purr.

Cassius, despite the soreness of his throat, smiled in quiet victory. Yes, this had been worth getting attacked by a brat, he decided then and there.

“Oh you'll have your dinner, sir. You can count on that; I won't let you down." Cassius locked eyes with Charr as he replied, voice steady and sure but quiet enough so just the two of them heard, the shared eye-contact sending electricity crackling up his spine, their muzzles so close that their whiskers almost touched.

Charr smirking as he stepped back had Cassius' heart beating faster and he had to stop himself from rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, almost overwhelmed with joy.

“Glad to hear it. Now Sagat, go on and get the hell outta here, yeah?"

Cassius snapped off another salute with a smile he didn't care to try and hide. “Yessir!"

The medical check-up was a blur. Cassius' mind wandered to the tomorrow, answers and inquires about injuries answered by routine. What would Charr like to eat, would he like wine or just beer? Cassius had a nice white silk shirt and a tight pair of leather pants he could use, but would that be him trying too hard? Should he keep it subtle or go to town and dress like he was starved for attention?

“Sagat—this is the second time you're doing it; stop wiggling or I am tying you down." The medic hadn't seemed too happy about having to rise from his cot bed in the middle of the night to patch up two brawlers.

“A-ah, sorry, sorry." Cassius said, realizing that he didn't, in fact, sound the least bit sorry.

The medic simply grumbled in response.

A while later, Cassius having been let go with instructions to avoid putting too much strain on his throat and neck, shifted open the flap of his tent and slinked inside. Butterflies tickled the inside of his stomach.

It was happening, tomorrow he'd finally tell Charr how he really felt, no filter, no take-backs, just the simple truth; that he had grown to love him as more than a simple friend with benefits and brother in arms.

The panther dropped down onto his cot with an exhausted sigh. What a day...

Yet, the new day would hold a challenge as well. He'd tell him everything—and he found himself terrified at the thought as it sank in.

Cassius stripped and laid down, movements robotic as he pulled the covers up his front. Wonder if Charr will want to hook up after dinner. Would he let me cuddle him afterwards? Maybe even let me fall asleep holding his hand? I'd like that... thought Cassius as he closed his eyes, adrenaline slowly ebbing away as the warmth of the blanket soaked through aching, exhausted muscles. His hand gently twitched as he sank into slumber, fell into dreams of holding a warm, calloused palm, so much like his own, yellow-golden and covered in rosettes...