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“Hey, so since you’re studying magical st–”

Theodore glared at Azai. Bats were supposed to be cute, but the way Theodore towered over him, Azai was instead pleasantly intimidated.

“Fine, mythology,” Azai corrected himself. “I was hoping you could solve a magical mystery.”

“I can do no such thing because there is no such thing.” Theodore sat down on a bench in the university courtyard, now eye level with Azai. He took an apple from his bag, and said, “But do go on.”

“For a couple months now, I’ve been waking up with a letter on my face. Almost every day.”

“Consult your head of security.”

“I have!”

“You actually have one?” Theodore took a bite of the apple, and chewed slowly before continuing, “Though that begs the question: if you’re that rich, why are you coming to me?”

“Well, she says none of the alarms were tripped and the cameras show nobody near my room. I’ve tried to hire a PI, but they don’t take me seriously.”

“So you’ve come to me because you think that I learned a mythological tracking ritual in class?”

“Maybe? First, I just want you to look at the letter, the first one.” Azai pulled it from his jacket pocket and handed it over.

Theodore finished his apple, then tossed the stem in a nearby trashcan. After a quick glance at the letter, he said, “I can tell you you’re looking for a literary snob.”

“What?”

“Have you read this?” Theodore cleared his throat. “‘His golden fur strikes my eyes like the sun over water, blinding me to all else. In that brief moment, I see our first date, the first time I make love to him, our wedding, even a fantasy of impregnating him and a long happy life where he gives me countless children, each more beautiful than the last, yet none as beautiful as him. All so distant, yet I feel I can reach out and grab it. But I must be careful, else I shatter such a joyous future.”

Azai watched Theodore closely as he spoke. If he had sent the letter, Azai would have expected embarrassment, especially as a wild dog passed by. But his ears remained upright, and his paws steady. “Yeah, it’s pretty.”

“It’s trying too hard.” Theodore pointed to a line on the page. “Especially here with–”

“I don’t believe literary analysis is going to help.”

“Fine, I can also tell you that they’re rich,” Theodore said as he scraped off the golden lettering. “This seems to be real gold stuck to the page.”

“I believe magic could easily make gold.”

“Nothing suggests magic.”

“This does.” Azai took out his phone and showed a video. In it, Azai was sleeping on his bed, and a letter appeared out of thin air, then fluttered down on his face.

“You got someone talented to doctor that for you.”

“Believe me or don’t. As long as you find out who is sending them.”

“Why would I bother?”

“Ten thousand when you find him, and a spot on an expedition my mom is organizing next summer in Belize.” Azai produced a stack of papers from his coat pocket, then gave it to Theodore. “Contract.”

“Wait, who is your mom?” Theodore held his paw up when Azai attempted to answer. “A female jackal archaeologist…Angela Eliad? I can learn so much from her!” He flipped through the contract, fighting with the wind every time he turned a page. “It doesn’t say anything about the dig.”

“Well, I couldn’t put that part in writing because technically she is not supposed to hand out spots for special favors, but–”

“Rich people don’t follow rules.”

“Are you complaining?”

“Not currently.” Theodore signed it and passed it back. “I’ll even investigate your ‘magical theory.'”

“Great!” Azai tucked the papers back in his pocket before they blew away like the leaves flying around him. “I can’t wa–”

“It’s 11:57, Azai,” said a voice from behind.

Azai turned around to see a gray wolf, tapping his watch. “Well hello to you too, Joseph.”

“You’re going to be late for class.”

“What does it matter?”

Before Joseph could respond, Theodore said, “Wait, you two know each other?” He stood, looming over Joseph. “Then you must have orchestrated this deal.”

Joseph’s ears pinned to his head. “I may have told him how best to bribe you.”

“Thank you.” Theodore wrapped his arms, and thus wings, around him.

“I think that’s the first time you’ve hugged me in ten years.” Joseph’s arms stayed at his sides, but his tail was wagging. “But now I am going to be late for class.”

“You really must like that class to not revel in the occasion.” Theodore squeezed him, then whispered into his ear.

Azai perked his ears, but only managed to hear: “...with me, right?”

“Of course not,” Joseph said, disengaging from the hug. “Talk to you later.” He tugged on Azai’s arm. “Come.”

“He really doesn’t like it when you do that.” Azai broke free of Joseph’s grip, but continued with him toward one of the buildings.

“Theodore?”

“My bodyguard.” Azai pointed to a tiger across the courtyard that was blending in with an orange-leafed tree.

Joseph shivered, then quickly hid inside the building. “Are you sure he isn’t the one sending you the letters?”

“No way,” Azai said, following Joseph into the building and down a hallway.

“Oh? So is it Theodore?”

“Also no. Unless he’s really good at acting.”

“He’s not.”

“Are you sure that he’ll be able to figure out who it is?”

“I keep telling you that–”

“He’s the smartest person you’ve ever met. But that’s just school. How much of that applies here?”

“He’s also very committed. If he says he’ll find them, he won’t stop till he does.” Joseph narrowed his eyes at Azai. “The only problem would be if you told him about your magic nonsense.”

“That’s not a problem because it is magical.”

“Have you considered that someone at home is planting the letters as you sleep?”

Azai held his arm out to stop Joseph in the middle of the hallway, then took out his phone with the video still pulled up. “I showed you this, right?”

Joseph pushed Azai’s arm out of the way and continued down the hallway. “Yeah, yeah, you’re good with photoshop.”

Azai shook his head, but decided to not get into this particular argument again. “Well, if you’re right, then my head of security is lying to me. But she’s a woman, and the letters, well, suggest the opposite.”

“Maybe she wants to peg you. Or someone else is writing the letters, and she’s covering for them. Or she’s just fucking with you. All seem more plausible.”

“Believe me or don’t.” Azai entered a small classroom with a few people chatting. He walked past them and sat in the front row.

Joseph took the seat next to him. “Listen, I’m just trying to steer your investigation in a more logical direction.”

“You’re trying to steer it off course. Which I’m just now realizing is very suspicious.”

“No, no, no, I am straight as an arrow.”

“Have you seen an arrow mid-flight?”

“That’s why it’s a perfect metaphor. I might talk or act a little gay, but at the end of the day, like when an arrow hits its target, I’m perfectly straight.”

“Your ability with metaphor is also suspicious.”

“This is a literature class!” Joseph gestured around. “Everybody here knows how to use a metaphor.”

“Fair point, but–” Azai’s eyes flicked to a bat-eared fox walking in. “Warsame! Can we do something easy? I’ve done way too much thinking today.”

Warsame approached Azai’s table and planted his paws on it. “You want me to change my lesson plan simply because it would be convenient for you?”

“Maybe?”

“I could.” Warsame eyes and ears lowered. “Upon consideration, no. You can review the material later, email me with questions, and office hours are in the syllabus.”

Azai groaned and laid his head on the desk.

*

The next morning, Azai woke to his phone buzzing, then falling off the nightstand. He considered going back to sleep, but if somebody was calling this early, it had to be important. He grabbed his phone and answered.

“Azai? I have made little progress with my real investigation, but on the magical side, I found quite a bit of information,” Theodore prattled on at a pace that was hard to keep up with. “Letters appearing out of nowhere with golden text have many mentions throughout history and as recently as seven years ago. Apparently, the letters are the thoughts of your true soulmate delivered to you by a third party.”

“What third party?”

“Depends on who you ask. The Christian god, Lucifer–because of the gays–Loki, Hermes, Aphrodite, and a bunch of other gods or mythical beings.”

“This is helpful.” Given this new information, it could be that Theodore didn’t recognize the letter because he had thought it weeks ago. And conveniently, there was a new letter lying on his bed. He grabbed it. “I’m sending you a picture of a new letter I got today.”

“I’m not sure what help it will be.”

“Just read it.”

“Only because you’re paying me. I’ll do some more investigating and message you with updates.”

“Sounds good. Bye.” Azai hung up.

After getting dressed, Azai typed his code into the alarm panel then exited his room. He descended the nearby stairs and found his mother in the kitchen.

“You’re up early. Still missed Dad though.” Azai’s mom got up from the kitchen table, and met Azai by the stairs. “Is your friend for sure taking that spot on my excavation?”

“Not sure yet.”

“I need to know as soon as possible. The spot should’ve already been filled. Also, I heard a wolf was being aggressive with you yesterday.” Azai’s mom grabbed his arm and rolled up the sleeve, inspecting it.

“Joseph is just a little handsy, like someone else I know.” Azai yanked his arm away. “He's not trying to kill me.” He tried to squeeze past her, but she blocked him with her tail

“How are you so sure?”

“I know when people are trying to kill me, Mom.” Azai ducked under her tail and headed to the front door. “Is Erica still here?”

“For another minute or two.”

“Great.” Azai grabbed his coat and left out the door.

The wind pierced his clothes. He fought with it to button up his coat as he stepped off the path and through the trees. The security shack was nestled along the brick wall next to the gate. As he neared, the hare inside said, “Azaiiiiiiii, I know why you’re here and I’m telling you this conversation is a waste of my time.”

Azai entered the shack and stood behind Erica. “Pull up the footage from last night.”

“It’s not going to show anything new. My shift ended three minutes ago. Can I just go home?”

“This will take five minutes.”

“Fine.” Erica clicked to the camera in Azai’s room on one monitor, and a camera of his door on the other. She rewinded them. “As you can see, nobody except you was there all night, and…” She stopped the rewind and fast-forwarded to 7:34am, when the letter appeared out of thin air and landed on his bed, like in all the other recordings.

“Could anybody have tampered with this?”

“Nope, just me here all night. I keep telling you that nowhere in my contract does it say I have to handle…whatever this nonsense is. Can I go home?

“Is your replacement here?”

Erica pulled up a camera in front of the gate, showing a polar bear. “Has been for the last ten minutes.”

“Alright go.”

She sprung out of her seat and ran out of the shack.

Azai sat in the chair, and replayed the video of the letter. He saw no sign of tampering, but Theodore and Joseph were so confident that he doubted his ability to detect such things. Maybe I should investigate my room, someone could have–

“Finally found you.”

Azai spun around in his chair to see a tiger, who hesitated at the doorway because he was taller than the shack.

“We must leave now else you will be late for class.”

“Right.” Azai got up and followed him along the path instead of through the trees. “Hey, what do you think of Erica?”

“Haven’t had the chance to speak to her much. But I don’t believe she warrants suspicion. Is this about your anonymous letters?”

The path bent around a copse, revealing a small, blue car. “Yeah, I didn’t think they’re from Erica, but my friend is convinced,” he said before getting into the back seat.

When the tiger entered the driver seat, the suspension dipped. “I’ll keep an eye on her.” As he pulled the car up to the gate, the polar bear opened it. Azai waved to the bear as they drove away.

He laid his head on the window. The sun greeted him, not a cloud in sight. On a day this clear, he spotted the Appalachian Mountains over the treeline, only the leaves on the wind blocking his view.

Azai’s phone buzzed.

Theodore: I found something. The blog of an Estonian woman in 2011 claims you can find whose thoughts are in the letters by simply saying return to sender, and the letter will magnetize to them.

Azai: Really just in english

Theodore: The blog wasn’t originally in English, but I would assume the letter responds to whatever language it’s written in

Azai: Crap i left all the letters at home

Theodore: I had Joseph give the one you gave me to Warsame

Azai pulled up the syllabus on his phone. Warsame had office hours for another hour, but that was on the opposite end of campus as Azai’s class, so he would be late if he went immediately. But if he went after class, Warsame would be in a class.

“Hey, Ms. Ra–” Azai looked into the rearview mirror to see the masculine tiger. Things like this was why he refused to get up early. “I mean Mr. Dilaver. I can’t believe I’m still doing that.”

“It’s understandable. I’ll admit it still feels strange replacing her.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Mr. Dilaver turned off the highway and onto a city street. “Without the extensive knowledge she has about you, I fear I will read a situation wrong.”

“That extensive knowledge has its drawbacks. Like, this one time, she was telling me about a suspicious wild dog that was following me, then she suddenly remembered that one time when I was four and I tried to put a leash on a wild dog to tame him.”

“I can definitely take comfort in knowing that I won’t get that distracted.” Mr. Dilaver stopped the car in front of campus. “What were you trying to say earlier?”

“Oh, I was going to ask you to drop me off on the other side of campus, but now it’ll be faster if I just walk.” Azai hopped out of the car.

He rushed down the paved pathway and weaved between other students. When he neared the building, he stumbled on a loose stone. He caught himself on the wall, the warped brick rough on his pads.

Everything on campus was in a similar state. Even the door he entered through threatened to fall off its hinges. They called it “historical appeal”. And unfortunately, Azai’s parents didn’t let him attend a different university. It was the only one that was in a safe area and a reasonable distance from home.

Azai found the office, knocked on the door, and opened it.

“Perfect timing, Azai,” Warsame said from his desk, his long, gray ears swiveling up before the rest of his head . “I looked over the letter you received, and I have many thoughts.”

“Oh.” Azai hesitated to close the door, just now wondering why Theodore gave a raunchy letter to a professor. “Hit me.”

“Quite an atypical love letter. Most would use the second person to refer to their love interest. It’s as if instead of writing an actual letter, they tore a page from their journal. So you’re looking for someone lazy. And the writing itself tells me that they’re not one of my students.”

“Because you think it’s bad?”

Warsame crept around his desk, then advanced on Azai with his paws behind his back. “You think me so arrogant that I believe that every student under my tutelage is a literary genius?”

“Maybe?”

“I am arrogant.” Warsame turned around, his black and brown tail swishing behind him. “But not quite so. No, I know all my students' writing styles by heart.” He grabbed the letter off his desk. “This isn’t similar to any of them. There’s a possibility that they’re one of the students I’m seeing for the first time, but I’ve re-examined their essays, and I don’t believe so.”

“This is your first semester with Joseph, right? And you’ve never had a class with Theodore?”

“Yes to both. I do not even know a Theodore.” Warsame faced Azai and offered him the letter. “Do you believe it to be one of them?”

“Not sure yet.” Azai took the letter, which felt heavy with the investigative weight it carried. “But I really gotta get to class now. Thanks, Warsame.”

“Oh, look at the time! I could yammer on forever if somebody lets me.”

“I bet you could,” Azai said before exiting the office.

After class, Azai wandered the halls, looking for someone he didn't know. He wanted to test the “return to sender” thing and see if it did anything when the sender wasn't nearby. That would at least tell him that the incantation worked.

Azai rounded a corner and bumped into a wild dog. He looked down at him and didn’t recognize his face. Holding out the letter, he said, “Return to sender.”

“Hey there, Azai.” The wild dog took the unresponsive letter. “I’ll gladly do that for you.”

How does he know my name? “Um, nevermind.” Azai snatched the letter back and ran down the hallway and out the door. He breathed in the crisp air, catching his breath.

So either nothing was supposed to happen, or he did it wrong. He decided to look up the phenomenon on his phone as he followed a path to the back side of campus. Failing to find the blog Theodore mentioned, he messaged him about it. He got a quick response saying that he would show him in person in an hour.

Azai turned off the path and into a small copse of bright yellow trees. “Knew I’d find you here,” he said to Joseph, who was sitting against a tree and writing in a notebook. “Doesn’t it get cold out here?”

“Look at all this shagginess.” Joseph held out an arm and shook it, his gray fur waving around. “My winter coat is growing so thick that I couldn’t freeze in the dead of winter.”

“If you say so.” Azai sat next to Joseph, the leaves crunching underneath him. “Hey, I’m gonna try something.” He put the letter close to Joseph’s chest and said, “Return to sender.”

“I’m not the post office.”

Azai waited a second to see if the letter would do something before explaining it to him.

“Theodore is obviously messing with you,” Joseph said, “just like your head of security.”

“Maybe. You have given me doubts about magic, but I feel like it’s easier to assume that it’s real than believe multiple people are playing games with me.”

“Easier, yes, but not correct. The moment you give up the idea of magic, is the moment you can start to figure out what is actually going on.” Joseph turned back to his notebook and started writing. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I come here to avoid interruptions.”

“One more thing. I forgot to ask you before.”

Joseph glared at him, but didn’t have anywhere near the amount of intimidation that Theodore had.

“What did Theodore whisper to you yesterday?”

“He was just concerned that the deal was a prank. He has a history of pranking me, and thought this was my grand revenge.” Joseph whacked him with his long, bushy tail. “Now please, I’ve not much time to study as it is.”

“Fine, fine. I’m going.”

*

Azai sat at a table with a latte. The scent of the outdoor cafe’s coffee was a nice reprieve from the mingled musks of city folk. As he waited for Theodore, he watched the passersby. A lemur flirted with the barista while five people waited in line behind him. A wild dog argued with a hyena about if they had time to stop at the bakery.

And a golden-capped fruit bat bumped into a fennec that only came up to his knees. He apologized to the fox before joining Azai at the table. “I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of progress to share.”

“That’s fine. I wanted to know more about that blog. I tried the ‘return to sender’ on some people at uni, but nothing happened.”

“You actually did that?” Theodore laughed. “You didn’t have to. It was just something…I found.”

“You don’t believe it’s real?”

“No.”

“We’ll see about that.” Azai held out the letter. “Return to sender.” The paper floated to Theodore’s chest and remained there despite the wind blowing the opposite way.

Theodore stared at the letter, wide-eyed. “This is impossible. Magic isn’t real.” He pushed the letter away, but it returned to his chest. “And I didn’t think these thoughts.”

“Did you read the letter I messaged you?”

“It was more over-flowery nonsense. I don’t think that way.”

“Hmm.” Azai placed his elbow on the table and his muzzle on his paw, enjoying Theodore’s flustered state. He took a slow sip of his latte before continuing, “Well, the letters always appear at night, so maybe you’re asleep and don’t remember. What are your dreams like?”

“I don’t remember most of them, except…” Theodore broke eye contact. “A recurring dream. It’s always a chance meeting, then a date, then we make love.”

“Who is ‘we’?”

Theodore covered his face with his wings. “A canid. His form is never defined, except…his knot.”

“Well, maybe his form is defined in the dream, but not in your memory of the dream.”

“I can’t believe I thought all this.” Theodore peeked his face out from his wings. “I swear my thoughts are more eloquent when I’m conscious.”

“Hey.” Azai brought his paw to Theodore’s cheek, and waited till he made eye contact. “I like your subconscious.”

Theodore stared into his eyes for a moment, in that same intimidating way. “Be that as it may, burn all the letters you have so I may never learn of their literary atrocities.” He removed the letter stuck to his chest and shoved it into his coat pocket. “I will handle this one personally.”

“I think I’ll keep them.”

“Are you actually siding with my subconscious?”

“Yes, and I think you should do the same.” Azai finished his latte and tossed it into a nearby trash can. “Say, are you doing anything else today?”

“I was planning on studying, but I suppose I’m open to suggestions.”

“Maybe we could head over to the beach and see the sun set over the water; spark that subconscious of yours.”

“Your plan will not succeed, but sure.”

“Great! My car’s just around the block.” Azai stood, then led the way. “Oh, how do you want the money? Cash, check, wire?”

“That contract was real?”

“Yeah? Why were you investigating if you thought it wasn’t?”

“It simply interested me. Besides, since it turned out to be me, it doesn’t make much sense for me to get paid to find myself.”

“If you say so.”

“I will take that spot on the expedition though.”

“For sure.” Azai rounded the corner of the cafe and spotted Mr. Dilaver leaning on the car. “To the beach!”

“With him?” Mr. Dilaver approached Theodore, looking him up and down.

“Hi.” Theodore extended his paw. “I’m–”

“Theodore Manalo.” Mr. Dilaver shook his paw. “You seem safe enough.”

“Thank you?”

“Don’t worry about him,” Azai said. “He’s just a little overprotective.”

Once everyone got in the car, Theodore said, “I can’t believe rich people actually have someone to drive them around. Do you not know how?”

“My parents made me learn for whatever reason. It just would feel weird to drive my bodyguard around.”

“I’m not opposed to the idea,” Mr. Dilaver said as he entered traffic.

“Why do you need a bodyguard? Are you famous or something?”

“In a way,” Azai said. “You’ve heard of my mother, but know nothing of my family?”

“I’ve heard that Angela brings a lot of security to expeditions, but I thought it was just a precaution against thieves.”

“Yeah, she does that at my dad’s insistence, because, well…” Azai glanced out the window and watched the buildings zip by. I suppose it’s nice to get this over with as soon as possible. “Basically my grandfather was doing a dig in Somalia, and found this vase. It had some unidentified ancient text on it. He brought it here temporarily so he could study it.”

“Sounds like a tale told a thousand times.”

“Except that shortly after, Somalia was hit with a chain of natural disasters: floods, earthquakes, cyclones, etcetera. People claim that it’s because my grandfather triggered a curse. Which, like, why would the curse target random people instead of my grandfather?”

Theodore tilted his head. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Why?”

“Well, they say that the power is anchored to the vase, and thus can’t reach him here.” Azai paused and checked his surroundings. He saw a small bookstore he frequented, which told him that they were still a couple minutes from the beach. Would that be a better or worse place to talk about this? It didn’t matter. If he wanted to be serious with Theodore, he needed to finish the story. “So they decided they needed to reach my grandfather themselves. They killed him twenty-five years ago. But since the natural disasters keep coming, they now say that his entire bloodline needs to die: me and my dad.”

Theodore’s ears lowered as he squinted at Azai. “Are you fucking with me?”

Azai smiled. This was by far one of the best responses he ever had. “No.”

“You are talking about this way too casually.”

“Yeah, I’ve told the story a million times. People do not pay attention to current events.”

“Your life is a ‘current event’?”

“Well, yes. People have come over here and shot at me in public. That’s why I have a new bodyguard. The last one took a fifty cal to the shoulder.”

“You got to be fucking with me.”

“Believe what you want.”

The car stopped and Mr. Dilaver said, “I think I found the spot with the best view.”

Azai exited the car, finding himself on a hill overlooking the beach. “Nah, the best view is down there.” He pointed at the shoreline.

“I don’t believe that’s a good idea.”

“It’ll be fine. Nobody’s going to attack from the beach because they’d be exposed. They would attack from here, or from the roof of one of those buildings.” Azai gestured to the street behind them, lined with various souvenir and dessert shops. “But that’s why you’ll stay here.”

“Still, I–”

Azai grabbed Theodore’s paw and raced down the hill with him. “Sorry about him.” He slowed down at the bottom of the hill, where his footpaws hit sand. “And don’t worry. My last attack was only a couple months ago, and it’s like an annual event.”

“You say that like they send you a calendar.”

“I wish.” Azai tugged on Theodore’s paw, encouraging him to face the sun setting over the ocean. “Does that spark anything?”

“It is not so easy to bring my subconscious to the forefront.” Theodore turned away from the view and continued along the shoreline.

“You can’t tell me that you don’t look at that and some part of you thinks…” Azai stared into the water, tapping his thigh. “The bright, golden waves ignite my passion for my even brighter, golden-er jackal.”

“You’re trying too hard again. And you’re not even that gold.”

Azai looked down at himself. “Dang, I hadn’t realized that my winter coat is growing in.”

“Do you not like it?”

“I mean, russet is fine, but gold pops way more.”

“It’s cool that you can change color. I’m just black year round. Except I guess this gold part on my neck.”

“Would you like to be russet for a season?”

“Perhaps not.” Theodore took his paw away from Azai’s, grabbed a pen from his pocket, and wrote on his palm, where the fur is thin.

“Oh?” Azai edged closer to Theodore, but still couldn’t make out the words. “Is the beach actually helping you think of stuff?”

“A little. But I’m going to organize it.”

“Why?”

“Because otherwise it sounds stupid.”

“Not to me.”

“To me, though.” Theodore’s writing paused and he drummed him his pen on his wrist. “Can you try to be poetic again? It helps me generate my own ideas.”

“Or you just want to make fun of me.”

“I won’t, promise.”

“Okay.” With the sun giving its last flickers as it disappeared from the horizon, Azai looked for inspiration elsewhere. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sloshing of the waves, the salty fishy smells of the ocean, and… “The grains of sand tickling underpaw transports me to the scene of my bat’s fur against mine.”

“Hmm, I liked that more, but it’s still cheesy.”

“You promised!”

“Right, sorry.” Theodore shivered. “Let’s go back to the car.” As they walked, Azai continued his attempts at poetry. Theodore only wrote on his palm in response.

The car came into view. Theodore sprinted up the hill. He tugged on the door handle, but found it locked. “Open it.”

Once Azai caught up to him, he said, “Unfortunately, Mr. Dilaver has the fob. He should be close. Maybe you should get a thicker jacket.”

“I wasn’t planning on staying out past sunset.”

Azai held his arms out. “Maybe I can warm you up.”

Theodore turned to him and sniffed. “I smell a plot coming from you.”

“Okay, weirdo, stay cold.”

“What’s in your paw?”

Azai paused, wondering if he could wiggle his way out of the situation, but didn’t find one. “To be fair, you would have deserved it for breaking your promise.” He splayed his fingers, sand falling between them. “And I was going to help you get it out of your fur.”

“Why clean up a mess when you can just not make it?”

“Well, it could have been romantic to brush you.”

“You do strange things in pursuit of romance.”

Azai couldn’t deny that, so he stood in awkward silence.

A minute later, Mr. Dilaver appeared from around the corner of a building. “Sorry. I wasn’t sure when I was supposed to interrupt that conversation.” He clicked the fob and the car beeped. “Where are we going?”

Theodore responded, “I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing your mansion.”

Azai chuckled. “You’re going to be disappointed, but let’s go.”

During the car ride, Theodore stared at the writing on his palm, occasionally adding something. Azai didn’t want to bother him. But it got to the point where the silence was too awkward.

“Hey–”

“I think I’m ready,” Theodore interrupted.

“Okay, hit me.”

“Each lap of the waves

Each blow of the wind

Each beam of the sun

Has brought us here

Now I know your fur

Now I know your touch

Now I know your dreams

The truth is clear

We are intertwined

We are coalesced

We are predestined

By force unknown

Always I’ll prize you

Always I’ll hold you

Always I’ll breed you

‘Cause we’re soulmates”

Azai scooted closer to Theodore and laid his muzzle on his shoulder. “That was cute.”

“Was it? Now that I’ve said it aloud, it’s kinda cheesy.” Theodore looked at the writing on his paw. “Maybe I am trying too hard.”

“Hey, I liked it.” Azai placed a paw on Theodore’s cheek and turned his head to him. “Especially the last part.”

“Yeah the soulmate thing is the best.”

“I honestly forgot about that. Though I guess technically we were chosen to be together by a higher power. But I meant the line before that.”

“Ah, that part. I figured breeding was a big part of that letter so you’d like it.”

“As long as you keep that promise.” Azai leaned in a little closer till their lips grazed, but his seatbelt locked around him.

Theodore didn’t budge, letting them sit there in a limbo of almost kissing. “I intend to fulfill my promise very soon.” He bridged the small gap between their lips, wrapping his arms around Azai’s neck and tugging him closer.

Azai flicked his tongue into Theodore’s mouth and played around. Grasping Theodore’s shirt, he–

“I hate to interrupt,” Mr. Dilaver said. “But I figure you two would prefer to continue inside.”

Theodore broke the kiss. “Very much so.” After they exited the vehicle and Mr. Dilaver drove to the garage, Theodore beheld Azai's house. “Only two stories? Now that I think about it, how would you be rich off of an archaeologist’s salary?”

“We’re not. My dad’s the CFO of a banking firm. As for the house, well, it’ll be easier to show you what we put the money into rather than unnecessary space.” Azai grabbed Theodore’s paw and they climbed the front steps. “I want you to try to open this door.” He unlocked it for him, then stepped aside.

Theodore pulled on the handle, but only managed to open it a little. He wedged his other paw in the crack, and slowly hefted it open. “Why is it so heavy?”

Azai held the door open so Theodore could go through before slipping in himself. “It’s blast-resistant, the entire house is.”

“Your parents are really paranoid.”

“You still don’t believe me?” Azai said as he deactivated the alarm next to the entrance.

“I…can’t think of another reason you’d have this many precautions. But it’s weird how normal you act about it.”

“Well, it’s normal to me. Anyway…” Azai looked to the floor as he mustered his courage. Do I even want the answer to that question? “Does knowing the danger I’m in make you want to protect me?”

Theodore chuckled. “I may be big, but you’re better off looking to your bodyguard for protection.”

“Yes!” Azai exclaimed with his tail wagging. He gave Theodore a peck on the lips before saying, “Kitchen, living room, bedroom.” He gestured to either side, then the stairs ahead. “Which way do you want to go?”

“Do I even need to answer that question?”

“I don’t know.” Taking Theodore’s paw, Azai guided him up the stairs. “Maybe you prefer a couch, or you’re hungry.”

“Now that you mention it, I am h–”

“Too late.” Azai tugged Theodore down the hallway and through his bedroom door. “Oh, before I forget.” He threw his coat over the camera hanging above the closet and overlooking the bed.

“Why do you have a camera in your room?”

“I needed to see where the letters were coming from.”

“Most people would have just stayed up through the night.”

“Maybe.” Azai shrugged, setting his keys on the nightstand.

“Wait.” Theodore stared at the keys. “Do you have a second car?”

“No. My parents each have one though.”

“Do you have a key for either of them?”

“No.”

Theodore pointed to the longest key on the ring. “So that car key has to be for your car. Earlier, you could’ve let me in the car, but decided to keep me out in the cold.”

“Yes, but…a guy has to get a hug somehow.”

Theodore grabbed Azai’s shirt and threw him onto the bed. “You’re about to get a lot more than that.” He climbed over him and pressed their lips together, shoving his tongue into this muzzle. He ran his paws down to the buttons of Azai’s shirt.

Lost in the weight atop him, the dominance of the tongue in his mouth, and the sharp scent of growing arousal, it took Azai a while to realize Theodore was struggling with the buttons. He batted his paws away, then unbuttoned it himself. He shrugged his shirt off.

Theodore glided his fingers up through Azai’s chest fur, tweaking his nipples as he passed, the sensation a spike of pleasure. His paws reached his muzzle, then his ears. As he caressed them, he withdrew from the kiss. Azai tried to follow him, but Theodore held his head still. His stare gave him chills and made him stop resisting.

“Stay,” Theodore said as he rose to his knees, still straddling Azai. He unbuttoned his sleeves, which freed his wings, then tossed off his shirt, revealing the sea of black fur on his torso. “There’s something I need to confirm with you.” He shuffled his pants and underwear down to his knees, which showed off even more black. The only exceptions were his amber eyes, the gold of his neck, and his pale pink cock jutting from his sheath. “Is it too big for you?”

It seemed small proportionately. But when Azai grabbed it, he realized he would need three paws to cover it lengthwise. “I was made to take it.”

“Us being soulmates doesn’t necessarily m–”

“You’re ruining the moment. Besides, it would be easier to judge like this.” Azai sat up. Even though Theodore was on his knees atop him, Azai’s muzzle was level with Theodore’s hips. He brought his nose to the tip of Theodore’s cock. A sniff and a lick discovered a muted musk. When he wrapped his lips around it, he only tasted flesh. He teased the urethra with his tongue, earning a gasp from Theodore, before sliding his muzzle down the shaft. He only managed to fit a little over half, but enjoyed the weight of it. After pulling out an inch, he slammed the rest of the length down his throat. It only ached when his lips unfolded Theodore’s sheath and met his pubic fur. Here, the salty taste of sweat exploded on his tongue.

“That’s impressive,” Theodore said with a shaky voice. He placed a paw on Azai’s head, circling the base of his ears. “How long can you stay like that?”

Azai’s eyes widened. He didn’t take a deep breath beforehand, but he would play along. To distract himself from his already-burning lungs, he swirled his tongue around the cock in his mouth. It throbbed. The pre shot down his throat and into his stomach.

The pain in his lungs became more insistent. His vision blurred, and his eyes fluttered shut. But his limbs still had strength. He could last a little longer. If given a proper start, he could last d–

Theodore yanked Azai off his cock. “I meant without passing out.”

Azai was gasping for air, but tried to speak anyway, “It’s a…perfect fit.” He waited for the burning in his lungs to dissipate before continuing, “So perfect…that I can definitely say…I was made to take it.”

“Are you okay?”

“Better than.” Azai flopped onto his back, which did wonders for catching his breath. “Just take over.”

Theodore leaned down and nuzzled Azai’s neck. His fingers traveled down to his torso, disappearing in Azai’s russet fluff. When he arrived at his pants, he said, “Why are all your buttons so small?”

“Why are your paws so big?”

“The better to hug you with.” Theodore fiddled with the button once more before scooting down and lowering his head to it. He bared his fangs. “And these, the better to eat you with.” He bit off the button.

“Fancy yourself a wolf now?”

“Big bad bat has a better ring to it.” Theodore finished taking Azai’s pants and underwear off, then said, “Hmm, the knot in my dream was a lot bigger.” He gripped Azai’s erect cock, leaving only the slight bulge at the base exposed.

“Well, there is one way to make it bigger.” Azai attempted to thrust into the paw, but Theodore’s other paw held his hips down.

“There’s way more than one. There’s the obvious.” Theodore stroked down Azai’s shaft and pulled back his sheath, the musk there making his nose twitch. He continued at a languid pace. When Azai’s breathing quickened, he stopped and said, “Then there’s the slightly less obvious.” He lolled his tongue out and onto Azai’s dribbling tip. He dragged it down Azai’s dick, past his balls, and to his tailhole.

Azai’s breath hitched. It had been too long since he had been rimmed! Only his soulmate would do so without him even asking.

Theodore lapped over Azai’s tailhole continuously. Each time with a little more force, until he penetrated, only to slip back out. Azai squirmed at the teasing. Stopping him, Theodore hefted Azai’s legs onto his shoulders, then yanked his hips closer to his muzzle, his ass now hovering over the bed. His tongue probed deeper. When it hit his prostate, Azai’s cock squirted precum. It landed on his own lips. Theodore’s tongue stilled as he stared at Azai. The command was clear. He darted his tongue out of his mouth and scooped up his own pre. He didn’t enjoy the bitter taste, but moaned at the renewed vigor of the tongue in his ass. Every time Azai’s dick shot pre, he licked it up before the tongue inside him had a chance to stop. Theodore gripped Azai’s knot. He alternated between squeezes there, and prods at his prostate, making Azai’s cock constantly stream pre onto his torso and snout, which he eagerly cleaned up. Azai’s knot started to inflate. Theodore withdrew his paw and his tongue slithered out of his ass.

Azai writhed in frustration. “Hey, I was about to show you how big it gets.”

“I’m a patient bat,”

“But I’m not a patient jackal.”

“I know.” Theodore grabbed Azai’s legs that were still on his shoulders. “How flexible are you?”

“Fairly?”

Theodore crawled forward, forcing Azai’s legs to fold over himself. His cock hit the base of Azai’s tail, then trailed up to his tailhole. “Where’s your lube?”

Azai reached for the nightstand, but his arms were too short. “Drawer.”

After grabbing the bottle from there, Theodore opened it and poured all of it onto his cock. The lube flowed down his shaft, onto Azai’s ass, then down to the rest of his body, soaking him.

“It’s not the edible kind,” Azai said.

“I know.” Theodore lined himself up, and slipped his tip in.

It stung. Azai tried to hide the displeasure as Theodore studied his face. Seemingly, he succeeded. Theodore slid in another inch, then withdrew to the tip, then another two inches. The slow, rocking rhythm stretched Azai open. Theodore’s balls hung low enough that Azai felt them brushing against his tail, and indicated how deep he was. When Azai had taken half of the shaft, he winced. Theodore’s paw brushed Azai’s nipple, then circled his areola, while his other massaged his ear. The mix of pleasurable and comforting sensations overwhelmed any discomfort. Slowly, in the same rocking rhythm, Theodore stuffed more and more of his cock in. His balls reached the base of Azai’s tail. Theodore fucked with about half his length, while watching Azai’s face. When Theodore bumped his prostate, Azai moaned and his cock leaked.

Theodore smiled at the reaction. “I’m going to breed you now,” he said.

Azai stifled a laugh. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

“I’ll have you know I’m new to this breeding roleplay.”

“Here’s a tip.” Azai wrapped a paw around Theodore’s muzzle and held it closed. “Tell me that with your hips.”

Theodore pulled almost all the way out, then slammed back to the hilt. Azai was only given a moment to breathe before Theodore continued drilling his ass. Each thrust forced the air out of his lungs and crushed him into the bed, making his back ache. But he didn’t care. His ass was ablaze in pleasure. And the tingles spread up his cock, causing it to spray pre onto his chest. The bitter musk mingled with the smell of the vanilla-scented lube.

Theodore grabbed his knot, directing the jets of pre onto Azai’s lips. His grip became iron around the knot, tighter than the clench of any ass. Combined with the continued slams to his prostate, Azai could only yelp and writhe. His knot struggled to inflate, but managed. He was on the precipice. And was thrust over when Theodore shifted his grip to include behind his knot.

Pure ecstasy flowed up and out of his cock. His own cum shot into his mouth and suppressed his moans. The taste was bitter but he swallowed as Theodore continued aiming the jets at him.

His ass clamped down on the cock inside him, which had stilled. Each clench earned a huff from Theodore. His grip on Azai’s shaft loosened, and the weaker spurts of cum instead painted Azai's russet fur white. Without a tie, Azai’s knot deflated quickly.

Usually the floaty pleasure would fade with his knot, but it persisted. It wasn’t a continued orgasm, but an amplified afterglow. For the first time in his life, he was sharing intimacy with someone he could actually see a future with. Somebody who wouldn’t constantly fuss over his safety, and he just remembered, was his soulmate.

Azai realized had been spacing out into Theodore’s eyes.

“I see you’ve returned,” Theodore said. He closed Azai’s mouth and encouraged him to swallow his own cum that was apparently still on his tongue. “I’m close. Are you ready?”

Azai nodded.

Theodore withdrew his cock halfway, then slammed back in. His slow, powerful pace still shook Azai’s entire body, but was gentler on his sensitive ass. Theodore leaned down and kissed Azai, his tongue languid in his mouth. Every time he hilted, he groaned into his mouth.

Azai mustered the strength of his sore anal muscles, and clenched. Theodore’s body shook. His tongue stilled in Azai’s mouth. His moans became protracted. He grabbed Azai by the shoulders, forcing him into his hips as he tried to reach deeper inside him. His dick twitched once, twice before flooding Azai’s ass.

Azai’s paw landed on his stomach. He had never felt the warmth so deep before, nor had it spread so quickly. He never imagined being filled this much without pain. And he would receive this wonderful stuffing many more times in the future.

Theodore broke the kiss, breathing heavily. “Now you’re bred.”

“I suppose I am.” Azai chuckled. “You could even say I’m a sandwich, since you folded me over and stuffed me with meat.”

“Shut up.” Theodore let Azai’s legs fall onto the bed, then he plopped on top of him.

Azai wheezed, “Heavy.”

“And you’re sticky,” Theodore said as he shifted his weight enough for Azai to breathe.

With Theodore’s cock still trickling in his ass, Azai felt so full that it was like a food coma. He quickly slipped into unconsciousness.

*

Azai woke when Theodore peeled off of him. “Why are you getting up? It’s so early.”

“I’ve got class in an hour.”

“You can’t skip it this once?”

“No,” Theodore said as he was getting dressed. “What do you have for breakfast?”

“You’d have to leave now to make it to class. Uni is forty minutes away.”

“Fuck. The drive didn’t seem that long.”

“I wonder why?”

Theodore shook his head at the faded writing on his paw, then looked back to Azai. “Are you coming with?”

“Nah, I still got time to get more sleep.” Azai slumped back into bed. “Just ask Mr. Dilaver to drive you. He lives around back.” A piece of paper appeared above him and landed on his face. “Huh, I–”

“It’s real?!”

“Stop shouting.”

Theodore reached up and tapped the ceiling. “There has to be a trick.”

“Is whatever’s in this letter getting you all worked up? I promise not to read it, okay?” As Azai handed Theodore the letter, he noticed the golden letters appearing in a slow flourish. “Huh, that’s a cool effect.”

Theodore followed the revealing text with a finger. “Yeah, I fucked up.”

“No you didn’t. I don’t care what the letter says.”

“You don’t understand.” Theodore grabbed his coat from the floor and took a block of metal from the pocket, with the old letter somehow stuck to it. He tore the back of the old letter, revealing it to actually be two papers glued together, then pointed to a metal strip between the papers that the metal block is stuck to. “It was just a magnet.”

“What? Why?”

“Because… At first, I thought you were fucking with me. Ranting about magic, showing me some fanfic you wrote about yourself, and offering me money. It was either that or you were crazy. But then I found out that it’s a common story in mythology, and I felt like an idiot for not knowing. You were clearly trying to do a roleplay tailored to my interests. But I messed it up, and needed to find a way to reveal that the thoughts in the letter were mine without breaking continuity. So I made something up, and you played along and it was perfect.”

“Okay, I think I’m following you. But none of that means it’s not your thoughts in the letters.”

“Just listen to this.” Theodore's eyes flicked to the new letter in his other paw, and he cleared his throat. “‘His radiant beauty never leaves my mind, like his image has been stamped on my very soul. But that stamp never satisfies. I crave his essence from the source. But still I must wait.’” He tossed the letter at Azai. “I’m going to class.”