FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Snow Dawgs

Chapter 2

By Roofles

I didn’t so much as wake up as I did just open my eyes. I felt groggy, tired, sore and… full. I wasn’t sure how much I drank, but it had to have been a lot. Parts of the previous night were fuzzy, and I could still taste the ale on my breath. It wasn’t the only thing. I wasn’t back in my college days. Couldn’t just drink and party one night and expect to get up for class the next day.

The body gets old and this morning I felt it.

The things I did recall didn’t exactly make me feel like an upstanding citizen. Didn’t make me want to crawl out of this bed. In fact, those things made me want to crawl further under those sheets and never show my miserable face again. The pounding in my forehead however made me think otherwise.

Guilt crept in with that hangover.As I lay there in the middle of the morning just staring at the opposite wall. Guilt. Its merciless talons began to rake into my heart as flashes of what I had done played before my eyes. My mind showing me things I rather not think about. At least I could say I didn’t cry. Not yet, anyways.

I needed to talk to Hunter.

Even after what had just happened… I needed to confront him, explain, apologize, and officially at least break up with the German Shepherd. He wasn’t good boyfriend material that was for sure. Still, that didn’t make him a bad guy. I didn’t plan for this. Any of this. Even coming to this lodge had been a last-minute thing! That was just me trying to blame someone else for my mistakes. Fully knowing that the only one in the wrong, was myself…

This was so unlike me. I planned everything out to a fault and now, here I was. Laying in someone else’s bed butt naked with them. Inadvertently trying to find someone to blame for what had happened. On an impulse? A desire? Was it lust? No… it was more like from neglect.

I truly was pathetic.

Auto was snoring next to me. The older blue heeler face was set in a soft smile as he slumbered away, droning on like a hacksaw. In the morning light from the lamp we never turned off, I could see he had a bit of gray in his muzzle. I didn’t mind. The snoring, the smell of his morning breath. That mixture of hot tub and musk coming from his fur… it was nice. His age had never been a problem for me. Not before, not now. I wasn’t mad at Auto for any of this. How couldn’t I be? This was my fault, my choice and I needed to be a man about it.

And try to hide the fact I had cheated on my boyfriend until my dying day. Not even revealing the truth to my closest loved ones on my death bed. The real trick was getting Auto to play along.

Not exactly the noblest of gestures I thought but it was good enough to get me out of that bed; not before petting the side of Auto’s face for some time and watching him sleep. I’m glad it had been Auto last night. In the mood I had been in? I might’ve just slept with anyone. Who knows who else it could have been if he hadn’t found me. If he hadn’t saved me… He was my knight in furry armor.

And despite the way I felt, I could at least smile. Looking into that grizzled, gray fur face. “Thank you.” I whispered back the words Auto had said to me the previous night. I should’ve been the one thanking the blue heeler, saving me from myself.

I ended up kissing his nose despite my better judgement. His whiskers wiggled, and he wrinkled that black button nose of his rather cutely. Auto didn’t wake up. He was passed out. If it wasn’t for the fact I needed to take one hell of a piss, I would’ve been too.

Butt naked I snuck my way over the carpeted floor and into the restroom, slowly closing the door. The tile floor was heated to my surprise. It was pleasant. I drained the horse hard, not caring if some of it didn’t get into the bowl as I just groaned, holding the wall for support and trying not to look at the mirror next to me.

I was a wreck. Blood shot eyes. Heavy bags underneath them. I had a bit of a stubble going on that needed a good shave. My hazelnut curly hair was even more of a mess than normal. Frankly? There might as well be a big fat red letter A stamped onto my forward. As I looked into my own reflection eyes, that guilt was spelled on them.

I tried to evacuate the evidence, flush it away but I could still feel the weight of Auto inside me as I just touched my stomach looking at it. That dog had some juice in those nuts.

“That was the first time…” I muttered, shaking my head and instantly regretting it, holding it after due to the pounding I felt. I found some aspirin in the bathroom bag Auto had brought along for the trip. “That was the first time I never used a condom.” I’d have to ask Auto later to make sure he had been a “good boy” and didn’t have the clap or anything. Man, the way I was feeling? I felt… as if I deserved such a thing to happen to me.

Wouldn’t have been the first time I heard about it happening. Cheating just once and getting an STD from it. After all, most people who’d just sleep with a guy like me… probably slept around. It was how their partner found out about it. Then ended up going on some talk show confronting them about it…

I turned the shower on and tried to wash off the shame. I ended up using the body soap the lodge provided. I wasn’t that stupid and knew if I hadn’t any of the other dogs would be able to smell Auto on me. Thankfully, it had been the first night we had been here, and the towels were nice and fresh as I finally stepped out. Auto hadn’t marked them yet with his musk.

It was cold in the bedroom. Auto not needing to turn on the heater it seemed. That and the fact I didn’t have any clothes to put on after.

“Fuck.” I bit my finger as I looked around the room. What could I possibly use to sneak back to my room? I needed to go outside to grab the clothes I had left near the jacuzzi.

I hoped Auto wouldn’t mind as I grabbed the bathrobe behind the bathroom door and slipped it on. Along with the fuzzy slippers provided by the lodge. I flushed the toilet, not wanting to be rude, and was glad to see other than a snort; Auto didn’t wake up from the sound.

It was a freezing morning and I didn’t get three steps outside to find that the jacuzzies had people in them. Junkyard the Doberman was sitting next to a pit bull I didn’t recognized. I quickly slipped back inside before they spotted me.

I didn’t see my clothes, but the old beer bottles were still out, and I ended up cursing again. I didn’t want Hunter to find out before I could tell him. That would even hurt him more than it already was going too. Sucking it up I left the room into the main hallway and headed down to Hunter’s door. I tried to keep quiet as I knocked several times.

No one answered.

That bothered me, but I didn’t think much about it as I knocked a couple more times. Until the point my knuckles were raw and bloody. I just wanted to get inside. I didn’t want anyone to find me out here.

The door behind me opened. “Doug?” Buddy said waking up from the sound. The golden retriever was rubbing sleep from his eyes still. His long bangs covered even his paws a bit as he rubbed them.

“Hey, sorry bro.” I tried to play it off. Buddy eyes looked me over and then stopped at my hand. I hid it with my other. “I didn’t mean to wake you… I… uh… was locked out.” I lied easily enough, knowing Buddy would buy it. As sweet as the golden retriever was, he was extremely gullible. It was hard not to take advantage of him.

If you told him to go to the store and buy greaseless bacon, he would. I was not proud to say I had done that to him. Only as a joke. In the end he ended up calling me, apologizing to me that he couldn’t find it. Three hours later. I felt terrible.

And here I was again lying to the golden retriever who had only ever treated me as a friend. I was one hell of a shitty friend.

“Bro.” Buddy just said taking a step out into the hallway. He was wearing a pair of loose black boxer shorts with tennis balls on them and nothing else. I tried not to smile at that.

Buddy looked even more frazzled than he normally did. His scruffy, fuzzy, hairy body was a mess. The golden retriever really needed a good fur-cut; a sort of whole body hair cut. It took time and a bit of money from what I heard, and he claimed, even in summer, it wasn’t that bad. In the dead of winter? It must’ve been like wearing your own space heater. Lucky bastard.

Buddy took another step forward and I tried to take a step back. Instead I ended up moving into his hug as he pulled me against his shoulder. I felt his black paw pads rub the back of my hand as he pushed his body against me as he cooed softly. Soothing me.

“I heard…” Buddy just said. He never was one to hide things from me. Or from anyone. “Last night.” He pulled back so I could look into those warm eyes nearly hidden under his golden locks. “I didn’t mean too!” He quickly added taking a step back and looking even more frazzled, if that was possible. “I-I just happened to be getting my midnight snack when…” He pushed two fingers together not looking at me. “And that’s when I heard you and Hunter begin to argue.”

I was relieved! Then embarrassed. I was afraid he had been talking about what happened with Auto and I. It wasn’t exactly a secret among the other dogs that Hunter and I were having troubles. It was nearly every day it seemed that the two of us were arguing about something.

“Sorry.” And I did mean it. I hated bringing other people into my problems. The other canines loved to gossip and the news of us had spread throughout the community we lived in faster than a forwarded email. Or a cat meme. Or something else relevant nowadays.

Man, I was getting old.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Buddy ended up saying quickly waving his arms. “No problem at all!” He said loudly and then winced. Giggling a little and looking at me. “Sorry. Really. None of us mind.” Buddy’s tail wagged, making me wonder if anything could get his spirits down. “We talk about it all the time.”

That made me frown. Sometimes his bluntness could be a curse.

“Really, huh?” I just groaned. Buddy seeming to miss how much it bothered me.

“I mean, sure. I’m sorry to see you two not working out… but!” Buddy just smiled and wagged. “At least you managed to get a free lodge trip out of it! Before, like, breaking up and whatever.” He just shrugged a shoulder as if it was really wasn’t that big of a deal. He was such a dude-bro sometimes. “How about we go downstairs and grab a mimosa and like…a… uh… crepe platter? Whatever the rich people eat!” Buddy just chuckled.

“No drinks for me. Not for a long time.” I tried not to throw up at the very thought. I shook my head. “I just need too…” I didn’t get further as a rather loud voice piped up behind us.

“What are the chances of meeting you guys here?” Junkyard came out of one of the rooms at the end of the hall, spying us and quickly marched his way over. His thin fur clung to his well sculptured body. He was wearing what looked like swim trunk briefs and little else. They weren’t wet, however. Did he just put on a new pair of briefs and called it good?

For some reason that bothered me more than anything else this morning was. I just frowned at them disapprovingly.

“Whoa! Dude! Man, so good to see you! How are the wife and kids?” Buddy just played along going over to greet him. They didn’t hug it out and I could see Buddy’s nose twitch, spying the fact Junkyard was still soaking wet from the hot tub.

“Oh, you know. Prison. Dead. Divorce. Divorce. Suicide. I think Suzy is running to be some kind of politician.” Junkyard just counted out his imaginary family on his fingers. He stuck out his tongue at the end. I will say this. Junkyard had one of this widest, reddest tongues I have ever seen.

Buddy winced at the end. “A politician? Ouch. That’s rough.” And the two of them nodded sadly at that.

“Oh, hey.” Junkyard said looking over at me. He offered the thing he had been holding. “These yours?” He asked showing me the pants I had been wearing last night. And had left near the jacuzzi.

“Yes! Thank you.” I said reaching for them. Junkyard pulled it out of my reach at the last second.

“Yeah, funny. I found these like outside. Near those spa things on the deck.” The Doberman smirked knowing more than he was letting on as he looked at me.

“Yeah. I got in… early this morning.” I gestured down to what I had been wearing. At least the bathrobe and slippers sold it rather well.

“Mh-hm.” Junkyard just smiled and finally offered my pants back. “Well, put ‘em on. We got breakfast! You must be starving… after last night.” He muttered in my ear as he walked past me, stopping just long enough to say that. “I’m starving!” He ended saying after and getting Buddy to tag along.

I blushed hard, hoping Junkyard was just teasing me. He did have that kind of personality. He couldn’t possibly know more than that, right?

I found my card key and went back into my room. Hunter wasn’t in here. The bed wasn’t made and I knew he had at least slept here last night. I wondered if he stayed up waiting for me... To be safe, I checked the bathroom, closet and even under the bed before dressing for the day.

I’d have waited in the room all day if I had too for Hunter to return. Today just wasn’t my day however. Luck was not on my side. Not even a minute passed before there was a knock on the door. I got up, rushing over, hoping it was Hunter. Buddy was standing there.

“Dude! I know things are like rough and such, but food!” He was salivating and let me tell you, when a dog drools? It’s not the most attractive of things.

Buddy snatched my hand before I could stop him and for a guy roughly my size, Buddy was incredibly strong. He pulled me into the hall and then down the stairs back into the main lobby. We turned down the side hallway and all the way into the dining room.

It was a larger room than I expected. A nice all-purpose kitchen was set up on one side of the room with a long table taking up most of it. In the back was an empty buffet that I was sure the staff were going to fill with breakfast food soon enough. Every seat was taken at the table except the last two near the end. Right next to none other than Auto.

I gave him a cringe worthy smile. He ignored me, not that I blamed him.

Several of the other guys looked over at me, then began whispering amongst themselves again. Now it really did feel like I had GUILTY stamped over my forward. Buddy led me towards the end seats, still holding my hand.

“This place serves the best bacon!” The golden retriever told me as we sat down. He was shaking a little, excited as he sniffed at the air drooling some more. A couple of the lodge staff came in with food and began cooking it in the kitchen for us. Looked like there were eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, sausage, several type of fruit being freshly sliced. How expensive was this damn place? I really needed to pay Auto back... Hopefully, soon.

Buddy didn’t look like he could contain himself much longer.

“The foods good here, huh?” I asked Auto. The blue heeler gave me a curt nod. I frowned a little, wondering if I had offended him somehow. I did leave early in the morning. Maybe he was going to deny what happened like I had been planning to do.

“Bacon, bacon, bacon.” Buddy pounded his closed fists on the table starting a chant.

“Great sausages here too. Douglas.” Junkyard, who was sitting across from us, turned away from the pitbull I didn’t catch the name of yet to look at me. The way he said that made me flush, trying not to let it be TOO obvious I knew what he was talking about. The Doberman had a nose of well… a bloodhound!

“I bet.” I just chuckled along, feeling hot around the neck now. Auto didn’t even seem to notice Junkyard had said a thing. I respected his restraint not to strangle the Doberman like I wanted to do. I wondered if I could get away with the murder before anyone else here could stop me?

“You going to go back for… seconds?” Junkyard only asked, resting an elbow against the table and staring right at me. Smirking.

I didn’t know what I had done in a previous life to deserve this, but I was sorry!

“It’s good to have a healthy breakfast!” Buddy butted in thankfully. He was loud, energetic and it did take some of the focus off of me. “Now. Even though it’s good, make sure to stay away from the carbs.” Buddy continued. “Breads? Bangels? Hashbrowns? Evil! Carb filled! All of them.” He shook his head. “Leave that for the fat cats.”

I had forgotten that Buddy was a dietitian. He worked at one of the local gyms focusing on each person individual needs. The golden retriever had offered it to me a couple of time, for free no less. I wasn’t a fitness buff. Usually I hated it when he got on one of these rants. Right now? I could’ve kissed the dumb bastard.

“Now, you’d think something like grapes, strawberries and blueberries would be good for you right? Wrong!” He said going at it in full work mode. “In proper moderation everything is ok.” Buddy sat back down, scratching under his chin. “Still, I wouldn’t risk it. Plenty of better, non-sugar filled vegetables out there.”

For such a slob, he really knew his stuff. Buddy had helped Junkyard lose a ton of weight, I soon found out. It was a strict regimen. Throwing out everything in their fridge and replacing it with controlled quantities of healthier choices. Buddy could be a drill sergeant when it came to this. Kind of an attractive quality, I won’t lie.

“But bacon is ok, huh?” I just had to ask. I found myself smiling despite the conversation topic. Buddy was energetic and when he talks his expression changed with nearly every word he spoke. There was clearly a passion to what he did and he loved doing it. I envied that work ethic.

“You just need to know how.” Buddy just winked knowingly at me now. I wasn’t sure why he patted my thigh after saying that. The canine could be way too friendly sometimes. “Eating egg whites only instead of with the yolks? Bam!” He smacked his hands together, not even seeming to mind how loud he was being. “You can replace that cholesterol with good old bacon!”

I did laugh at that. The sound of it made Buddy’s face brighten even more. Man, I loved this guy. He was a great way to lift my spirits.

That didn’t last long as a couple of seats down from where Buddy and I were sitting, I spotted Hunter. The German Shepherd of course had his phone out and was busy texting on it. I noticed he had an earbud in. Every now and then, Hunter would look over at us. Then back at his phone.

He wanted to make sure he knew I was there but wasn’t saying going to say hi. How was he mad at me? My face went red, realizing evening though he didn’t know what I had done… And I… I had no right to be mad at him. I was the one that made the mistake.

My anger settled down as quickly as it had picked up.

“Hunter!” I groaned before Junkyard even stood up. The Doberman rising up and drawing the attention of everyone in the room as he continued to talk. “Why don’t you come down here and take my seat? Sit next to your boyyyyfriend.” He dragged the word out. Some of the other canines snickered and he walked past the pit bull who looked at the Doberman, then over at me and then back at Hunter.

The German Shepherd sunk down in his seat a little more, not even looking at the Doberman who walked over and began badgering him now about it. Hunter did not like to be the center of attention. That was a myth the straight people created about us gays.

“You did invite him, right?” Junkyard rubbed Hunter’s shoulder, painfully hard from the looks of it. “Shouldn’t you guys, be like, up in your room? Enjoying things…?” He added lewdly with his tongue out. “Unless…” He stopped, slapping a hand to one side of his muzzle looking around the room in shock. “Did… did something happen?”

I deserved this treatment, not Hunter.

“Dude, come on.” I was the one to say, not sure when I had suddenly grown the pair to do so. I stood up, pushing my chair back. “Leave it alone.”

“What? I was just asking a simple question.” Junkyard batted his eyes at me innocently. It made me sick. My hand gripped the back of my chair as he went on. “Unless… you had something to say?” He added, eyebrows lowering as he gave out a soft growl.

It was interesting to see how a dog’s features could change so drastically. One second his ears were up, tail wagging playfully. The next they were down, eyes shooting daggers at me as he bared his teeth sending shivers down my spine.

“I…” I started, flushing now. Shit! Did he somehow know? I looked over at Auto, only showing my guilt even further. The blue heeler was about to stand up when someone else spoke up.

“I tried to sleep with him.” It was the pitbull of all people. That caught everyone, myself included, off guard. The dog yawned loudly, scratching his chest. “Last night. I caught some human out in the jacuzzi. I didn’t know he was dating anyone. I was drunk. I hit on him. Tried to get in his pants.” He just shrugged a broad shoulder. “Dude ran off butt naked forgetting his clothes. I didn’t want to say anything… I’m sorry, ok?” He added looking at me and then over at Hunter.

Finally Hunter sat up at that, actually growing a spine. “The fuck, Duncan!” The German Shepherd nearly shouted, baring his own teeth now at him.

“Relax. He turned me down.” The pitbull just raised his hands. Like his chin, the white fur gave way to a very faint pink flesh that seemed to glow lightly due to the colorless fur in these spots. The rest of him was a darker gray. Duncan had a strong build, top heavy with firm legs as he stood up. “I’ll leave if you like.”

Hunter got up too. “I think that’d be best!” The two of them though looked over at Auto at the end of the table. “Well?” Hunter spat.

“We all make mistakes…” Auto, the alpha, said slowly. It was clear he was choosing his words carefully. The older dog had been the one to do the deed. I wasn’t sure if he had asked Duncan to cover for us or what. “He owned up to it.” Auto coughed in his hand. “He didn’t know… he was drunk. Hammered… sloshed. Depressed. Lonely…. It was late. Shit happens.” I wasn’t sure if he was covering for Duncan now or himself.

“Right…” Hunter didn’t seem pleased but at least came over. “Sorry.” He said to me, making me feel worse. “I thought… I’m sorry for suspecting something.” He finished with.

“I-it’s fine…” I said feeling like a piece of shit as we kissed. My heart wasn’t in it, how could it be?

Buddy took Junkyard seat, Hunter sitting next to me and for the rest of breakfast we talked it all out. Hunter wanted to show me what he had been texting. Promising he’d be more open.

“I just feel like an idiot, is all.” Hunter continued after the plates were licked clean. I didn’t eat much, unable to stomach more than a few bites. Thankfully Buddy finished it off for me. The golden retriever just said he’d be adding a couple more laps to his workout this afternoon.

“It’s ok, really. You don’t need to keep apologizing.” I tried to comfort him, knowing I was the last one that had the right too. I couldn’t help but notice how Auto was watching the two of us. It made the guilt inside all the worse.

“I just… look. It’s called networking. You know what that is, right?” Hunter started up. I just nodded. I wasn’t that old! “So, there’s been this talk back home about one of the locals Djs stepping down. One of my friends,” he showed me the friend as if to remove any suspicion about them. “He’s been keeping me up to date about it. I plan on going there during New Years to play! It could be my big break…” He smiled, his eyes heavy from lack of sleep. “I didn’t want to jinx it by talking about it. I mean, I was afraid something bad would happen!” And he gave a weak chuckle.

It really did seem he was putting a lot of work and effort into this unaware what had actually happened. Damnit, if Hunter had only said something soon… I wanted to say. This was just the tip of the iceburg of problems between the two of us. Still, now what he said only made the matter worse.

“That’s sort of HOW you do this, if you are serious about it. And I am!” Hunter exclaimed, his tail wagged as he smiled at me.

“I’m proud of you.” I just said, placing my hand on top of his own on the table.

“Thanks… I just,” Hunter blushed a little as his ears folded back. It wasn’t like him to get so emotionally involved in things. “Thanks.”

The plates next to us clattered loudly as Auto got his things and took it off to the side to dump it off. The blue heeler left without another word. Leaving with heavy steps.

I got up to go after him. To apologize. To explain something… but it was too late. Damnit. Now I felt guilty about that. Maybe Auto had other plans? Was I just reading too much into this? I’m not sure… I still needed to talk to him. As well as Duncan about why he had done that.

Hunter got up, chuckling happily. Blissfully unaware. “Look. I need to make a few calls. Then, do you want to hit the slopes with me?” Hunter turned me around and gave me a smile. “I won’t be long enough for any of these bastards to hit on you, again.” He joked and laughed about it not even knowing how bad it had been.

He gave me another kiss, I couldn’t return it. Hunter was on his phone the next second and heading back towards the lobby. I just watched him go.

“I’ll miss him…” I thought to myself. Despite it all.

“Hey.” Junkyard came over as the others began to head on out themselves. “That was fun.” I nearly knocked him out as he gave me that smug ass smile. My fist clenched tightly, and he seemed to accept the challenge. “Shit happens, remember?” And he leaned in a bit closer. “You hurt Hunter? And I’ll make sure you regret it, you piece of shit.” And with a pat on the shoulder he headed off with that jolly give-no-fucks attitude.

I shivered at the threat, knowing he meant it. Once I got out of here. I needed to find a new place to live…

The Kennel was an apartment complex downtown, near the bad (at least poor) part of town. I didn’t have much choice after I was kicked out from my old place, long story. Hunter, who I had been seeing off and on, was the one to recommend me putting in an ad in. Auto replied the very same day saying I could drop by.

Auto said he liked my character and that’s why I got the place. Damn, I feel like scum. Auto misjudged me. I needed to apologize to the blue heeler. Taking advantage of his kindness like this. I didn’t want him to think there was more to this than it was. Was there?

I shook the thought. I couldn’t focus on anything more until I dealt with what was on my plate already!

Everyone, other than the staff, had emptied out of the dining room. Except for the pitbull who was looking over the buffet table to see if there was anything left.

One of his ears twitched and he turned to look at me, holding a plate of food in his hand. He walked over. A part of me wanted to just book it, run for it, and never look back. Instead, I just stood my ground and let him walk over.

“Yeah?” Duncan asked. Before I could say anything, he burped loudly.Right in my face. It smelled like bacon and sausage. What a charmer…

I grimaced but didn’t let him see any other sign that it bothered me. “There’s other things than bacon and sausage.” I looked over his plate. He had grabbed what was left. The gristle and entrails. Lovely.

“Talk to Buddy.” He just grinned at me, a toothy sight. His muzzle filled my whole view and I did take a step back at that, at his amusement. I tried to save face.

“He never said it was good to lick the grease from the pan.”

“He never said not too.” Duncan just offered that heavy one shoulder shrug again. Picking up a piece of bacon bits between two fingers and opened his muzzle wide. I did look away as he just devoured it hungrily, drooling and slurping and gulping it down. Rubbing his gut after.

“Yeah… look, about the other night.” I tried to begin.

“It’s cool.” Duncan shrugged. “I drank SO fucking much, dude. I don’t even recall. If I hit on you? Just take it for the damn compliment it was.” Duncan gave a crude grin at that, licking his lips as I felt those greasy fingers grip my chin and tilt it up to look at him. “You are a cute thing, pup… Not surprised a guy like me would hit on you.”

I slapped his hand away and he just chuckled. I wiped my face off. “Disgusting.” I turned away.

“At least I don’t go sleeping around.” Duncan said to my back, stopping me in my tracks. He licked his fingers as I looked back at him. “Don’t know who with. Or when. But you don’t feel guilty unless you have done something bad, you know?” His nose twitched as he set the plate aside. “It could have easily been my drunk ass. Or, maybe, it was someone else.” His nose twitched again.

I blushed, still standing my ground. Running away would have been even more evident I had done something wrong. There was enough stacked against me.

“That’s a lot of shampoo you used… You got a bit of hair, not much fur though.” He added looking at the top of my shirt where you could make out a couple of chest hair. “Why did you feel the need to wash as much as you did?”

“You a cop?” I asked like a dumbass.

“Nope.” Duncan ended up just grinning at me, laughing. “I just love NYPD Blue!” And that did make me relax as he eased off. Shit, being guilty about something put you on edge about everything. I don’t know how murderers lived their daily lives.

“Shit. Nearly gave me a heart attack, ya bastard.” And I punched him on the chest. “Look. It’s ok. About the other night…” I played it off far smoother than I was comfortable with admitting. “Shit happens.” I needed to find Auto and turned, saying goodbye.

I wasn’t sure if Duncan watched me go. I didn’t look back. Forgetting about the pitbull. He did have a very cute pink nose. The same color as that soul patch on his chin and his fingertips. That hot pink flesh really showed through the white fur. My mind fell into the gutter wondering about other parts as I headed up the stairs.

“Oh, excuse me.” I said to the malamute who was barreling down the stairs. If Maximus didn’t catch me, I would’ve fallen backwards.

“Not at all!” He said enthusiastically as he sniffed me over to make sure I was unharmed. He set me down carefully, turned around and tried to go down the stairs. “My bad.” And ended up tripping over himself and rolling down the stairs with a crash.

“You ok?” I went back down the steps, thankful it wasn’t far from the bottom.

The fluffy red and white malamute rubbed the back of his head with a silly laugh. “Man, watch that last step! It’s a doozy.” He took my hand and I helped him up. “That’s two things now, I need to repay you.” He said moving a bit closer.

His thick neck fur tickled my nose. I could smell his musk. It was rather pleasant.

“No worries, really.” I just told him trying not to blush.

“I have a particular set of skills. I will find you. I will learn your name. And I will pay you back. I promise.” Maximus suddenly said dead-pan serious as he looked deep into my eyes. He had the biggest powder blue eyes I have ever seen in my life.

“Uh… thank you?” He gave me a hug and left as clumsily as he had arrived, tripping over one of the side plants. Thankfully it was made of plastic. He still spilled the soil inside out onto the floor.

“Everything is ok here! No need to pay this malamute any mind!” He said to the whole empty room and then giave me a wink, turned around and bent over to clean up the mess. Giving me a perfect view of his ass.

At least fapping alone tonight wasn’t going to be hard.

I headed back up the stairs, planning to go into our room and talk to Hunter. About what? I wasn’t sure. Should I just continue to deny until we were back home? Frankly, as cruel as that might sound. It might also be the nicest way of doing this.

First, I needed to apologize to Auto. I was totally not just avoiding Hunter as I walked past his room, hearing him talk inside, and down towards Auto’s room. I knocked a couple of times before trying the knob. It was unlocked, and I headed in.

“Uh… Auto? Are you in here?” I asked poking my head in.

I heard something fall in the bathroom and waited for Auto to come out. The older blue heeler did a couple of moments later, toothbrush in his muzzle.

“Hey.” I said, waving lightly. Unsure what else to do with my hands.

Auto lifted an eyebrow at me. “Douglas. Can I help you with something?” Auto’s candor left me a little sour.

“Well… about the other night.” I tried to start, taking a step forward. That did catch his attention somewhat and he pulled the toothbrush out of his muzzle enough to look at me. “I’m sorry. About what happened. It was a mistake. My mistake.”

Auto frowned at that. “Forget about it.” He waved it off. “There’s no need to think about it. What’s done is done. Just… go.” His eyes seemed to glaze over as he just looked right past me.

Fuck. “I’m sorry… when we get back, I’ll look for a new place to stay.” I just told him exactly how I felt and left it at that. He didn’t stop me. I didn’t deserve to be stopped. I ignored the tears in my eyes. They were my own fault.

I had squandered his generosity as much as I had hurt Hunter.

I just ended up tucking tail, wallowing my way back to Hunter’s room and joined him there. While I wanted to just lay on the bed and die; his offer to head to the slopes did provided a much welcome distraction.

“Sure.” I ended up saying only after Buddy barged into our room. The golden retriever was panting open maw.

“Did someone say the slopes!” He was jogging in place still from his laps around the lodge. Where he found the energy I would never know.

“Maybe we should just keep the door open? Not like it provides any privacy.” I joked, feeling exhausted even before I headed down with the two and towards the side of the lodge. Getting our gear was far more complicated than I was in the mood for.

They took a picture, kept our ID and even charged us a “safety fee.” I didn’t question it as I just nodded along and got on the ski lift with Buddy. Just wanting this all to be over and for tomorrow to be here already.

“I’ll join you when you come around!” Hunter said walking off a bit with his phone in hand. He was busy talking away on it once more. From the sounds of it, he was just congratulating himself about a job well done with one of his friends.

“Busy guy.” Buddy just jested playfully with me, nudging my side.

“Yeah.” I just nodded resting against the safety bar and watching the trees go by as we headed up to the top. Wondering if I fell from a height like this, would it kill me?