Something New
A couple decides to try something new on a fine, wintry evening.
For a change of pace, this is a little blurb about a couple trying new things.
They'd gone to an alleyway, the ochre light of sunset sending slanting rays of light down against one brick wall, shadowing the other. Russ, a mink in full winter coloration, smoothed down the front of his coat and exhaled, breath steaming in the frigid air.
"So, just to get the...process straight," Felix, a silvery furred fox, said, whiskers trembling, visibly anxious, "I...hit you. Right?"
"In the face," Russ confirmed, paws jammed deep in his coat pockets, chin tucked into his scarf, "hard."
For a moment the two of them were silent, staring at each other, squared off, a few feet apart. Felix clenched and unclenched his right paw experimentally, black fleece glove rimed with a few crumbs of frost. It was almost night now, the temperature was beginning to plummet, capping an already chilly winter day.
"If you don't want to-" Russ began, but Felix shook his head, paws held up.
"No no no," he interrupted, "we...we agreed. We'd, um...I guess, not kink shame or anything."
Russ managed to smile, a little chuckle cracking the surface of his nervousness. Taking his paws from his pockets, he smoothed back his white furred ears. Swallowed hard.
"I think the exact agreement was to try anything once...I-I mean, so long as you're not, like...you can be freaked out, I won't be mad."
Once again Felix shook his head, still looking vaguely guilty.
"No, I get it, like...intellectually. You're putting a lot of trust in me to...punch...you." He made a weak, demonstrative sort of jab, gloved fist traveling a few inches forward. "...Your first fight must've been a weird time, huh?"
Russ laughed, shaking his head.
"No...it's...I have to like the person who's doing the...punching," he reached out a fist, gently bumping Felix's knuckles with his own, "I'm giving them total control. Trusting them, like you said."
Felix couldn't help but notice Russ referring to the hypothetical punching partner (what even could he refer to said person as?) as an other. Not him. Russ was already getting ready to drop the whole thing and never bring it up again.
That made him feel weirdly guilty. A little bad, like he was failing his boyfriend in some major way.
"Okay," Felix took a deep breath, steeling himself, "I'm gonna...I'm gonna punch you in the face." He held up one fist, making sure it was formed the right way. The last thing he wanted was for a bruised Russ to be delivering him to an emergency room for a broken paw. That probably wouldn't look good.
Russ' paws returned to his pockets and he swallowed hard, eyes gone a little wider than usual. His fur had risen up slightly, but it wasn't nervous. Not really.
Still, Felix hesitated. He didn't want to hurt Russ, well, he was going to punch him, but...
"If you don't want to-" Russ began, and Felix, before he could stop himself, threw a half panicked little jab that knocked Russ back a step. His paws fluttered up to his face and he bent partially over, gasping in shocked surprise. Little crimson droplets pattered to the trampled snow.
"Oh shit, I'm sorry..." Felix winced, hands finding Russ' shoulders. He was shaking, he realized, genuine fright crackling within him, squeezing his heart.
Russ dropped his paws away from his face and looked up, blinking rapidly, tears shining at the corners of widened eyes. Crimson stained his muzzle, blood beading on his whiskers, dripping from his nose in a steady stream. His breath came in short little huffs, and before Felix could say anything, Russ had hugged him tightly, holding him close.
"...Was that too hard?" Felix asked, holding Russ close, stroking one gloved paw over his boyfriend's pinned back ears.
Russ shook his head slightly. Sniffled.
"No...that was nice." His voice had gone foggy with blood, the words trembly around the edges.
Felix couldn't help but laugh, half anxiety, half unfiltered relief.
"I think it might just be this one time." He said.
Russ nodded against his shoulder.
"I know," he said, then smiled to himself, "you looked really freaked out right after you hit me. Sorry I'm such a weirdo."
"You're not," Felix assured him, "...how about we go home and have a quiet evening."
Russ nodded, breaking the hug with some reluctance, blood smeared across his cheek, the shoulder of Felix's jacket damp with crimson.
"And watch something terrible on Netflix." He decided, offering his paw, which Felix promptly accepted.
They set off together, out of the alleyway and into the light of a dying sunset.