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Chapter Twenty Two

Marcus

Marcus yawned and rolled over.

Not having Ralph in his bed felt strange already, and he splayed his ears as he saw the empty space next to him.

He had slept on top of the covers rather than under them, the fur on the sheets still weirded him out. Marcus had also kept his underwear on in case Frank decided to walk upstairs.

He stretched and slid off the bed before sticking a paw down the back of his briefs as he wondered what to do.

Finding something to eat might be a start.

The Doberman’s clothes were still strewn all over his room and Marcus sighed as he looked at them.

“Yup Marcus, you kind of blew it,” he muttered to himself.

He knew it wasn’t his fault that the fur gotten in the bed, but part of his mind grudgingly admitted that Frank had a point; he had created the climate that had driven Ralph away, even if he wasn’t going to admit that out loud.

Marcus made his way downstairs.

Frank was sleeping on an airbed on the living room floor and Marcus peered through the door to see if he was awake. The wolf was curled up on the bed, almost tucking his hind-paws up to his chest. He was wearing a grey tank top with black and orange briefs. As Marcus crept into the living room he couldn’t help but grin as he noticed they had Andrew Christian on the waistband and a pouch at the front to put your cock in. He had never thought of Frank as the type of guy who would be interested in sexy underwear, let alone pairs that would enhance your sheath.

The wolf must have been having a pretty good dream as the pouch looked very filled out.

Marcus grinned, and then he also realised the position Frank was laying in was exactly the same as how the wolf had slept as a cub.

Marcus thought back to the first sleepover they had had when they were about thirteen or so at Frank’s parents’ place, and how they had begun to explore their feelings.

“Frank are you okay?”

“Uh, what? I was asleep.”

“You were sleeping kind of funny, all curled up and making strange sounds. I wondered if you were having a bad dream?”

“I was having a weird dream,” the wolf admitted. “That film we watched was creepy.”

“Are you scared of horror movies?” Marcus asked.

He couldn’t help but adopt a teasing tone.

“Hey, you’re scared of turkeys!” Frank retorted.

“That turkey was real though, Zombies vs Aliens is just a film.”

Marcus couldn’t help but smile at the fact they had told Frank’s mum and step-dad they were going to watch Toy Story before selecting the most gruesome horror flick they could find in the video collection.

“Hmm,” Frank huffed, pulling a face. “Everyone is afraid of something though. You once told me frogspawn scared you.”

“That’s true, it looks so weird,” Marcus sighed. The sight of the wolf looking worried caused Marcus to soften. “Um, why don’t we cuddle in the same bed?” he suggested.

“Huh?”

“I mean, if you’re scared I want to help you feel better,” Marcus continued.

He was sleeping on a camp bed on the floor while Frank was up on his own bed. The wolf rustled his Star Wars themed covers as he rearranged himself so he was facing Marcus. His expression was apprehensive but then he nodded and held up the duvet.

Marcus climbed up and snuggled next to Frank.

“Is this weird?” he asked.

“Kind of, but it also feels quite nice.”

“I never had any siblings to go to when I was scared at night,” Marcus sighed.

“Neither do I.”

Marcus rolled over so he was closer to the wolf. He couldn’t explain it, but there was a feeling on his stomach when he touched Frank or was close to him. The sort of feeling you got on a big rollercoaster; a moment of fear replaced by a feeling of fun.

He snuggled up closer and the wolf put an arm around him. Marcus smiled as the two of them drifted off to sleep.

As an adult Marcus knew exactly what the feeling was. That feeling had led them to deciding they were more than just friends a few years later.

A genuinely sympathetic smile spread across his muzzle as he watched Frank sleep.

The wolf stirred and stretched out.

“What time is it?” he yawned.

“Rise and grind, it’s almost nine,” Marcus replied.

“Yeesh, I didn’t mean to sleep for this long,” Frank said groggily.

“Nine is pretty early, by my book anyway,” Marcus shrugged. “It looks like part of you was up already.”

Frank looked down and pulled a sheepish face before he covered his enhanced bulge up with his paws.

“Oh, I see it was,” he coughed nervously.

“Come on Frank, if you buy underwear like that you should expect to put them to good use.”

“Twelve hours later and it seems you’ve gotten over Ralph leaving and are back to your snarky self,” Frank sighed as he sat up.

The mentioned of the Doberman’s name caused Marcus’ confident façade to crumble and he couldn’t stop his ears from drooping or his tail tucking itself behind his hind-paws.

“I haven’t,” he sighed. “I’m quite the opposite inside in fact.”

“I suppose I should know by now that your outgoing nature isn’t always because you’re cocky. You’re masking something else,” Frank said as he stood up and stretched.

“Yeah, that’s probably true,” Marcus mumbled.

“Shall I make us some tea?” Frank offered.

“No, I can do it,” Marcus replied, wondering if doing something productive would help him relax. “I have some bread too I can put in the toaster.”

He ambled to the kitchen, wondering when he had last made breakfast for Frank.

A good few years ago… no wait, I don’t think I ever did.

Ralph’s flatbread was still out so he shoved a couple of slices into the toaster before plugging the kettle in.

Behind him, he noticed Frank strip out of his tank top before rolling some deodorant on himself.

“Don’t look,” the wolf instructed.

“Okay,” Marcus said, turning away, although in the metallic reflection of the electric kettle he could see the wolf tug his briefs down. The outline of his cock was visible and it was just as big as Marcus remembered.

He stood still, transfixed by the sight.

Frank pulled on some clean briefs followed by a grey t-shirt and cargo shorts.

“You concentrating?” the wolf called.

“Huh, what?” Marcus replied, feeling alarmed that Frank had caught him spying. “I wasn’t watching, honest.”

“No, concentrating on breakfast. The toast is burnt,” Frank replied.

Marcus turned back to the toaster.

“Oh shit,” he gasped as he noticed wisps of black smoke rising up from the bread. “I didn’t realise it was on the highest setting.”

He popped the toast up to see it was burnt to a crisp.

“Here,” Frank said, walking over to retrieve two fresh slices from the bag. “I’ll do it, you sit down.” Marcus took a seat at the kitchen table and watched as Frank prepared breakfast. “I found a good, dark gabbro to cover the kitchen counters,” the wolf explained.

“Gabbro?”

“You asked for marble or granite, I think gabbro would be a good compromise,” Frank explained. “It’s what the city slickers like to have in their kitchens, so boom house sold quickly, but it won’t detract too much from the traditional décor of the kitchen.”

“Oh, I see,” Marcus replied.

Inside, he felt somewhat conflicted about the idea of someone else living in the house. Sure, it needed updating and it represented somewhere he wanted to escape from, but now Ralph had gone and Gareth had been in the house without permission, Marcus found himself becoming more protective out it.

“So, I was thinking cream walls and dark gabbro,” Frank continued.

“It won’t change the house too much?” Marcus asked, feeling alarmed.

“It’ll spruce it up, but not change it too much,” Frank said, fixing Marcus a curious glance. “I thought you wanted rid of all the Formica crap as you called it, and yes I agree it needs to come off.”

“It’s weird, but the idea of someone else living here now makes me feel sad,” Marcus admitted. “And I still have a hard time changing things. I can’t throw away my old stuff.”

“Like I say, take it to America.”

“I want to, but remember that teddy bear I had as a kit?” Marcus asked.

“What was his name, ah yes, Huey?”

Marcus winced and splayed his ears as Frank chuckled at the name.

Great, now he’s going to make fun of me.

“Yes,” Marcus sighed. “And I named him after one of my dad’s Huey Lewis records when I was like four.”

“I know, I know, you told me when we were seventeen and I found him in your bed,” Frank said as he retrieved the toast and opened the fridge. “Which was cute by the way, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed.”

“Let me guess, you still have Mr Spikey the plush hedgehog, and he sleeps in your bed?”

“Yes, and he still sleeps in my bed,” Frank shrugged. “I’m not embarrassed by that.”

The thought of Frank sleeping with his childhood plushie didn’t make Marcus want to mock. If anything, he made him feel melancholic.

“Thing is, where was going with Huey? Ah yeah, I think he accidentally ended up in a donation box of things to go to that second hand sale in the churchyard when I was moving out,” Marcus sighed. “I was so upset, and I ran down there but couldn’t find him. Someone must have bought him and god knows where he is now.”

Frank was putting butter on the bread. He turned to say something but there was a knock at the door.

Marcus’ ears stood up.

“I wonder if that might be a certain husky,” Frank mused.

“Would he knock first?”

“Perhaps to check no one is in?” Frank suggested. “I suggest you catch him clothed though.”

“Oh, I’ll catch him all right,” Marcus muttered as he hurried up the stairs.

“Go easy on him!” Frank called. “I want to talk to him too.”

Marcus sprinted into the bedroom. A pair of his denim shorts were on the floor and he tugged them on along with his black tank top with the banana design.

He sniffed at them and wondered if he could detect Gareth’s scent on the material.

All the more reason to tell the husky off and call the cops. I don’t care what Frank says!

Marcus hurried back down and sprinted along the hallway to the front door.

“Gotcha!” he exclaimed as he pulled it open.

Ralph was standing on the other side.

Fuck.

Marcus tried to straighten himself up and catch his breath. The Doberman looked very depressed and his deep brown eyes were a red-ish colour as if he had been crying or slept badly.

“Hey Marcus,” he said softly.

“Hey, um, would you like to come in?” Marcus asked, trying to play it cool. Ralph nodded and stepped inside. Marcus followed the muscular Doberman to the living and watched as he sat down heavily in an armchair. “We found out who had been in the house,” Marcus explained. “It’s a local teenager by the name of Gareth. Apparently he’s a fan who has a crush on us.”

“Ah, I see,” Ralph said, although his tone didn’t sound relieved or enthusiastic at the discovery.

“So, I wasn’t a bad fox after all,” Marcus tried to joke.

“It seems not.”

“So, are you moving back here?” Marcus asked cautiously.

“I got a phone call this morning,” Ralph said, avoiding the question. “Gunnar was doing a photoshoot over in Croatia. He was in a car accident. I want to go over and see him.”

“Oh,” Marcus replied, feeling stunned.

“Honestly, after the stress of this current movie being all over the place, they’ve still not resumed filming by the way, meeting you and then learning that you did stuff with that Tim guy, and now this, it’s all been too much. I want to go and see Gunnar, recharge for a bit, and then come back to do my filming here. I stopped by to get some clothes as I booked myself on a flight that leaves later today,” Ralph explained.

The Doberman’s eyes were fixed on the ground and his cropped ears were drooping.

“I’m sorry,” Marcus whispered. All the concerns about Ralph coming back were replaced by a pang of guilt. “What I did with Tim was out of order.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ralph replied. “My priority and concerns right now are to see Gunnar.”

“Will you come back here?” Marcus asked again.

“Maybe, I’m not sure right now,” Ralph admitted. “I just need to get my stuff.”

“Okay,” Marcus replied as the Doberman stood. Ralph hurried upstairs and emerged a minute later carrying his smaller suitcase. “Are you leaving the rest of your stuff here?” Marcus asked.

“I can move it, or send for someone to take it to my trailer,” Ralph replied.

“No, you don’t have to,” Marcus said. For what felt like the first time in many years, he had a sudden desire to be kind and considerate. “You can leave it here if you want, now that Frank is here to stand guard against teenage huskies.”

Frank put his head around the kitchen door as Marcus spoke and Ralph fixed him a faint smile and a wave.

“Have a safe flight Ralph and I hope Gunnar is doing well,” Frank said. “I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I heard what you said, and we’ll keep your clothes safe.”

“Thank you,” Ralph replied softly as he turned to wheel his suitcase to the front door. Marcus followed him and watched as he opened the door. “I’ll be in touch with what’s happening,” he said.

Marcus closed his eyes as the muscular Doberman bent down to kiss him – not the usual aggressive and dominant form of making out, but a surprisingly tender kiss on the lips.

“Have a safe flight,” Marcus said. “And send Gunnar my love.”

“I will,” Ralph replied before the front door closed.

Marcus listened to the sound of Ralph’s Lotus driving away before he splayed his ears and walked to the kitchen.

Frank had set breakfast out and was pouring water into one of the tea cups.

“Is Ralph gone?” he asked.

“Yes,” Marcus sighed. “But you know, doing something kind for him took away the feelings of fear that I’d lost him, and I feel sorry for his ex.”

“My, you have changed in these past twelve hours,” Frank chuckled as he set one of the cups on the table. “Oh, I have something to tell you, I know it can’t sort things with Ralph out, but I hope it helps.”

“What is it?” Marcus asked, feeling intrigued.

“It’s about Huey,” the wolf said, turning to pour water into his own cup. Marcus noticed he had chosen the one his dad had sometimes drunk from, a souvenir mug from Paris. “You said you had no idea where he was, well I do. He did accidentally end up at the sale by the church, and I saw him, recognised the teddy as yours and remembered you loved him. So I bought Huey and took him home. However, you were moving off to London at this point and was no longer talking to me after I broke it off with you, so I’ve kept him safe at the back of my wardrobe,” Frank explained.

Marcus didn’t say anything. Instead, he allowed his actions and emotions to speak for him. He walked forwards and for the first time in several years he wrapped his arms around Frank and tried pulling the wolf into a tight hug.

Frank remained still.

“Thank you,” Marcus whispered. “Truly, thank you.”

“Truly you’re welcome.”

“Is this one of those hugs where I wrap my arms around you and you stand awkwardly and don’t hug back?” Marcus asked.

“No, you hugged me as I was picking my tea up, and I didn’t want to spill it down your back.”