FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Are you sure?"

"I couldn't be more sure if I tried."

"I mean, it's already wickedly hot in here. At least at the beach there's some cool breeze going around."

Lyle looked tiredly over at Jake; at least it was a look of pure concern, and not eagerness to see the fox in a bathing suit. "The beach is the worst place for guys like me. Less layers, and because more fur is showing it seems like an invitation. I just...I'm too uncomfortable there to enjoy myself. I'll just turn on the AC and rest inside."

Jake appeared to be a bit disappointed, but nodded. "Okay, I understand. I'll offer again next time, though, just in case you feel like going for it...but you don't have to if you don't want to."

"Thank you." It was a slightly curt reply, but it had less edge than it used to. Everything he'd seen suggested that Jake really had changed...he hadn't hinted at anything or make any advances at Lyle since his episode. Things were thawing a bit between them, and he was trying to relax around the wolf...trying and succeeding somewhat, really. But the beach...that was just too scary.

Even if part of him wanted to go...

"All right, I'll catch you later then. Stay cool in here." Jake headed out, and Lyle was alone again. Alone, inside, and safe...no, he couldn't really deny that it felt a bit empty to him. There was more to life than the inside of a house. But how could he just go out anywhere when he didn't know who might decide to prey on him? Especially to a place with as many people as the beach...

He sighed a bit, going to his computer. Maybe he would have to try to chance it...if he brought mace, and maybe something else to defend himself with...Jake, at least, looked like he enjoyed it, there had to be something to it.

---

Jake would have rather been there with someone else, but still, even on his own, the beach was a nice place to beat the heat a bit. The air was fresh and breezy, cooled from the water, and so even though the sun was beating down overhead he was feeling a bit cooler already.

Even though I understand why he doesn't feel comfortable with it, Lyle's still missing out. Maybe I can find a beach for him that's a little less crowded...he might feel better there.

He looked around, scouting for a nice place to set down. He brought only the basics - a towel, a bit of food and water, a couple of outdoors things. Today was a day where he would swim and relax for a while, keeping cool and content. Perhaps he could check a few people out, he was definitely getting back to normal in the eros department, though reining it in whenever he was around Lyle. Easier than he thought it would be, really, once he got the idea of sex with the fox out of his head...but he didn't want to create any discomfort by pushing it into Lyle's face, so he was trying to avoid bringing anyone home for that purpose. He doubted there would be any issues if they found a secluded place on the beach...even with crowds like this, you could find enough privacy somewhere.

He had just about gotten settled down when he heard a shout from nearby. The wind was gusting up, and he saw a sun hat blowing his way, with an otter running up trying to catch up to it. Quickly, Jake got up to his feet, and hurried to intercept the windblown hat; as it neared, another gust took it away towards the water; he made a leap for it, somewhat unprepared, and got his fingertips on it just before falling bodily onto the wet sand. He lost hold of the hat briefly when he landed, but thankfully was able to get it again before the wind could carry it away.

"Ah! Thank you!" The otter slowed as he approached Jake, the wolf slowly rising up and trying to brush himself off. This wasn't quite what he had envisioned, but the water would probably get most of the sand out of his fur. He looked over at the otter, having to glance down a bit as his guest was on the shorter side, dark brown fur that seemed to almost cling to him, with a slimmer swimmer's build; his expression was grateful, but also nervous. Jake wasn't sure right off why...maybe he thought Jake would be angry about his rough landing. "I didn't think it would be so windy out here...guess I should have brought a smaller hat."

"Yeah, I guess it wasn't obvious from further away. Keep a tight grip on that, it gets out into the water and you'll probably have to get wet." Jake brushed the hat off a bit, before holding it out for the otter. "Then again, that seems like a good excuse for you to get wet."

"Heh...I guess I don't really need an excuse. But this is a sun hat, not a water hat, so I definitely don't want to have to run for it out there." His voice was so nervous still, more than ever. "But thank you...I don't really have any way to repay you..."

"Repay me? Uh..."

"Yeah...uh, I mean...if you want, I can...uhm..." Something was up, Jake could see the anxiety in the otter's eyes, and his fingers were nervously toying with the band of his swim trunks. And then after a moment it properly clicked. Oh, shit...he thinks I'm gonna make him bend over for me. Of course he'd think that, he's an otter, probably most people would ask him for that...

Jake wouldn't have been one of them, but if the offer was there without him asking, only months ago he probably would have taken it without a second thought. Why pass up a prime opportunity at a popular type of tail if it was sitting right in front of him? Otters were sought after for a reason, after all...but this time, he was unexpectedly torn, his mind waging a war with itself in a flash.

_He's totally ready to put out, go for it!

But he doesn't really looks like he wants to, more that he has to.

Otters love this kinda stuff, it's natural for them!

That's what you thought about foxes, but Lyle's clearly not like that, maybe he's not either._

You're trying to get back in the saddle, this would just be wasting an opportunity!

You're trying to be more thoughtful before sating your lusts, this is an opportunity.

In the end, seeing that look in the otter's eye, the wolf didn't feel that randiness coming on, which told him what he needed to know. Not when it reminded him all too much of Lyle. He could hardly believe he was going to do this, but...

"It's fine. I mean, it was just grabbing a hat, and if I was gonna be up in arms about sand in my fur I'm at the wrong place. You don't have to do anything for me."

The way the otter's eyes shot open was both heartwarming on its face and slightly disturbing in its implications. "You...you mean it?"

"Yeah. You don't have to make yours-oof!" Jake was nearly taken down as the otter rushed up and hugged him tight.

"Oh, thank you thank you thank you! I was so worried that you were gonna...you know, make me do that, or get angry if I said I didn't want to...you wouldn't believe how often that happens! Or maybe you would..."

"Mmph, I think I might be getting the idea. Is it...really that bad?"

The otter pulled away, nodding somewhat hesitantly. "It's pretty bad. Especially at the beach...guys see me in nothing but the trunks and they think that that means they can get me to lose those as well. But I love the beach and swimming so much...I have to take the chance, and just try to avoid getting caught up in those situations. I thought I'd messed up again, my first trip out I got, uhm...well, caught up...and they weren't as nice as you..."

Jake nodded, wincing internally. "You don't have to...go into detail, I understand. Some guys would take advantage of that...but I promise you I won't."

"I can't even tell you how much that means to me! Seriously, that...it's just the best! Hey, would you, uh, mind if I came nearby and chatted with you for a while? I don't get the chance to meet other people at the beach often, it's hard when you don't know who's gonna have a side to them."

Jake was suspecting it was more than that - others might stay away if they saw Jake near the otter, if they had intentions towards him. And...somehow, he didn't mind that idea, having seen clearly how worried the otter was about it. And he HAD been hoping for company...he smiled. "Sure, pull your towel up...I'm just gonna splash off a bit here..."

---

His friends, save for Xander, would be aghast that he was passing up the chance at sexual satisfaction, with an otter of all kinds. But really, Jake was finding that that really paled to the satisfaction of seeing someone freed from what must have been a constant burden and enjoying himself fully for the first time in what had to be a long while. Sex was fleeting, other pleasures could linger longer...he'd lost sight of that before in the mire, but his eyes were more open now.

The otter, whose name was Rowan, was so much more animated than his original nervous self, having found not only a safe haven but relative protection. It was really making Jake try to think back at his earlier interactions with otters, wondering if they were really so eager to be putting out for him...but at this point it was hard to remember what their eyes looked like. They had at least SOUNDED happy, he could remember, but what kind of act would Rowan have put on if he hadn't gone this path?

He could totally see why Rowan had wanted proximity, though - even with Jake nearby, there were eyes being made at Rowan from passersby. Jake could sense a hunger behind them, even if they ultimately all stayed away, he was starting to get why the beach was a threat to people who wanted their space and had the reputation otherwise. No wonder Lyle was uncomfortable.

"I think this is the first time I've been here and haven't had at least three people trying to get in my trunks," Rowan remarked; his towel was pretty close to Jake's, partly to make him easier to hear and partly to be more clearly in the wolf's sphere. "I know they're looking at me, but there's so many guys who do more than look. I guess I see why having a wolf at your back is something so nice to most people."

"Well, being one myself, I don't think there's much to that stereotype. I mean, I'm not even that big, there's lots of people that could kick my ass, and I've known plenty of unreliable wolves in my time."

"Yeah...but still, it's a positive stereotype. I'm jealous of that. Wolves get the stereotype of loyal, tenacious, and powerful. Otters get the stereotype of 'you can fit anything in there.'"

"Oof. Yeah...that one I'm familiar with."

"Right? We get it bad. Foxes, too, they're thought of as basically elastic assholes. And rabbits are just insatiable sex fiends. Like, why do we get it like that? I know there are some, uh, some of us that are more than happy to offer ourselves, but most of us, it's just kind of forced on us, it's hard to feel like you have a choice when everyone sets up the expectation that you're a fuck waiting to happen."

Jake mulled that for a moment. "It really doesn't seem fair. I don't get why you guys have that reputation and others don't. Like, foxes and wolves aren't that different, why is one considered the dominant alpha and the other the slutty bitch?"

"Thank you! I'm so glad to see a wolf that sees that...I try to bring that up sometimes, like, online, and wolves just come and act all offended that I would dare suggest that there's not that much difference. It's a bit harder to compare otters and rabbits to other things, otherwise I'd use them as an example...I'm so glad you're different from them."

"Ah...I can't claim to be any saint, I used to be as bad as any of them." He wasn't even sure it was all 'used to' with that mental war in his head, but now wasn't the time for that.

Rowan smiled warmly at him. "Yeah, but 'used to' is different from 'is.' I think sometimes the best allies we have are the ones who used to be on the other side...they learned something that made them see things a different way, and they kind of actually understand the mindset of the guys we're afraid of. Some people say they've never been that way, but sometimes it feels like they don't really GET what drives the aggressive guys or what makes us so nervous."

"Huh...so you know some others?"

"Only online. It's a lot of good moral support...but, they can't come to the beach with me."

"That would be true...hm. Well, maybe we can help each other out a bit. I have a roomie who's...in a similar situation to you. He's a fox, and-"

Rowan's eyes shot open. "You're roommates with a FOX?!"

Jake winced a bit. "Yeah. And I wasn't exactly a good ally to him at first...I'm trying to make up for that, though. Anyway, I know he doesn't feel comfortable at the beach, and I'm hoping there's something I can do to help him feel like he can come out here, at least while I'm around. Maybe you can give me some tips, and I can, uh, help pay you back by coming out and keeping you company a few more times as well."

He was hoping he wasn't offending the otter or making him suspicious with that offer, but the way Rowan's eyes lit up suggested he had done neither. "I'd love that! Oh, man, the beach is so much fun, he's missing out! Yeah, I think there's a lot of things you can do to help get him comfortable with that!"

Jake would quickly learn that he'd opened a floodgate...but even if he only retained half of what Rowan told him, it would probably be very useful. And perhaps this wouldn't have to be the last time he got the spiel, either...

---

"Dengan's Key?"

Jake nodded. "It's out of the way, not as easy to get to and not a super nice place, but that means there's not a lot of people there. It's not like it's perfectly private, but you're less likely to have to deal with anyone you don't want to deal with."

Lyle still looked a bit doubtful. "I don't know...it's still probably gonna have people..."

"Yeah, probably, but it's probably the best place for a hundred miles. If you want to enjoy the outdoors it's a pretty good option. And you won't be alone there, either, I'll stay nearby as much as possible."

It wasn't that long ago that Lyle would have thought that just an additional risk on top of what he was already facing. But Jake hadn't even smudged his vow once, and Lyle was starting to believe that he was truly genuine about it. Maybe it would be okay, it might even be emptier than they thought if the weather wasn't super hot. "Well...I'll think about it. But where did you hear about this place? I thought you said you didn't know that many beaches other than the usual hangouts."

"I happened to meet an, uh, expert yesterday. I think I know more about the beaches around here than I'll ever need to in my life. He pointed out a few places, but this one sounded like the one where you'd be most comfortable. And don't feel like you have to dress down or anything, it's just somewhere you can be outside and not sweltering inside."

"Right...well, yeah. I guess I'll consider it, for the next day where you have the time." Lyle wasn't so sure if he'd want to, but at least he'd give it a thought. Getting outside somewhere that he could feel good...well, he imagined it would be kind of nice. But who knew if the reality would bear that out?

---

It turned out he was going to find out. After a lot of thought, he agreed with Jake to give it a try. He still had his reservations, and he wasn't sure he was going to actually go out swimming, but he would at least get outside to a hopefully isolated spot. It wasn't his ideal, but at least he wasn't going alone...and the weird thing was that suddenly he was looking to Jake for protection. Had he really gained that much trust that quickly?

Still, it seemed to be paying off initially, as they took their spot on the beach after a bit of a walk. It was a fairly remote place, a forty-minute drive including going off the beaten path. The air was fresh and brisk, with a hint of salt. The waves were lapping at the shore, but not especially intense. It seemed fairly tranquil, and it was indeed fairly sparsely populated - only a handful of people scattered around, none of them particularly close by each other. And Jake had promised that they'd only spend a couple hours at most out there, long enough for Lyle to get to enjoy it but not so long as to overwhelm him.

And Lyle had to admit, he was already starting to see the appeal. There was an openness about it that he was certainly lacking in his life - a grand vista in front of him that spread forever, giving a feeling of freedom and space. He didn't hate being inside, but there was a difference between liking the inside and being a shut-in; Lyle wouldn't have minded being out and about a lot more if he wasn't so scared of what might happen. Out here, it felt less scary.

"How're you doing?" Jake asked as they settled in.

"I'm good...if it stays like this, I'll be just fine."

"I hope it does. You want to go in the water?"

"Um...sure." Lyle wasn't entirely sure he did, but he thought that staying closer to Jake was probably a good idea. So he removed his shirt and followed the wolf out there. It was fairly cold water, he could feel the nip as he stepped in, but eventually he worked up the nerve to get out there all the way and start to swim. Crudely, to be sure - he'd never had lessons and didn't know any proper strokes, but he'd figured out how to keep himself afloat in his pool under his aunt's direction. It was nice to be doing something that wasn't sitting around, at least...

He didn't have a terribly large amount of stamina, though, and after an amount of time even he thought was pretty pitifully short he was starting to flag. He waved to Jake, who seemed to be handling himself better and was a bit farther out, and motioned that he was going in. The wolf nodded back, and started to turn, and Lyle made his way back to shore and back to their chosen spot. He was panting pretty hard as he pulled out his towel and started to try to dry off. Jeez, at my age that shouldn't be that hard...I really need to get a home gym.

"Hey, there, foxy." Lyle yipped a bit and swung around. A goat was standing too close for comfort, grinning at him in an all-too-familiar way. "Need a little help? You look like you're running on fumes."

"I'm fine," Lyle snapped back, with a good bit of bite to it. He just wished he could stop sounding as tired as he was.

"Seems like you haven't been getting enough exercise. I know a good one that two people can do together, that'll help you build up that endurance."

The fox's glower was as cutting as he could make it. "I'll find my own exercise to do, thank you very much. Leave me alone."

"Ah, c'mon, don't be like that. I'm sure there's all sorts of parts of you that need a good workout-"

"Hey." The goat froze and jerked around, finding himself staring into the eyes of an angry wolf. "He said no. Beat it."

"...H-hey, come on, don't hog him all for yourself-"

"I don't do that with him. And neither will you." Average though he was, Jake was a match for the goat, and used that to his advantage, stepping closer and imposing on his space. "If you know what's good for you, scram, and don't come back."

"Ugh...fine. Jeez...wasn't asking that much..." the goat muttered angrily as he stalked off, leaving them in peace. Only then did Lyle realize how much his heart was racing...he'd stood his ground, but some guys took that as a challenge, and he never knew how far they'd go. What if Jake hadn't been there? But...the whole point was that Jake WAS there. And he'd stood up for him as well.

I did trust him that much...and he's validating it.

"Jeez..." Jake looked pretty annoyed as he watched tho goat finally get away from them. "...Every second really is an opening, isn't it?"

Lyle nodded, letting out a sigh. "Now you see why I don't like to go anywhere by myself."

"Yeah, I do. Well, I'll try to make sure you don't have to deal with that again while we're out here. Let's throw the frisbee around, that'll help us dry off without just sitting around, and we can keep our eyes out for anyone else that tries to bug you."

"That sounds good." Lyle swallowed down the urge to tell Jake he wanted to leave - he had to try to last this out at least, and it would be kind of a drag to find an ally only to cower away again. He was still nervous, but for the rest of the time they were out there, no one else came to bother them - the goat was apparently the only one trolling for that sort of thing, or Jake's presence was keeping them away. For the first time in a long time, he was feeling comfortable outside the safety of his own home...it was a good feeling.

---

Late afternoon saw the two of them back at home. Jake was feeling a little bit down - they'd stayed out for a decent day at the beach, but he was starting to wonder if Lyle hadn't felt pressured to be out there for his sake after that encounter. It was ever more clear how little the fox was exaggerating about being a target - that it had taken all of a minute of alone time for someone to try to get aggressive with him was disturbing. At least he'd seemed to get past that all right, but what was going on beneath the surface?

As they were coming inside, Lyle spoke up. "Uh...Jake?"

Uh-oh...here it comes. "Yeah?"

"Can we...uhm..." Lyle hesitated for a moment. "Can we go back there sometime?"

Well, that wasn't at all what he'd expected. "You sure?"

"Yeah...I mean...it's gotta at least be two of us...but...that one...that one was all right."

Jake smiled, though he tried to keep it smaller than how he felt. "Sure, on a good day, when you feel like it...we can definitely go back."

Maybe it wasn't so bad as that after all. And that meant maybe there was a chance for Lyle to find some happiness outside the home...though, he would let the fox take that at his pace.