{"sf1_id":1599550,"sf2_id":"zeRBX2re","title":"A Hand On the Shoulder: An 'Brothers in Arms' Fan story Part II","author":"Dioscuri95","words":4214,"posted_at":"2020-07-04T21:01:33.000Z","tags":["Anal","Angst","Character Development","Charr Gadot","Falling in love","Feline","Friends with benefits","Longning","Manly men","Military","Muscle","Muscles","Panther","Plot Development","Possibly unrequinted love","Self-Loathing","Shower","Shower Sex"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1599550-a-hand-on-the-shoulder-an-brothers-in-arms-fan-story-part-ii","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/zeRBX2re","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=1599550\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"Not sure how many of you rememeber or care about this story, but I managed to get my lazy ass working and managed to finish this with Isle's help, so for those of you who enjoy this story, here's more! :D   \n  \nFeedback, favs and ratings are more than welcome!","content":"_Co-Written by IsleTheWolf and Tigertwins19._\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n_About one month after Cassius' arrival..._\n\n \n\n \n\nThe warm water drizzeld down Cassius' broad, sculpted back, soothing tight, overworked muscles. Just what he needed after his nighly workout, he thought as he rubbed some soap over his chisled pecs and down his defined abs. Even though he needed to get up early for yet another traning session with the rookies, the fact did nothing to dampen his mood. His tail swished over his big, beffy, juicy, volumous ass cheeks, dropplets flying away to hit against the white tiles of the shower's walls.\n\n \n\n \n\nA real shower, just one more perk of being in a real military base with functioning waterworks...\n\n \n\n \n\nWithout warning, a strong and firm hand clasped against one of those buttocks, squeezing it in a teasing manner. \"Honk, honk.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nIt made the panther turn around with a snort, tail lashing. \"About time. What took you so long?\" He only briefly stopped his movements to roll his eyes before resuming his cleaning.\n\n \n\n \n\nIt continued for a while before Cassius smiled and reached behind himself to grab hold of one of the serge's hands and placed it over his cock.\n\n \n\n \n\nAlmost immidiatly it gave a twitch and started to harden. \"Mmm...\" The big panther leaned back more fully against the other man, and managed to somehow turn the shower down a bit with just one hand.\n\n \n\n \n\nWith one hand placed over the leopard's on his shaft he started to slowly move it up and down in smooth strokes, while he reached behind with the other one to cup the sarge's thick ass and squeeze.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"I want this.\" Cassius said, breathing hard through his nose, eyes narrowed with lust as heat began to course through him.\n\n \n\n \n\nCharr didn't seem to hear him though. \"Had to keep you waiting a bit. Needed to make sure you wanted it bad. And man, my dick needs a home tonight.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nWasting little time, Charr rested his hard rock between Cassius's buttcheeks, hotdogging him teasingly with his warm and throbbing girth.\n\n \n\n \n\nIt made Cassius look over his shoulder and raise an eyebrow. \"Huh. Didn't think you found that part of me intresting...\"\n\n \n\n \n\nHe didn't miss a beat and ground right back, the shaft rubbing over his anus, a strange, half-forgotten feeling, but far from unwanted. He shook his rump for the serge like he had done to him when it was Cassius on top. It jiggled with the motions.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"You like my ass?\" It seemed a pretty obvious thing to ask, but he still wanted to hear it from Charr.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n\"I dunno, you tell me,\" Charr said as he teasingly poked and prodded Cassius' luscious cheeks with his hard rod, watching it jiggle slightly from the touch. \"Hehehe, why do you have such a big ass?\" He groped them, clasping them hard.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Honestly, I don't know.\" He pushed his ass against Charr's large hands. \"N-Never mind about that though...That feels good...Nn!\" His muscular back bent. \"You can put it in if you want to...\" He didn't sound needy but not as commanding as Charr, he realized that for the first time in decades, he sounded playful.\n\n \n\n \n\nCharr held Cassius's hips, licking his lips as he lay his hard cock on the ass before. Just the soft, large feeling of it alone was enough to further stimulate him.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nCassius let the sarge do as he wanted a few moments more before saying, \"Well, finally going to head in or are you waiting for a written invitation?\" The blunt head of the cock nudged against his opening as Cassius rolled and twisted his ass this way and that.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Hnng.....!\" Cassisus's teasing was enough to make Charr leak a bit, barely able to contain himself. If he wasn't careful, he would cum too soon. He tried to steel his nerves.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Oh? Seems like I haven't done my duty as I should've...\" Finally, he lined his ass against the tip of Charr's cock and pressed back. For a tense moment it didn't seem to work, before the head slipped inside, making Cassius hiss slightly past clenched teeth at the burn of it. He still kept going, more and more of Charr slipping in, until two heartbeats were sheated in one body.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Gaaaah!\" Charr winced, the pleasure overwhelming him. He was already on the verge of cumming. He had to do something to calm himself.\n\n \n\n \n\n... Suddenly, he had an idea.\n\n \n\n \n\n_SPANK!_\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius jumped as the palm connected none-too-gently with his right ass cheek. \"Woah!\" He looked back with a grin. \"Hey there, easy on the smacks now sir, you can admit I'm too much of a man for you, I won't judge, heh.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nCharr's eyes narrowd, playfully. Another sharp smack of his palm against Cassius lower cheek sounded off the shower booth's walls.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"No man is too much for me.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius stuck his tongue out, wiggled and pushed his juicy rump against Charr's cock.\n\n \n\n \n\nA sudden flinch, and Charr gritted his teeth, one hand digging all fingers accross Cassius rear, sending tingles and thrills up the panther's back. He began to pull that ass into his wet hips. Each time a little more force applied, making Cassius brace himslef with a hand against the shower-room wall. The pleasure left him breathless.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"C'mon, give it to me...Guh!\" He said, gasping as Charr began to pound him in earnest.\n\n \n\nBody rocking from the rough, passionate fucking, Cassius reached back to pull the other man in by hooking a hand around one of Charr's steel-like spotted thighs. Hot fingers gripped him, clung to him in fogged desperation.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"You really hungry for some dick, arentcha?\" When Charr ground his hips fimly against Cassius, his knees shook.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"That's...That's because it's you...!\" Cassius tried to get his mind back on track, even as he trembled as Charr continued to mercilessy fuck him against the wall. Pleasure burst at every buck, slide and thrust.\n\n \n\n \n\nHad it been anyone else saying something like that, Cassius would have been enraged. He hated feeling like a tool for other's amusement. But Charr was inside him. He was safe. It was alright.\n\n \n\n \n\nHe coverd one of Charr's hands with his own. \"You can think about her. It's okay.\" Cassius spoke quietly against the wall, unsure if Charr would hear. It didn't really matter...As long as Charr enjoyed it, Cassius could stay silent and let the Serge pretend him to be anyone he wanted.\n\n \n\n \n\nCharr froze as soon as Cassius' hand had found his. It didn't last long though, just for a moment and then the buff leopard was off again, fucking him even harder than before.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nTheir dog-tags flew around their thick necks, bounced against their bulging pecs, half-hidden by the sound of dripping water and flesh slapping sharply against flesh. Charr pressed a hand against Cassius shoulders, deepend the arc of the panther's back. The other hand clasped around Cassius stiff erection. It pulsed in his grip, hard as stone.   \n  \n\"You don't have to hold back so much, Sagat...\" Charr said, voice quiet and rumbling as he held his partner close, so close that Cassius could make out the Charr's pounding heartbeat behind and inside him.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius tightend the hand that still rested against Charr's on his hip. \"F-Fuck! More!\" He barked out as he pushed back, matched Charr move for move, thrust by thrust.\n\n \n\n \n\nCharr smirked, increased his movement as they both grew close to their combined orgasms.\n\n \n\n \n\nCharr grunted, teeth clenched, \"Your ass is so fucking tight and warm...Gonna make me cum...!\"\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Inside! Cum inside!\" Cassius managed to grunt back before yelling out, body stiffening as he came, stars exploding in front of his eyes. Orgasm and the following high blasting through him like a bolt of lightning as he shot his seed, hands-free, across the wet tiles at his feet.\n\n \n\n \n\nDimly, Cassius became aware of his hand still over Charr's—he gave a brief squeeze before reluctlantly letting go to brace himself against the wall.\n\n \n\n \n\nThey sagged as one against the wall, their panting filling the booth as Charr reached over Cassius to turn the shower off, drops of water dripping down as they took a moment to catch their breaths before pulling away.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius already missed the contact. _Over rather fast...Maybe he were really pent up?_ He thought as he silently started to dry himself with a towel.\n\n \n\n \n\nHow long would he stay in Charr's company? How many weeks had it been already?\n\n \n\nSomething sank in his chest as the thought that he'd have to eventually leave came over him.\n\n \n\nCassius shook his head to clear the thoughts. _Stop. You knew that this wasn't permanent—it's just sex, you should be used to it alredy, damnit!_\n\n \n\n \n\nThat's all it was...right?\n\n \n\n \n\nAs Cassius turned to take in the way the leopard's back and ass flexed under the room's lighting, backside wrapped in his tight underwear, he wasn't as sure of the answer as he should've been.\n\n \n\n \n\n_Am I fine with just sex at this point...? Don't I want to be friends at least...Don't I want him to see me as something more than a booty-call?_ He kept his eyes on Charr's impressive form; he certainly was a looker, he was, but he were funny too, brave and loyal, cared for the men under his command...\n\n \n\n \n\n_He's a rare kind of man...If I had to be a slave to anyone, I'd want it to be him._ Cassius thought with a smile.\n\n \n\n \n\nEmbaressment made his face burn soon after though—just what was he thinking! Cassius frowned before he hurridly finished toweling himself off and began to dress.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius knew what slavery felt like—had taken years of abuse and neglect, and yet he'd willingly submit to it once more just because the thought happned to concern Charr? What would make the Sarge any diffrent from his old master?\n\n \n\n \n\nHe yelped when Charr suddenly smacked him on the ass.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Heh! You take it as good as you give it, Sagat!\" Charr said, tone as playful, cheerful, as it had always been. His smile wide as he strode out of the room, leaving Cassius with more questions than answers.\n\n \n\n \n\n\\* \\* \\*\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nThe following days and eventual weeks didn't clear things up for Cassius, if anything, his feelings only tangled together more and more, the longer he remained in Charr's company. He knew something had started shifting between them, at least for himself. The kind of trust he'd shown Charr in the shower that night was something he hadn't shown for someone else in decades....\n\n \n\n \n\nHe hadn't meant to show that trust, but had felt more safe in the minutes it took them to fuck than he had in a long while. Being with Charr eased the loneliness that constantly cut a hole in him ever since he'd become an adult.\n\n \n\n \n\nBut was that reason enough to fall in love with what was in crass terms, a friend with benefits? Would he be complicating things for Charr?\n\n \n\n \n\nHe could't say for sure, and yet the more time he spent in Charr's precence, the stronger the feelings grew.\n\n \n\n \n\n_Don't know how much longer I can keep it bottled up like this...Don't even know what he thinks about all of it, if this...means something to him—If_ I _mean something to him beyond sex..._\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius floped down onto the bed with a sigh. _He called me friend, sure...but do I dare to hope that this time will be diffrent? That someone would finally want me back...Heart and soul, not just body..._\n\n \n\nHe stared at the cealing fan as it squicked which each turn. He were no stranger to the sting of rejection; most people, once they got to know him, found his seemingly perfection frightening after a few months in his company.\n\n \n\n \n\nNot that he could do anything about it; being a genetic experiment, he'd had no say in the way he had been made.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius grit his teeth, the knowledge that he didn't know Charr's thoughts and feelings ate away at him. Would Charr reject him as so many others had done? Would he be angry, even...?\n\n \n\nHowever, answers would have to wait, since Charr had been called away for a brief mission. He hadn't told Cassius any details, only joked about how he should stay clear of knifes until he had returned.\n\n \n\n \n\nThe comment had made Cassius heart do a flip, despite the fact that he knew it had been meant as a joke and not a statment of actual concern. Yet, even now, laying in his bunk bed, the memory made his heart beat faster with warm feelings and sensations.\n\n \n\n \n\nHe smiled, despite that a part of him knew better, despite knowing that Charr would most likely end up rejecting him. All the same, he hadn't felt so glad to be alive in so long, and decided to just bask in the feeling of caring deeply for someone, once again. No matter how brief it might turn out to be.\n\n \n\n \n\nNo matter how painful.\n\n \n\n \n\n\\* \\* \\*\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n\"Hey Sagat, Sergeant Gadot and his team returned a day early, thought you should know,\" Anders, a stud of a white hare said with a smirk.\n\n \n\n \n\nIt made Cassius smile, as something inside his chest grew large, like it would burst.   \n  \n\"Good, things will finally start moving around here again, means I get back to traning the rookies,\" Cassius said, still smiling as he finished his food.\n\n \n\n \n\nAnders grined wide, \"And get to spend more time with the Serge...\" His voice sounded so smug that it made Cassius give him a puzzled stare.   \n  \n\"What's that suppoused to mean, Anders?\"\n\n \n\n \n\nThe hare chuckled. \"Nothin', it's not my buissness anyway. It's just that...\" He trailed off as he leaned his chin into his palm, nose wrinkling slighty as he seemed to think something over.   \n  \n\"Just what, exactly?\" Cassius said, tone prodding. His throat tightend. Had they been discovered?\n\n \n\n \n\n\"It's just that...You seem really happy when you're with Gadot.\" Anders smiled at him, and Cassius felt himself downright blush as he picked up on just what Anders meant.   \n  \n\"I-It's not like that...\" Cassius scratched at his neck, letting out an embaressed chuckle.   \n  \n\"Ah, you're getting redder, like a ripe, juicy tomato!\"\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Oh? Like your face will be when I smash it in?\" Cassius raised his fist half-threatingly, all teeth on display in a wide, sly grin.\n\n \n\n \n\nAnders raised his palms up in a gesture of surrender. \"Easy now, Sagat, like I said, not my buisness.\" after a moment he smiled at Cassius again, \"Besides, I think you two sorta fit together.\"\n\n \n\nIt made Cassius chuckle, embarassed all over again. \" I see, I wouldn't know about that, though...\"   \n  \n_Wonder...what does_ he _think about that, would we really fit together....?_\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nCassius started to rise, food tray in hand. \"Well, later Anders, I'm heading out.\"   \n  \nAnders waved at him from his place still at the table, before giving him two thumbs up, \"I'm rooting for ya, man!\"\n\n \n\n \n\nAnders were a good man, and Cassius hoped they would keep in contact when he left, the hare being one of the more friendly soldiers, besides Charr, he'd met.\n\n \n\n \n\nAs he walked down the hallway on his way to Charr's room, an unfriendky face met him half-way.   \n  \nEthan glared as he noticed him, while Cassius own face turned into a neutral mask.   \n  \n\"Waiting for someone special, Sagat?\" He said in an obvious sarcastic tone.   \n  \nCassius folded his arms. \"You'll adress me as 'Commander'.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nThe puma's face twisted into disgust, \"Tch. I'll call you anything I want, freak.\"   \n  \nThat comment made Cassius narrow his eyes into sharp slits. \"I beg your pardon?\"   \n  \n\"You heard me, you're a _freak_, a _monster_. Any normal person would have bleed to death from a wound like the one I gave you. You didn't even go see a doctor...Just what the hell are you?\"   \n  \nCassius squeezed his arms tighter across his chest, forced himself to move his shoulders in a shrug.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Who knows? I know I'm more of a soldier than you'll ever be though.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nEthan bared his teeth, fists clenching together at his sides. \"Don't mock me, you—I was the top-ranked soldier before you arrived, I was the best at everything; from hand-to-hand combat to marksmanship, and yet as soon as you come along, I'm nothing...\"   \n  \n\"That wasn't my intentions, I'm just here to-\"   \n  \n\"Shut up! Spare me your pity, you— I've seen the way you look at the Saregeant Gadot, it's disgusting...!\"\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius gritted his teeth, his own fist clenching as cold anger started rising up. \"Now you're crossing a line Ethan. Don't you dare drag Charr into this...!\"\n\n \n\nEthan snorted out a laugh, \"Or what? You don't think no-one has seen the way you fawn over him? Do you really think he'll like you back? You—a misfit?\"\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius tightend his fist so hard it shook, \"Stop—\" he took a step toward Ethan without meaning to, \"—calling me a misfit!\"\n\n \n\n \n\n\"But that's what you are...\" Ethan's face turned mockingly thoughfull, \" and you know, when the Sarge got back, he took a tiger to his room with him, and I think you know eaxctly what for...\"\n\n \n\n \n\nAll anger drained straight out of Cassius, his shoulders slumping. He felt his face fall. \"That's not true...He would't...why would he do that when we've been...\" His eyes squeezed shut as Ethan gave a mocking laugh.   \n  \n\"How arrogant...You really think you're that special to him? Well, you are not. And when you leave, I bet he won't even rememeber you, he'll just chose someone else, someone far more worthy of his company.\" Ethan's eyes darkned once more with hate.\" I hope I am there that day, to see you fall to pieces, destroyed.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius forced himself to breath. \"As long...as long as he's happy with his choice, then I will be-\"   \n  \nIronically, the door to Charr's room opened, a voice drifting out that Cassius didn't recocnize. Yet his insides turned to ice as it reached his ears.   \n  \n\"T-Thank you Sergeant Gadot, that was...amazing!\"\n\n \n\n \n\nA tiger enterd Cassius' field of vision, younger than him, but fit and muscularly built. He glanced with bright green eyes between him and Ethan.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"What's going on with you two?\" He said, tone of voice friendly yet curious, a smile aimed Cassius way, one which the panther couldn't return: he simply stared at the tiger in frozen disbelief.\n\n \n\nIn some cruel twist of fate, Charr himself exited the room soon after. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed Cassius and Ethan almost outside his very door.  \n  \n\"What are you two doing here? Got nothing better to do?\" Charr crossed his arms and looked between Cassius and Ethan, who gave Cassius an brief, nasty smile.   \n  \n\"Sagat here wondered where you where, Sir. He wants to tell you something.\" Ethan jerked his thumb in Cassius direction, who flinched as if suddenly hit.   \n  \nCharr's face pulled into a smile, \"Oh, Really? No more incidents with knifes I hope?\"   \n  \nCassius lowerd his eyes to the floor, smiling softly. \"No sir, no more incidients...\"   \n  \nEthan smiled in apperant triumph, his eyes darting over to Cassius, filled with dark gloating.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Actually, he's in-  \n  \n\"There was simply a missunderstanding, Sir. I...misread some things, but the situation is now clear for me, Gadot, sir.\" Cassius hurried to interupt Ethan, an invisible dagger cutting deep as he forced himself to smile and give the leopard a salute.\n\n \n\nCharr looked confused but returned the salute all the same. \"That so? Good.\" The leopard smiled again and Cassius knew then that if he had to go blind one day, the last thing he'd want to see would be that proud face, smiling at him.   \n  \nCassius swallowed down the tears that wanted to burn down his cheeks. \"Yes...very good, Sarge.\" One hand clenched together at his side. He wouldn't give Ethan the satisfaction of seeing him break down in front of Charr, he wouldn't!\n\n \n\n \n\nHe forced himself to look at the tiger instead, smile stif and say, \"I believe we haven't met before, I'm Cassius Sagat.\" He reached out his hand to shake, pleased that it didn't tremble like he feared it would.\n\n \n\n \n\nThe tiger's face lit up as he took Cassius' hand. \"Ah, you're that instructor they brought in, I've heard of you, you're really something Commander Sagat. I'm Alexander Prowess!\"\n\n \n\n \n\n_Seems like a good kid, all things considered._ Cassius thought, despite something sour bubbling up in his belly at the admission. He couldn't keep his eyes from narrowing as he gave Alexander an slow once-over.\n\n \n\nThe tiger looked slighty surprised, or perhaps, slighty frightned. \"Is...something wrong?\"   \n  \nCassius didn't say anything for a short while, simply stared at Alexander. There were some much he wanted to say and yell and shout. All of it clogged his throat.\n\n \n\n \n\nFinally he said, \"Look after Charr for me.\" He stared the tiger dead in the eye as he spoke.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius chest felt heavy and chocked up. He turned without another word, not staying to hear Alexander's reply, or to look back at Ethan or even Charr.\n\n \n\n \n\nFor the first time since he'd arrived at the base, he wanted nothing more than to be left alone.\n\n \n\n \n\n\\* \\* \\*\n\n \n\n \n\nThe moon shone empty in the sky, only kept company by a few wispy clouds.\n\n \n\n \n\nThe air was chilly against his bare arms but Cassius couldn't care less about that, not when he felt so empty and alone inside. He told himself he should be used to rejection—though he hadn't even confessed yet—hand't exactly planned to, either, all he had wanted was to spend some more time with Charr, though seeing the tiger—Alexander Prowess—had made him aware of a very blatant truth.  \n  \nHe wasn't anything special: even when he left, Charr would probably only rememeber him as a half-good lay and a weirdo who wouldn't dodge knives in time. Cassius told himself he'd be lucky if the leopard even cared enough about him to remember that much.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius squeezed tight at the roof's steel railing, knuckles turning white as he fought down the urge to cry. _I won't forget the warmth of him pressed against me..._\n\n \n\n \n\nHe dragged a hand over his eyes, tears pooling despite how he fought against them with all he had.\n\n \n\nCrying would help no-one, fix nothing.\n\n \n\n \n\n_...Meeting on that beach...His heart beating against mine... How alive, happy and valuable he made me feel...even if it was a one-sided, foolish dream ..._\n\n \n\n \n\nA tear finally trailed down his cheek and fell off his chin, quickly follwed by two more.   \n  \n_Even if...Even if...in the end, it meant nothing to him...It meant everything to me. One day, I'll be able to treasure it's lingerling warmth without the pain._\n\n \n\n \n\n_Shit._ Cassius dragged a hand accross his face as the realization turned crystal clear.\n\n \n\n \n\n_Have...Have I really fallen in love with Charr...?_ Cassius shut his eyes together tight, tried to will away the feelings growing underneath the pain.  \n  \nThat very pain became the obvious answer.\n\n \n\n \n\nA part of him had always known, as long as he'd known Charr he'd been aware of something else growing underneath the friendship; as seed of something more.\n\n \n\n \n\nBut Charr loved—and still loved—his wife above everyone else; one night after they'd fucked until late in the night, the leopard had told him a little bit about her when Cassius asked how a man like him could be single, and Charr's face had transfomed before his eyes; gone were the sterness, and instead a tenderness had glowed.\n\n \n\n \n\nSomething like envy had stirred in his chest as he'd watched the leopard's face that night.   \n  \n_Even then, a small part of me wished that he'd look that way at me—that_ anyone _would look that way at me...Like I belonged with them. Just for one moment._\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius wiped his tears away with the back of a hand. _But...I'm not one of them...I'm...I'm something horrible...something that shouldn't exist._\n\n \n\n \n\nThe sound of the door leading to the rooftop opening made him turn around...\n\n \n\n \n\n\"It didn't go as planned.\" Ander's face were serious, almost grave.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius gave him a long stare. \"Ethan told you?\"  \n  \nAnders shook his head as he stepped beside Cassius. \"No, bastard looked so smug that there were no need for words. What did you do to piss him off?\"   \n  \n\"Nothing I can think of...\"  \n  \n\"Cassius?\"   \n  \nThe panther turned his head, eyes flicking to the hare's brown gaze. \"Hm? What is it?\"   \n  \n\"What will you do now? Will you tell Charr how you feel? You don't have all the time in the world, after all...\"   \n  \nCassius remained silent for a long while, eyes fixed on the moon...So bright. So lonely.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"I don't know.\" He said at last with a heavy sigh. \"I'll just try and make the time I have left count, somehow, and hope that will be enough for me in the end.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nAnders crossed his arms. \"You do that, and while you do, I'll keep Ethan and his goons off your back.\"\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Anders?\"   \n  \n\"What?\"   \n  \n\"Thank you and...Sorry.\"\n\n \n\n \n\nThe hare patted him on the back rather awkwardly. \"That's... what friends are for...\"\n\n \n\n \n\n\"Something wrong?\"   \n  \n\"No, just making the most of it...\" he said, warm hand still on Cassius back.\n\n \n\n \n\nCassius turned one final time his eyes to the sky, finding no answers in the cold stars or the moonlight.\n\n \n\n \n\n\"It's the only thing we can do, isn't it...?\" He said, more to himself and the night sky.\n\n \n\n \n\nSilenced stayed between them.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n_To be continued..._","series":{"name":"Of Leopards and Panthers.","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1489134-clasping-hands-an-brother-in-arms-fan-story.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1692321-reaching-for-your-hand-an-brothers-in-arms-fan-story-part-iii.json"}}