Cooling Off
Story by MooseWrites on SoFurry
The weekend is coming to a close, but the boys find a way to cool off.
This story contains gay adult themes. 18+ and check the tags.
Thanks to everyone for their patience on this!
Cooling Off
(furaffinity.net/user/bur)
(fabulousmoose.sofurry.com)
© FabulousMoose
Adam wriggled his way out of the pile of fur in the early morning hours. Sunlight was peeking through the window, illuminating a thin line over the very full bed. His bare skin pushed and slid past coarse brown and white fur, dragging past loose limbs and stiff flesh. He even stopped for a moment to briefly admire and gently brush a large bushy black tail protruding from the pile. The fur fell softly between his fingertips, weightlessly gliding over his skin. His movement didn't seem to disturb the others.
There were sleepy growls and grunts as he climbed off the bed, but the snoozing continued uninterrupted so Adam tiptoed out of the room. Upon stepping out, he pondered going back in and grabbing some clothes, but the thought dissolved quietly. The house was a comfortable temperature and his friends were snoring in tandem in the other room, so he decided to forego any coverings for the moment. Adam smiled and thought to himself how Theo would be proud of his casual nudity and he even swung his hips a little bit, imitating the way he had seen the big bear move before. There was something freeing about walking around naked in this home; he simply lacked any natural fur covering the others enjoyed. A short beard and soft patch of hair on his chest that trailed down to his groin surely didn't count, he mused.
After a quick side-trip to the bathroom, Adam passed through the empty hallway and moved into the kitchen where he saw an old, well-used kettle. The scuffed-but-still-shining item hinted at the possibility of a caffeinated beverage, so he quietly opened cabinets hoping to find more supplies. The hinges creaked quietly in protest, revealing mismatched dining plates, bowls, and mugs. Some of them appeared to be old and well worn, with a few obviously cracked but repaired to varying degrees of success. One in particular had a small cartoon bear with 'Zzz' rising above it's head and text that read "Bear-ly awake". It looked like there was a single strand of black wolf fur on the rim. Adam left it in it's place.
Unfortunately, if there was coffee or tea stashed somewhere, it was well hidden. After a few unsuccessful attempts, he gave the kettle a look of betrayal and gave up the search. Instead, he picked up a small glass and filled it with water from the tap, drinking it down to quench his thirst. There was a small *clink* as he set it down with care.
His eyes scanned the rooms, taking a good look at his surroundings. He paid more attention now in the muted early morning light than when he had first arrived. The house was quiet and might have felt empty if not for the gentle snoring coming from the direction of the bedroom. Adam turned his attention to the couch in the living room where there was a large blanket draped over the back of the sofa. It was dark in color but thick and well-worn with slightly frayed edges. The blanket was big, too big for a human actually, but not quite big enough for a bear. He slid the fluffy fabric off the couch and wrapped it around his shoulders, inhaling the mingled scent of the occupants. There was no question the others in the house could pick out who had used it last by scent alone, but it calmed him to know it smelled like a little bit of all of them. He turned again and his bare-skinned feet padded quietly to the back door.
Adam had always enjoyed cool mornings. Chilled dew settled on the ground, dissipating only as the sun began shining on it. He could watch the steam rise from a warm mug and blow a breath that lingered in the air. The crisp morning cold licked gently at his exposed skin, raising the sparse hair on his arms and causing goosebumps. It was refreshing in a way, at least as long as he was wrapped up in a blanket. He stalked across the cold ground quickly to the bear-sized chair that was still in front of the extinguished fire and sat in it completely, pulling up his bare legs and warming them within the confines of the blanket. His fingers gripped the soft material and wrapped it tightly around himself. Birds were chirping throughout the neighborhood and a car started with a rumble in the distance causing a large crack that echoed in the morning air as it backfired.
He sat silent for a while, comfortable in his cocoon and enjoying the warming sun in the cool air. There was a faint creak as the backdoor opened and then a soft click as it closed gently. Adam didn't turn around, but he addressed the silent Indigen approaching him.
"Good morning, Jay," he said.
A moment later the smell of coffee hit his nose as a cup was offered over his shoulder. Attached to it was a black paw with smooth, well-maintained claws and only slightly-ruffled fur. Adam thought to himself that the Indigen equivalent of bed head was pretty darn adorable.
"Good morning, Adam. How did you know it was me?"
He took a sip of the drink and turned to look at the wolf who settled into the chair right next to him. They were close enough to touch if they wanted, but Adam still couldn't decide if Jay was the outwardly affectionate type outside of the bedroom, even with Theo. Their eyes didn't meet because Jay was looking off into the distance at the world waking up around them, but his ears were swiveled in Adam's direction. Looking closely, Adam could see his black ears had a slightly different colored fur within the pinna, a gray that Adam hadn't noticed before but could now see clearly. The wolf's attention seemed far away, per usual, but he was listening intently.
Adam responded, "Well, for starters, you're quiet. It's distinctive when you consider who you live with." He took another sip of his drink. Steam rose from the surface of the liquid and coiled into the air, he huffed a breath over the rim and watched it swirl into nothingness. "I know I can't smell you like they can or hear you when you walk, but I imagine it would have been a bit more raucous greeting if Theo or Walter had come out first."
Jay nodded in silent agreement and Adam smiled at the typical stoic response. "Thank you for the coffee, by the way."
"Of course," came the reply. "After I woke up, I heard you in the kitchen. I thought you might enjoy it, so I got a new bag of coffee out of the pantry. Apologies if it's not as good as you're used to." Adam felt a rush of warmth at the black wolf's thoughtfulness.
"It's perfect," he said. The black furred tail wagged slightly behind Jay's chair.
Adam reached out from underneath the warmth of the blanket and lifted the nearby tail into his lap, careful not to tug on it. He began to run his fingers through the fur, starting as close to the base as he could reach and allowing his fingers to trail all the way to the tip. Jay let out a nearly inaudible huff and Adam almost stopped, afraid he might have done something wrong. Jay didn't budge or pull away, so he continued delicately. His fingers fell into a steady rhythm, teasing and parting the fur while stroking the tail gently.
Jay spoke again. "You know you almost look like a small bear bundled up in the blanket." He went quiet again while Adam absentmindedly stroked his tail. There was an unspoken ease between them, and neither needed to speak to enjoy the company. They struck a balance seamlessly, due in part to the wolf’s quiet nature but rapt attention. He knew when to speak and when speaking wasn’t needed, and Adam realized it paired well his bear’s boisterous nature. Two peas in a pod, as it were.
"I sort of feel like a small bear in this blanket," Adam replied quietly. He eventually released Jay's tail and let it fall back behind the quiet wolf before pulling the blanket to his nose and smelling it.
"I think I probably smell like one now, too." He laughed. Jay sipped from his mug and smiled.
The two sat in quiet companionship as the sun began to shine in earnest. There were further sounds that the community was waking up, but everything was still calm and serene until the back door opened with another creak. A moment later it swung shut, crashing into the frame without a paw to guide it gently closed. Adam and Jay exchanged knowing looks; they couldn't help but snicker to one another.
The two unclothed bears trundled outside, one after the other. Walter appeared bright and alert, seemingly unfazed by the early morning, but Theo was dragging his feet with half-closed lids. He made it to the only available chair and plopped into it heavily, only to open his maw so wide in a yawn that Adam could see down his throat. His teeth glistened in the morning sunshine as his jaw stretched wide.
Adam was hypnotized by the sight until he felt two large paws slide under his arms and lift him from his seat as Walter took his place. Adam scrambled to grip his mug and blanket while keeping it pinned around his body when the bear held him up. Walter settled into the seat before placing the man down onto his lap and snuggling his warm body around the man tightly.
"Good mornin'!" The chubby bear exclaimed. The large black nose descended and began to snuffle and sniff around Adam's neck, causing him to shy away briefly from the cold muzzle. A large white paw peeled back a portion of the blanket and he guffawed before wrapping it back tightly around the man's exposed skin.
"Theo, your friend here seems to have finally gotten comfortable! He's even got his own fur coat. I guess the indoctrination is complete!" He chuckled.
Theo simply yawned again and leaned back in his chair, attempting to fall asleep again. Adam looked from Walter to Jay, judging from the looks on their faces that this was par for the course. Walter just shrugged, and Adam felt his whole body rock with the movement.
"You kept him up last night. That one would sleep till noon if we let him," was all Walter said. He wrapped his large arms around Adam, sliding one underneath the blanket. Adam felt large pads slide across his side and down his belly until they finally rested in his lap. The old bear absentmindedly ran them over his smooth skin and Adam sucked in a heavy breath of morning air.
"Going to be a beautiful day," he said as he nuzzled into the man in his lap.
Jay nodded in agreement and stood without a sound, setting his now empty mug on the ground. He spent a moment looking around his seat and Adam wondered what the canine was looking for. Jay settled on a thick patch of grass and plucked a long blade from the ground. With a silent grace, he padded over to Theo.
Walter perked up and stopped idly caressing Adam's skin.
He whispered into the man’s ear, tickling his ear lobe. "Oh this'll be good, cub." His large snout tipped in Jay's direction.
The black wolf stood over Theo who was sitting with his head bent forward, large arms crossed over his thick chest. A slight snore escaped his throat and Jay lifted his carefully selected instrument to the bear's nose. He took the blade of grass and waved it gently in front of Theo's snout. No reaction. Again, with perfect silence, Jay placed the tip of the blade of grass gently on the rim of the snoozing bear's nose and began to gently tickle the sensitive skin. Theo's large nose twitched once, then twice, then scrunched up as his lips began to lift slightly off his muzzle and his brow furrowed.
Jay stepped deftly to the side as Theo raised his head suddenly and sneezed so forcefully, two things happened at once. First, he startled himself awake. His eyes popped open suddenly as his sneeze cannoned out into the morning air. Secondly, the force of his sneeze and the sudden backward motion of his head and upper body pushed the brown bundle of fur backwards and he toppled out of the chair. He lay still for a moment, gaining his bearings with his ass in the air. It seemed his little stubby tail was tucked up as much as it could be, but his legs were spread with everything on display and Adam laughed out loud with his polar bear counterpart. Adam bounced on top of Walter as the bear shook with laughter. A devilish grin spread over Jay's face.
Theo rolled himself over and stood as graciously as his wounded pride would allow. He brushed off his fur and blinked into the morning sun before turning to glare at Jay. The wolf somehow managed to keep his composure and look perfectly innocent in the face of the angry bear.
The glare then spun toward the two laughing hysterically. They both attempted, unsuccessfully, to stifle their laughter.
"I'm glad I can be everyone's entertainment this morning." Theo said with a huff. He patted his fur, brushing off the dew and dirt plastered on his rear. Jay even stepped up to get his back. Theo gave him a wounded look, but let it happen. Adam did feel a little bit bad at his friend's predicament, but he still had to wipe a tear away from his eyes.
"Aw, Theo, I'm sorry. Don't be mad. Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?" Adam asked playfully.
Theo's sour mood brightened slightly at the comment and he adjusted his package in front of the trio. His bruised pride none the worse for wear with the gentle teasing.
"We can figure out some way for you to repay me," he winked. The bear turned his attention to the wolf who still looked like he had done nothing wrong.
"And you," he pointed at Jay. "I'm going to pay you back for that."
Jay simply planted a quick kiss on Theo’s cheek. "I look forward to it," he replied.
Adam leaned back against Walter. "Is this a common occurrence in your house?" The bear composed himself and held the man tightly against his belly.
"I haven't seen Jay act that way in quite a while, to be honest. Just like when he was a pup. He doesn't let himself goof off too much anymore. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he might have been showing off for you just a little bit." A large digit poked Adam in the chest. "It's nice to see those two acting like young scamps again. Theo'll get over it once he stuffs some food in his muzzle," he mused.
Jay stepped away from Theo who stretched vigorously and yawned one more time. It really just seemed excessive at this point, Adam thought. The wolf sat back down in his chair and relaxed into it, fur rippling across his body.
The polar bear’s belly rumbled. "Speaking stuffing muzzles, you know what we need?” He stood up, taking Adam with him. “Breakfast!"
Instead of carrying the man inside, Walter turned and placed him down onto Jay’s lap. In the tussle of movement, Adam simply gripped the blanket where he could but he wasn’t able keep it from hiking up around his waist. The moment Walter set him down, his bare skin connected with black fur. Both bears wandered back inside and Adam watched as they entered the building in good spirits.The door crashed shut loudly.
Jay shifted positions slightly, and the man could feel a stirring against his skin. Adam wasn’t sure if he should move. While the bears certainly didn’t mind having him in their lap, Jay was smaller than the others, albeit larger than Adam. When he shifted to put his feet on the ground and stand, two paws slid under the blanket and wrapped around his waist. They made the decision for him.
The paws explored between Adam's thighs and his body reacted to the touch, growing hard despite never feeling the brush of pawpads directly on his package. He did, however, feel the thickness of the sheath underneath him becoming more insistent.
"You're all insatiable, you know that?" Adam said with a grin. The wolf didn’t respond with words, instead pressing the man down tightly against his groin and gently grinding into him. Adam pulled as much of the blanket over his shoulders as possible and it hung over the chair with the two bodies in it, hiding them from the rising sun. He felt a wet pointed tip press between his cheeks in an earnest effort to bury itself. The wolf was leaking profusely, apparently unaffected by the constant activity over the weekend. Adam’s own insatiable urges took over and he pushed down onto it, allowing it to pierce him as a cold nose pressed against his back and sucked in a breath.
"We have probably twenty to thirty minutes before the food is ready…" was all Jay muttered. Neither was willing to leave yet, so they stayed in place; vapor hung in the air as the wolf calmly claimed the man in his lap, pulling out and pressing into him slowly as his fluids continually eased entry. Eventually, Adam grunted as the wolf slid into him down to the knot, long since swollen from the stimulation. He exhaled slowly, clenching down on the length inside him as it demanded entry.
Walter’s ears perked up inside when he heard a faint cry from the backyard. He opened the back door just a sliver and quickly honed in on the source. With a smile, he closed the door silently, allowing it to shut with just a small ‘click’, and turned back toward the kitchen.
He lifted his voice just enough so that Theo could hear. “We might wanna hold off on the food just a few more minutes. Our guest is a little tied up at the moment.”
The wolf and human stepped back into the house about thirty minutes later to the lingering smell of bacon and eggs. Adam cleaned himself off in the bathroom and chose to pull on some underwear, but decided to forego the rest of his clothing for the moment. He turned into the kitchen to find Walter dishing out breakfast while Theo spoke over the phone.
"…can we swing by in like an hour or so, Darlene? We're gonna eat some breakfast. Naw, we'll just be in the backyard. Walter'll leave a few beers if you let us hang for the day." Theo turned to acknowledge the polar bear as he filled up the plates. There was a nod of approval, but Adam had no idea what they were discussing.
Adam faced Walter who answered without being asked a question. "Darlene can have some of the test batch. It's not as good, but still better than the stuff in the store." He turned back to his work, satisfied with his explanation.
Jay and Theo each collected a plate. The wolf moved to sit at the table while Theo walked into the next room and plopped down heavily onto the couch. He began to shovel some food into his muzzle, the previous incident outside seemingly forgotten.
Suddenly, Walter appeared beside Adam and offered a plate. It had bacon, eggs, tomato, and an overly buttered piece of toast. Adam offered a quick thank you and followed the bear to the table where the black wolf was already savoring a piece of bacon. There was a grunt from the other room along with the creak of straining furniture and Theo suddenly appeared.
"I just got comfortable! We never eat at the table," he whined.
Walter swallowed a mouthful and gave a fatherly look to the brown bear. "You have a guest over, you heathen. I bet he thinks you have no manners now." He winked at Adam.
Theo scoffed and spoke in an exaggerated, overly-articulate drawl. "I am a perfectly genteel, civilized lady, you peasant." He shoveled a fork-full of eggs into his maw and smacked on it loudly.
Adam laughed and Walter raised a paw, pointing his fork toward the man. "You laugh now, but you better start eating that food, or you'll find this 'civilized lady' will be snout first on your plate stealin' it."
The three ate their meal, and Theo only tried once or twice to swipe food from both Adam and Walter's plate. Adam managed to defend his meal with a smile but Walter popped the younger bear on the paw for his efforts. The sole human finished his meal only a short while after the other three, and he inquired about the phone call.
"So what plans have you made, Theo? I'll have to head back home tonight, so would it be better for me to get out of here a little earlier?"
The bear waved a paw dismissively. "Nonsense. We'll get you back tonight, but we're gonna head over to Darlene's place here in a little bit. She's got a pool outback, the good kind: in ground. That cat is meticulous when it comes to her place. I can guarantee you the pool will be cleaned before we get over there. It's just a block or two away, so we can walk."
As Adam shuddered at the thought of the cold water, Theo pushed away from the table. He leaned in and licked the side of Adam's face. "I thought you had some food on your face. Maybe not. Was worth it though." He snickered and added, "The backyard is fenced in, so you don't have to wear anything if you don't want."
Adam wiped the smudge of bear spit off his face with a smile. "Well I'll wear something over there and think about it on the way," he said with a grin.
The three spent a little bit more time around the house before finally collecting what they would need for the pool. Walter selected six unlabeled beers from the fridge and nothing else while Theo had gone outside to collect the camp chairs and held them under one arm. Jay seemed the most prepared with a large bag that had water, food, and one towel for their human counterpart. Adam realized that the likelihood of the three having any kind of sunscreen was probably zero, but was surprised to find Jay had packed a small bottle into the bag. He explained casually that they'd had the same bottle for several years. It only ever got used on days like this and only for the top of the snout. Theo had fallen asleep in the sun one day and woken up to a dry, cracked, and painful nose. They had kept a bottle around ever since.
When they finally started on their way, Theo led them down the street and Adam got another glimpse into The Neighborhood. The road was relatively quiet, but there were some Indigen out doing yardwork. An old goat in a wide brimmed straw hat was pruning a flowerbed and occasionally chomping down on the discarded plant material, while a young buck was pushing a mower across the front lawn. The group seemed to wave or say hello to just about everyone they passed by, prompting some waves and smiles in return. Adam never waved back, but he did offer a smile or two while trying to keep up with everyone’s long strides.
At one point, Walter veered away to have a conversation with an old wolf couple that were out on their front porch. The older female was smiling and carrying on like an old lady at a church luncheon, but the male was quiet. The old wolf lit up a cigarette and took a puff, and Adam could tell he was being watched with a sideways glance. Walter seemed to notice too, and he turned back briefly to the trio waiting on him, offering a wave and a smile before turning back and continuing his conversation. The old wolf still didn't take his eyes off Adam, but his expression softened just barely, enough for the man to let out the breath he didn't realized he was holding.
Theo must have sensed the discomfort and put an arm around his shoulders. Adam relaxed further. "Don't get worked up, bud. Ain't nobody gonna jump 'yer bones 'cept us. Mr. Jones has just got a mean face is all."
Walter finished his conversation and waved goodbye to the Joneses, stepping away from the front porch to join the group again as they continued on their way. Theo led them between two houses and pointed across the street to a small, well maintained home. Adam could see a large privacy fence encircling the backyard.
Theo’s excitement was contagious. "There we go! Told ya it was close by! I'll grab the key under the mat and we can go in the back gate. No need to pester Darlene if she doesn't wanna join us." The two bears began to make their way to the front of the house, and Adam moved to follow them but Jay put a paw on his shoulder.
"Your phone's ringing, Adam."
Adam put a hand on his shorts and could feel the buzzing, as well as hear a slight melody coming from his pocket. He pulled it out and the ringer became suddenly obvious. He had been so focused on getting to their destination that he hadn't noticed.
He flipped it over and saw an unexpected name. The caller I.D. read 'Angie'.
Adam sighed. "This is someone from work, Jay. Why don't you guys go on and I'll join in a minute, I'll just knock on the gate."
Jay nodded and turned to follow the bears. Adam could see them talking when he caught up and the other two looked his way. Theo gave a thumbs up and all three walked around the side of the house.
Adam stayed in the shadow of the two homes and finally turned back to the phone. He accepted the call before it went to voicemail and Angie's voice perked up through the line.
"Adam?"
"Yeah, Angie, it's me. What's up?" Adam tried to be simple and straightforward. She had never called him directly before, but he had her number saved from work. He hoped that this was work related, in which case he could just deal with it tomorrow when he got back.
"Are you ok?" Shit, he thought.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just been enjoying my long weekend. Why? What's the matter?"
"Well, Dave told me what happened on the hike." She said it plainly, but Adam got the distinct impression this wasn't out of any genuine concern. Half the office probably knew by now, both that he had opted to stay with the Indigen at the campsite, as well as other personal information. He wondered if Dave had embellished the story in any way. He decided it would be easier to just expect it, so his answer stayed short and devoid of any real information.
"Well, when Dave left, I had to leave early too. I changed plans for the weekend. That's all."
Angie was silent for a moment and Adam could tell she wasn't satisfied with the answer.
"Did… anything happen when you were camping, he said you ran into some trouble when you got there…" She let the words hang in the air.
"Nothing happened, Angie. I'm fine, I just didn't get to camp as long as I wanted to. I'll be back tomorrow." He kept his sentences short and concise. What right did Dave have to say there was trouble? There wasn’t any trouble until that asshole had made it himself, then stormed off like a child. Adam had to take a deep breath to keep his frustrations from being heard over the phone.
The young woman on the line went silent one more time. Adam could picture her running through what she wanted to ask and trying to determine if she could. He was not looking forward to going into work tomorrow.
"Well then, I'll, uh, see you tomorrow then." She ended weakly.
Adam didn't leave room for the conversation to continue. "See you then," he said. There was a static click of her hanging up and he let out another sigh. He stared at the phone in his hand for a moment, distracted and lost to his own thoughts of frustration and anger. Before there was a chance to put the phone back in his pocket, another voice spoke up.
"What the fuck are you doing here, human?"
Adam spun around to a young equine standing before him with arms crossed. The Indigen towered over him in the corridor between the houses and was at least a foot taller than the man. His bay coloring was shadowed by the house, making it seem darker than it truly was. Adam wouldn't call him a foal, but he wasn't sure if there was a term for a middle aged equine and stallion didn't seem to apply, although everything was on full display. Despite the standoff, his brain kept churning. Maybe colt was the right term?
Adam suddenly realized he had seen this Indigen when they first drove into The Neighborhood. He had been sitting in the back of the Jeep and the scowl as they passed by was identical to the one in front of him now. There was a seething hatred to it that scared him.
"I'm here with some friends." Adam said. He took a step backwards toward the street and the direction of Darlene’s house.
"And what gives you the right to be here?" The young equine asked. He took a step forward and dropped his arms to his side, fists clenched.
"Look, man, I'm just here with friends, OK?" Adam didn't know what to say to diffuse the situation. He didn’t even know why the horse was angry, let alone how he could quietly just leave. He suddenly wished Jay had stayed with him for the phone call.
"You shouldn't have any friends here, fleshbag. There's no reason for you to be here, and we don't want you here, got it?"
The equine moved toward Adam who tried to take another step back but faltered and tripped over his own feet. Arms swung wildly in a circle as he tried to keep himself upright, but the battle against balance was lost. He cried out and landed ass-first on the ground. He tried to sit up and get his arms underneath him to rise, but suddenly there was a hoof on his throat, holding him down with painful intensity. Adam looked up to find the young equine over him with a scowl. His aggressor crouched down, putting more pressure on Adam who gagged and brought his hands up to the hoof pressed against his skin. His hands were swatted away.
"Don't fucking touch me, human."
Adam coughed under the weight and struggled; he had no idea what to do. The pressure on his neck was progressively becoming more painful and he instinctively reached up to try and move it, despite the previous warning. He watched as the equine moved to hit him again and suddenly the pressure was gone, but his throat was on fire.
There was a loud whinny and a snarl as Adam's vision was blocked by black fur. He sucked in a breath of air and tried a second time to sit up, propping himself up on sore elbows. He stared between Jay's legs at the equine who was pulling himself up off the ground and holding his right arm. His perpetual scowl deepened and he turned with a derisive snort, moving down the corridor at an incredibly fast pace.
Behind him, Adam felt the thumping of the earth as two large bears approached. There was a roar.
"JACE! IF YOUR FATHER DOESN'T BEAT YOU, I WILL!" Theo bellowed.
Suddenly, two white furred arms lifted Adam to a standing position and several paws were patting him down. Jay was silent but the fur around his neck and back was standing on end. Theo was trying to be gentle, but his patting and brushing was rougher then Adam could handle at the moment. Walter had run to the end of the corridor, presumably to see if Jace was still there. Adam stepped away from the caring but rough bear at his side.
"Adam, shit, I'm so sorry. That little shit is going to be in a shit load of trouble when I… when I… SHIT." Theo’s thoughts sputtered out in a spray of spittle and fury.
Adam took a moment to feel his neck, which was tender. The heated pain was slowly receding into a dull ache. He took a few deep breaths and stepped forward to put a hand on Theo's chest.
"It's OK, Theo." The bear snorted and wrapped his arms around Adam in a hug. The man grunted and Theo relented slightly, loosening his grip, but still enveloping his friend in fur.
"And thank you, Jay.” The black wolf’s hackles were still up, but settling. He brushed a paw across his neck, laying down the fur even more. Adam’s next statement was a request: “Let's go to the pool. I'd really rather be behind that fence now."
He walked across the street with three bodyguards close behind him.
Adam sprawled on a lawn chair with a lithe cheetah standing in front of him; her body blocked the sun and cast a thin line that trailed over the man, shading his eyes. She held a small dishtowel with ice bundled inside of it against his neck, occasionally removing it and checking the skin underneath. Eventually, she placed his own hand on top of the towel and instructed him to hold it there for as long as he could stand it.
"You're gonna have a nice hoofprint," she said. Adam winced.
Theo was pacing back and forth in front of him, clenching and unclenching his fists. Eventually Jay stepped in and placed a paw over his shoulder, holding the bear still. "And that boy is going to have a pawprint across his hide for this, if I have anything to say about it," the bear grumbled.
Darlene's tail swished back and forth. She walked over to the six pack of beer that had been brought by Walter and cracked open two bottles, taking one for herself and handing the other to Theo.
"I think his father will handle things, Theo. I'm going to call him in a few, so don't stick your snout in it now," she said.
Adam perked up from his chair. "His father?"
Darlene turned to back to the bruised man and took a large swig of the beer, swallowing it down with a satisfied look on her feline face. She turned to Walter and tilted the beer in his direction, passing on a silent compliment. He nodded back to her.
“Jace's father is the town's main representative. He leads the community meetings and helps manage The Neighborhood. Some of the kids call him the Mayor although he'll give you a look if you say that to his face." She smiled as if replaying a memory in her head.
Adam couldn’t stop replaying the encounter in his mind. "I guess you guys have your own 'Dave's’ here too, huh," he said absentmindedly.
Jay nodded in agreement, while Darlene cocked her head in confusion. Adam tried to fill in the gaps for the cheetah.
"Someone I know. Pretty much the same scenario happened when we were camping, except Dave didn't get…" He touched his neck. "…didn't get as physical." A sudden thought brought a laugh to his lips and got more puzzled looks at the outburst.
"Well if Dave had tried anything, I imagine he would have regretted it," he said. The scene played out in his head, giving him no small amount of satisfaction. "I mean, you guys are bigger than that kid, let alone Dave. Don't tell me you wouldn't have put him in his place."
Jay frowned suddenly and spoke up. His tone was grim. "If Dave had tried anything, it would have gotten complicated. If we had directly harmed a human and he had been alone or you had been anyone else, it would have been bad. For us. It wouldn’t matter if he started it."
Adam thought about that for a minute. "And what about me? If I could have fought back, which I couldn't have, would it be the same?"
"We would have taken you home immediately," Jay said. "..and you wouldn't be able to come back, but it wouldn't have escalated beyond that."
Adam kept the ice pressed to his skin, taking in that information. It was a rotten system for sure, but he was here, wasn’t he? They had spent a wonderful weekend together, and he’d been welcomed, albeit cautiously, for the most part. Despite the sore bruise on his neck from a teenager with a bad attitude, he knew that was due in no small part to the three that surrounded him. He was sure even Darlene had an effect; the feline had been relatively aloof in their brief interaction, but kind.
"You want me to come back at some point?" Adam asked.
Darlene smiled but Jay, Theo, and Walter all answered in unison. "Of course."
The group sat quietly for a bit. Adam finally relented and took the frigid bag off to let his skin to breathe while Theo seemed to be calming done more substantially. Jay stood next to his partner, and Walter had commandeered one of the other camp chairs as his own. The older bear had been silent for the most part, but Adam knew he was just as present in the conversation as the others. The Indigen seemed to have a knack for that; their attention wasn’t necessarily defined by speaking or eye contact, but rather the way they positioned themselves or the swivel of ears.
Adam didn't really know what to say, so instead he stood up from the chair. All four heads turned toward him. He made a conscious decision in the moment to ignore the altercation, just as he was ignoring that he would have to go back into work tomorrow. Those were issues that could be dealt with later, if needed. He only had a few more hours to spend in the present and he wasn't going to waste it. He wouldn't let it be ruined.
His cheeks glowed slightly red as he took off his shirt, wincing as his arms stretched over his head. "Darlene, everyone wanted to go for a swim. Can we still do that?" He rubbed at the ache in his neck.
The feline laughed and another bright smile spread across her face. She picked up the remaining beer and opened the back door to the house. Before she stepped inside, she turned back to the group. "Of course, hun. Just don't go getting my pool dirty." She looked directly at Theo with a feline glare. "I'll leave you boys be." Her tail flicked once then flowed behind her as she slipped inside.
Theo's head turned from the backdoor to Adam who was now shirtless. With a smile at the bear, he shucked off his shorts, stripping down to nothing before jumping into the pool.
Adam burst out of the water almost immediately. "HOLY HELL, IT'S COLD!" He wiped the liquid away from his eyes and saw Theo and Walter take two steps forward before leaping into the air and crashing into the water beside him. After protecting himself from the ensuing tidal wave, he looked over to see Jay sliding in from the edge of the pool gently.
Adam doggy-paddled over to Jay who had leaned back against the edge of the pool and placed his arms up on the warm edge. He slid gently up under the crook of Jay’s elbow and shivered slightly. A strong arm fell across his shoulders and pulled Adam close, hugging the man's naked body against wet fur. It didn't make Adam feel any warmer, but it was comforting nonetheless.
Theo was attempting to float on his back in the middle of the pool, but his large body continually sank down, forcing him to kick up with his legs occasionally. Walter had sunk beneath the cool water, and only his muzzle, eyes, and snout weren’t submerged, giving him the appears of an alligator more than a polar bear. Adam wondered if there were any alligators in The Neighborhood.
Jay shifted Adam in the water gently, pulling his body in front of of the canine. He wrapped his black furred arms around the fur-less chest and held him there while they all enjoyed the pool. His snout came to rest on the man’s head and Adam could feel the heartbeat of the wolf behind him.
“I’m sorry about what happened, Adam. I should have stayed out there with you.”
Adam leaned back against the wolf, resting his head back on one shoulder. Jay leaned his nose down and licked the bruise on his neck softly. It wouldn’t affect any healing, and they both knew that, but that wasn’t the purpose. It was a gesture from the typically indomitable wolf that he wouldn’t stand for what happened, and Adam realized he felt the same way. He wouldn’t let Dave control the narrative when he got back to work. He owed Theo and Jay that much.
“It’s not your fault. I’ll be fine, Jay. I’m just glad you showed up when you did.” He turned his head and kissed the wolf on the nose. Jay’s ear’s perked up to full attention as Adam turned his body around in the water. He looked the wolf in the eyes, marveling at the deep color hidden there. Jay suddenly pushed forward, kissing the man deeply. Adam’s body melted in those arms, but he pushed into Jay’s maw, meeting the kiss with his own passion.
A moment later there was a paw on his back and Theo’s muzzle pressed over his shoulder. Walter floated over closely as well, effectively surrounding the man from all sides with thick warm bodies and wet fur.
Theo smiled and planted a wet lick on one cheek while Walter pressed into his side from the other. Jay’s composure opened up like a ray of sunshine and he simply offered a big, toothy, canine smile. The weekend wasn’t over yet.