FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The day came around like a wave. The week was both, painfully slow to the point he had no idea if time was really running, and gone in the blink of an eye, leaving him an anxious mess. Up until now, Kramer felt like he had no idea what to do, and with only a few hours to go, he was still racking his brain over all his options. But no matter what happened, his mind always went back to those big arms, the prominent chest poking out of his best, the lips that looked like they were begging to be kissed... And he ended up blushing too hard to think.

The city was as bustling as ever, even in the middle of the night- Hell, maybe because it was the middle of a Friday night! The streets were full of people coming from work, small groups of office workers still on their suits ready to go on a quick bender before going back home, cliques roaming around for whatever club they could get themselves in, and the occasional couple in their way to a date, maybe a restaurant or some other cheesy thing like that. Among them all, the otter stood out not only from being on his own, there were plenty of those around him as well, but rather for the silly grin he had been wearing ever since coming out of work himself. Not like he could help it, with the pictures going on in his mind.

He finally reached his building, just one more in a long series of towers of varying size, all of them looking the same, piercing all the way up to the orange sky, tinted by the setting sun, giving way to a sky with no stars. He looked at it as he opened the door, and once again, his thoughts went to the forest from two weeks ago, where the air was so clear and fresh, he was sure it would be easy to watch them all. That and everything else about that forest came to mind, making him grin again.

Once inside, he rushed all the way up to his apartment, practically slamming the door and slipping out of his clothes, exposing the defined torso and arms, and the tattoos going around his biceps, close to his elbows; anything to fight off the summer heat. He made his way to the bedroom and jumped on his bed, reaching for the pillow and letting a quick squeal muffled by it, while a shiver ran down his spine at the thought of the next day. His head soon left the city, the loud vehicles and honks coming from his window, focusing instead on the trees, the mountain, the fresh grass under his feet and the tall, handsome hermit... Yet another squeal came out.

"God... What do I say to him?" he said out loud, turning over in his bed and staring at the ceiling now. Even that brought to mind that last visit, when he lied down on that couch, waiting for the tall bull to come over with him. "'Hi, Baum! It's been a while'. 'Hey, Baumy-' Lord, I can't call him Baumy! Who does that!?" and he rolled around again. Laughing louder at the thought.

His mind once again went to that hermit, that tall, imposing bull that somehow managed to intimidate him as much as he aroused him. Massive, brimming with just enough muscle to look good without being too much, arms like tree trunks and so delectably defined... And he was sure the chest and abs under his shirt would be the same. But what got him the most was that handsome face, just the right amount of rugged, the violet eyes behind his glasses, the golden hair that went all over his face, especially those tufts under his nose... How would they feel against his own lips, he wondered, and the thought made him blush yet again.

"Should I kiss him again?" asking out loud only made him squeal again. "Ah... I shouldn't be planning what I'm going to say; let's keep it natural, improvise a bit. I'm sure he'll like that. Maybe I will kiss him! He'll like that too, right?" there it was, in that last word... It made him sit up on the bed, his eyes landing on the wall as the smile faltered. "He liked it last time, right? He was blushing a lot, but that can mean a lot of things. Shit, maybe I shouldn't have done it, did I cross the line with that? I knew it was a bad idea, fuck..." and he fell back on his bead, muffling the sounds with his pillow. This time, it was closer to screaming.

In the plush darkness pressed against his face, Kramer felt his heart sink. What was he even doing? What chance did he have with a stranger? Especially a hermit, that was some fine choice; fall for the random dude who actively chose to live alone in the middle of nowhere, he was probably just tolerating your presence. The more he thought about it, the more those words crept into his brain, his ears slowly filled with it.

"No!" a good smack on both cheeks and he was back on track, despite the heavy pressure lingering in his chest. "Don't think like that. Happy thoughts. You have a chance with the guy, don't just think everyone's emotionally stunted like..." he stopped himself right then, holding his pillow tight. He didn't want to go there... "I should think what to bring. He seemed interested on my phone, maybe I'll show him some apps. Should I bring my laptop too? No, he probably doesn't have wi-fi- Does he even know what wi-fi is? That sounds like an interesting conversation."

Suddenly, the otter's brain was filled with several more thoughts and ideas, hundreds of things going on at once, each more enticing than the last. It was enough to keep him busy, distracted from bad memories... Better to look to the future, he thought; to tomorrow.

---

The day came in a flash. Kramer wasn't sure when exactly he had passed out in his bed, but waking up, he only had one thought, and it filled him with equal amounts dread and excitement. It was still fairly early in the morning, but there was no way he was going to sit still and wait for a more appropriate hour; especially when he realized he didn't even set an hour with the bull, so might as well take the chance to grab his bike and ride all the way there, get some extra cardio before seeing him.

So, Kramer was going down the same route he took that day, the breeze hitting his face hard, cooling down his body and easing his anxieties. Yes, the thoughts kept creeping up into his mind, but it was a simple matter to ignore them when you were busy trying not to fall off a speeding bike. The trees around him were a welcoming familiar sight, making him remember that time the two saw each other for the first time; thinking about the bull as a scary forest monster now, knowing how much of a gentleman he was, made him feel silly.

A few feet away, he recognized a familiar silhouette; one that had been plaguing his dreams all week, and that was more than welcome to continue doing so. Kramer felt his cheeks tingling from how wide his smile was when he noticed the tall bovine on the road, sitting on the ground, leaning lazily against a tree with his gaze lost in the sky. It was such a serene picture, the otter slowed down to a halt, one foot on the ground, and simply stood there for a second to admire him, unable to jump in and break the calm around his body.

Enough time went on for Baum to notice him, and the bull looked over his way, making the otter blush and turn to the forest out of instinct. Only for a second, before he started making his way over, just as the bull stood up with a stretch. He was wearing the same violet poncho as last time, and for a moment Kramer hoped to see the bare torso underneath; but rather, a white vest poked from under that mantle, covering the abs he had silently been hoping to see. It took a lot out of him not to let his disappointment show.

"Hey," Baum greeted him first, his voice the same deep, attractive baritone he remembered from his last excursion. It fit his body perfectly; a body he refused to stop checking out. The sculpted arms kept drawing his eyes towards them, his body yearning to be held between them. "Nice shirt."

"What? Oh, thanks!" Kramer gave him a wide smile in return, showing off a row of pearly white teeth as a chuckle left him. Internally, he was telling himself how ridiculous he looked laughing like that, btu he couldn't help it; he was wearing a plain old red polo, the same he wore almost every day. The fact that Baum went out of his way to look for anything to compliment made him feel good.

Maybe that's why he was suddenly filled with courage. At least enough to step forward and lean on his tiptoes, aiming for the bull's cheek just like last time he saw him; or perhaps somewhere more to the side, why not... But he only met air...

It was an instant, a second, that felt and moved like hours to his eyes. A second in which Baum took a step back to dodge the kiss he intended for his face alone, and during which Kramer lost his footing. Had he not been holding his bike at that moment, he would've fallen on the ground and made a complete fool out of himself. Or he would've fallen on the bull's pecs and end up putting him in an even more uncomfortable spot. Oh shit, was that it? He was making him uncomfortable? Fuck dammit, that was it, wasn't it?

When that second was over, he was standing next to Baum, staring at the ground, refusing to meet with the larger man's gaze. Instead, he looked at his hooves, dreading the moment they would vanish from his sight because he decided he wasn't up to standing the otter's treatment. Shit, why did he even think that was ok in the first place? He had just met the guy and he was about to lose the chance. He had to say something now, before Baum got the wrong idea- No, talking more would only make everything worse! But he couldn't just stay quiet- Or maybe staying quiet was the right move here? Fuck, fuck, fuck...

"Hey!" Baum's voice clouded his thoughts right away. His neck moved on its own and he looked up at the bull, feeling his heart sinking when he saw that handsome face looking away from him. A very slight, almost imperceptible blush hid beneath the dark fur, and his mustache shook in a very specific way that made the otter feel uneasy. "So... That's a thing that happened. I wanted to... Uh, to talk to you about that, actually."

"I'm sorry, I just-

"I don't really know you," he was pretty blunt. Kramer was sure there was more to what he wanted to say, but those five words alone were already telling him to turn around and run away, if anything to spare himself the shame. The thing he noted the most was that Baum still wasn't looking at him. "If I'm honest, it felt... nice... that a guy thinks about me like that. And you seem like a cool guy too. But after you left, I couldn't stop thinking about it and... Well, it made me uncomfortable."

"I..." what the hell was he supposed to say now? Of course it made him uncomfortable, that was just common sense. He would be uncomfortable if a stranger kissed him out of nowhere too. What the hell was he thinking? "I'm sorry... Maybe I should-

"You can stay," yet again, the bull cut him off. His words were meant to ease Kramer down, he was sure- Hell, it was evident! But there was something missing; a hug, an arm on his shoulder... Things that Baum was notably reluctant to do, as he slowly took a step back to further distance himself from the otter. "I... I miss just having someone to talk with sometimes. I don't want you to leave, I'm honestly excited about this. I just... feel like we should set some boundaries."

"Yeah..." what the hell was he thinking... But he still forced himself to smile. "Yeah, you're right! I... I was way out of line. I don't know what came over me, but I promise you, it won't happen again. And if I do anything else to make you uncomfortable, just let me know and I'll fix it. Or I'll... leave, if that's what you want! Whatever you need."

"Let's hope we don't get to those extremes," Baum smiled as well; a smaller, more honest smile that only made Kramer feel worse. He was the one that got borderline harassed, and yet he was the one being sweet and understanding. How fucked up was that? And that was his fault too, dammit!

It was precisely because of that lack of comfort that silence fell between them as they made their way through the forest. Kramer walked a few paces behind the bull, trying to keep his distance without being too conspicuous, all the while wondering if that was the right thing to do in the first place. Or should he get friendly with him again as if nothing had happened, to try and ease the tension that had formed between them- Or would that only make him look dishonest and creepy on top of everything else!?

But the worst part was that, even with all those thoughts crossing his mind, the otter still stared at the bull's broad, muscular back. He simply didn't have it in him to look away from such a body, and his head was already filling with... pictures. Admittedly indulgent ones, but that said a lot about his own self-control; the same self-control that put him in this position in the first place.

They reached the cave in no time, and he took a moment to look up. It was an excuse to no longer stare at Baum like a pervert, but it was also because he wanted to take in the same marvelous sight he remembered from last time. The wall of rock standing above them was somehow even more impressive now that he was seeing it from his own height, rather than from the bovine's thick and defined arms.

"Hey," he weakly let out, barely getting Baum's attention. It was enough to make him stop right in the entrance, at least, and he looked over his shoulder to see what his guest needed. "How far back does this cave go?"

"That's... specific."

"Yeah, I guess it is," the smaller otter chuckled at the thought, hoping Baum would hear a playful sound instead of the nervous breakdown he was lowkey having. "Last time you mentioned a greenhouse on the back? How does that work? Is this just a mountain wall or something? Is there a whole open area on the other side? Or just a little room somewhere in the cave where the sunlight comes in?"

"I can show you later, if you want. I was planning on taking you there, anyway," that got a blush out of Kramer for... some reason. Now he was blushing about everything the bull said, like a simp. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Oh! I'm just trying to picture it all in my head. Might have to explore the place a bit to get a good look at where each room is placed, and I'd need to know what else is up there and to the back, if anything. What might get in the way..." he glanced at Baum only for a second, and despite the tiny smile on his lips, the bull was evidently confused by his unexplained words. "I just want to see what kind of remodels I can do here and there, that's all."

"That again? I haven't given you the go for that," his words alone were enough to make Kramer feel bad again, conveniently ignoring the playful tone and the laugh that came with them. Perhaps Baum detected that insecurity in him as well, since he walked over and ruffled his hair with one of those gigantic hands of him. "What is it with you, little dudes. Always so eager."

"Shush! It's just a thought experiment," the otter swatted his hand away, his own chuckle quickly winning over. And Baum didn't miss a beat for his other hand to resume the action, getting a sigh out of Kramer. "It's a habit from work; I think about these things all the time. Optimization and how to do the most of every bit of space. It comes out on its own."

"I'd say that makes you a geek, but I collect rocks," and that got a laugh out of both. They had both forgotten the tension, the uncomfortable air between them, all thanks to a bit of snark and a few words shared between them like that. The massive hand on Kramer's head helped as well; big and strong as he knew they were, those fingers were still tender.

"What's that about little dudes anyway? You knew a lot of small guys before moving here?"

And the ruffling stopped. It was so sudden, it almost made the otter take a step back. With surprising speed, Baum's hand pulled back, and the bull looked to the side, eyes wide behind his glasses as he tried not to frown too deeply.

"I, um... Yeah, I knew a few before I... moved," did he hit a button or something? Was Baum angry at him now? What if he kicked him out and called the whole thing off- Why the fuck was he worried about that when the bull was so clearly distressed in front of him? "You know, everyone's small when you're my size, actually. Anyway, we should go inside."

In the end, Baum was the one who cleared out any tension again. All while Kramer stood in silence. He was useless; unable to help him. Just like-

"No..." he mumbled, thankful that Baum had already made his way into the cave. The last thing he needed was someone hearing the thoughts creeping up the back of his neck. "That was just one bad relationship. Stop this, Kramer."

Deep breaths. And he patted the backpack hanging to the side, the trusty laptop and every other bit of random scrap he had lying around his apartment that he could use to show some neat stuff to the bull. Impress him, he thought at the time, but now he wasn't so sure; he would try and impress him anyway, but for wildly different reasons. The smile appeared on his face again, one that he wasn't sure how real it was, but he didn't pay it any mind. Better to make his way in before the bull grew worried about him.

"Hey!" he yelled once inside, his voice echoing through the rocky walls. "Do you know what wi-fi is?"

---

The day went on, somewhat uneventful. In a rather pleasant turn of events, Baum proved to be an incredibly quick learner, absorbing astounding amounts of information in a rather short amount of time. Kramer suspected he actually did know must of the basics he was teaching him, and that he faked it simply to impress him with artificial speed. The speed with which he typed on his laptop, despite the stubby fingers, only served to confirm his theory. But the otter allowed him that one pleasure, simply because of how cute he looked when he tried to be smug about it. Besides, he did have a hard time grasping how he could still connect to the internet even if there was no router in close proximity; Kramer even took the chance to joke how they had discovered a way for the trees to produce their own wi-fi, and for perhaps half a second or so, he was sure the bull believed him.

It had been a few hours ever since, and so many things had gone down in that seemingly short span of time, he wasn't sure where to start recounting. At some point, Baum had taken his poncho off, revealing the perfectly defined torso, only covered by the sleeveless vest he wore last time; Kramer's brain had gone blank for a bit when he stared at that carpet of golden fuzz on his chest, peeking out of the edge of his clothes, and he stumbled on his words a few times after that.

Now, after all those things had gone down, they had found a rather comfortable pace to speak. They were both sitting on the couch, the laptop up and open on the small coffee table, a Netflix window open with a movie paused after the bull showed little interest on it. Instead, he had taken the chance to lend his phone to the bull, who still held it with surprising care, fearing that such a delicate object might crack under the strength of his enormous hands. Kramer was slightly worried about it as well, but watching those big fingers treating everything with such delicate, shy motions was oddly reassuring.

"And this app?" Baum asked, getting his attention and making him look over his arm at the screen. It was often hard to know where he was pointing at, with fingers so thick it felt like they were aimed at four icons at the same time. He took a gamble by assuming he meant the one with a globe of the planet transitioning to a clock.

"Oh, that one lets you see what time it is on every time zone, based on your own area," he explained.

"Isn't that already implemented on the phone itself? Right here, in Configurations."

"Well... yeah, but that takes a lot of steps to open up, go to the screen- This is a tap and you get all the time zones!" he remembered being incredibly excited about it when he first found the app; explaining it out loud in an attempt to make it sound logical was really dampening that feeling.

"That just sounds lazy to me," there it was, another dampening. "Why do you need to know about other time zones, anyway?"

"I have friends that live overseas, jeez," he swiped his phone off the bull's hand, leaving his fingers to flex in their sudden emptiness. "Not like I would expect a grumpy old man like you to understand," he finished with his tongue popping out.

"Wha- I'm not old! I'm in my thirties! And I look great," Baum's reply came with a flex; one that, unlike the other subtly involuntary ones he usually retorted to, was this time very intentional. He posed and all, pumping his arms for no reason other than to brag about them, making Kramer's eyes bulge slightly, impressed by their sheer size. One of those biceps was easily the size of his head, and he was willing to press his face against them to prove it.

Maybe the thought crossed both of their minds at the same time, because the moment their eyes met, they burst out in laughter for who knew what time that day. It was a very common thing between them now, to just laugh at each other's silliness; something that had grown between them in the short time they had known each other. Didn't they call that chemistry?

They were rather close, which neither of them had paid much mind to. Under the excuse of needing to watch what the other was doing, they were sitting barely two inches apart, their arms having brushed more than once. Kramer had blushed more than once whenever it happened, feeling the sheer muscle under the short fur. So freaking solid, powerful... All of Baum brimmed with power like no other guy he had been with- He had known! He hadn't been with him... And just like that, he started blushing again, his mind going into countless other thoughts for no real reason.

"What about games?" Baum's question caught him by surprise, but once again it got the tension out of the way in an instant. The bull leaned back on the couch, staring at the screen while his nose twitched curiously; another thing he had come to notice the massive bovine doing: When he really focused on something, he started breathing differently, and his mustache shook in that adorable way he couldn't get enough of. He held the small rectangle in one hand while swiping with the other, like an old man, no matter how much he tried to deny it. "I remember some old games I used to play. There was a farming simulator that really simplified things- Real life is nothing like that, let me tell you."

"Yeah, I know what game you mean. There are some, hold on..." he was honestly surprised the bull suggested this, of all things. He would have to bring some consoles later on- Ah, but then where was he supposed to plug them? The thought made him absentmindedly press any app, not really paying attention to what he was doing before handing it over to the bull.

"This looks... weird. Really 3D- Wait, this looks actually great!" Baum's excited tone got him out of his trance, and he was once again surprised by the large bovine. This time, by the shine in his eyes, the bright smile and childish wonder he had while looking at the starting screen as some 3D models moved and posed in front of him. "I never had a console of my own, but games didn't look this good back in the day- Holy shit!"

"Yeah, graphics tech advanced insanely fast. I didn't pin you for the gaming type, though," he was still trying to compromise the picture of Baum's amazement with the gentle giant image he had formed of him in his head.

"I played a few games with friends, but it was more of a thing to do with them after class than a hobby of my own. But I'm curious now. I feel the craving," his finger slowly made its way to the start button...

Only for the phone to be taken from his hand, making him blink in surprise.

"Maybe next time. I'm running out of battery," Kramer winked at him without realizing, but Baum didn't seem to notice. He was too busy frowning and huffing his way. "I don't care how cute you look when you pout, no is no. Games eat into your battery like crazy; next time, I'll bring some portables for you to try, or you can always visit me instead and we can play some consoles."

"You think I look cute?"

Shit, did he really say that? What the hell was he thinking. Kramer didn't even notice he was curling, slowly edging away from the bull's looming presence. Any time now he would very politely ask him to leave, and that would be the end of everything between them, he just knew so. And thus, he waited for the moment, living through the longest second in his entire life. A moment that, oddly enough, never came around.

When he looked up, Baum was looking at him with an expectant expression, mouth open as if the words were stuck inside, trying to crawl out of him. His eyes had a peculiar shine to them, and the otter stared at him for a few seconds, his nose flickering uncertainly. But Baum was the one to look away first, with wide eyes, getting both of them out of their trance.

"Visiting sounds like an idea. Something I could try later, down the road."

"H-How did my phone lose so much battery already? Is it really that late?"

They were saying whatever, not even sure if the other was hearing at all. Any word was fine as long as it kept them from falling into an uncomfortable silence. In the end, despite how close their bodies were to one another, they looked in completely different directions, and Kramer's attention went to the small rocks on the bull's desk instead. He was honestly curious about those, but how did he go around and ask about them now...

"Is it?" Baum's voice got him out of his thoughts yet again. "Late, I mean. How late is it? I'm usually outside around this hour, I think. It's hard to keep track of the day without the sun to help. Do you have to leave any time soon, or...?"

"Oh! Oh yeah, uh..." another quick glance at his phone. "It's early-ish. I mean, it's not dark yet, I shouldn't have any issues getting back home."

"How much longer can you stay?" was that a wishful hint he heard on the bull's voice, or his own wishful thinking? "So far, you're the only one who has shown me anything. It wouldn't be fair if you went back home without getting my side of the experience, right?"

"Yeah! That was- That's the deal, you're right, yeah..." of course it was that, what were you thinking, Kramer?

Before he could keep berating himself, the bull stood up, stretching himself in silence. He didn't say so, but Kramer was sure he wasn't used to staying still for so long. He was definitely the type that had to be doing something at every moment, or he wouldn't have those muscles; those large, defined arms, the massive back and chest under his clothes, all of it flexing and popping with his movements. Kramer was staring again, but he was too into it to really care.

"Well, since your battery's dying anyway, we might as well go and do some of the things I wanted to show you. The internet really sucks you up before you realize it, huh?" the bull gave him one of those warm smiles he was sure were his trademark thing, and Kramer suddenly felt relaxed. He had this weird, soothing effect without even trying to. "Come on, I'm sure you'll like this one."

An offered hand. For an exact second, Kramer thought way too much about what it meant. Should he take it and hold it for a second, feel those enormous fingers squeeze his own just firm and tenderly enough to make his heart flutter again? Should he squeeze it back? Would that make Baum uncomfortable? Maybe it was easier to just stand up on his own, it's not like he really needed help to do so; it was just a couch. But that would be rude, wouldn't it? Or was that what the bull, in an incredibly roundabout way, expected him to do? Why the hell was he thinking so deeply about this!?

In the end, he reached for it without thinking, and didn't really pay attention to what he felt with it. His nerves basically went completely numb, his mind blanking out, until he was standing up. Baum gestured for him to follow, and before he knew it, they were walking deeper into the cavern, down the rocky hallway Kramer had only gotten glimpses out of so far. It wasn't nearly as lit as the living room behind them; only enough to keep you from tripping on your own steps, it seemed. A few entrances were littered across the walls, leading into alcoves of differing sizes that peaked the otter's curiosity. He wanted to respect Baum's privacy, but there was nothing to do if his eyes wandered and happened upon a bed or a larger desk, perhaps the occasional shelf crammed with books.

"Say," he tried to get Baum's attention, and while he kept looking forward, the way his ears perked up told him he was paying attention. It was also incredibly adorable. "So, this cave is way too convenient to be all natural, but there's no way you just carved it all on your own, right?"

"No, that's exactly what happened," he said it in such a casual tone, leaving Kramer's jaw to drop to the ground. "A lot of the cave was already here, but I still needed to polish some sides, make a few tunnels- A big enough hammer and some days of effort was all it took. It was a good workout, at least! I sweated a lot!"

"You're kidding," but all the answer he got from Baum was a hearty chuckle that echoed on the walls around him. His deep baritone was so rich, it made Kramer blush as he stared at the strong muscles on his back, and all of a sudden, it was just a bit easier to believe his claims. "What's with you bulls and your crazy feats. Making a whole cave all on your own."

"We're here. Stop mumbling to yourself, old man," another chuckle, and it was Kramer's turn to huff and frown. To think this sweet man had so much snark hidden in him.

But whatever bother may have been plaguing his mind was gone the moment he stepped outside, covering his face from the glare of the sun. It took him a second to connect the fact that he had left the cave, but when he did, his first reaction was sheer awe. Spreading in front of him was a small plateau, or perhaps a valley... surrounded by the cave's rising walls? He couldn't tell for sure because no matter where he looked at, his view was blocked by what felt like miles of greenery. Everywhere he looked there were trees, flowers and plants he didn't know the name of. It was as if he had entered a smaller second forest, or perhaps a jungle of some sort. He stepped close to one of the potted plants, a flower with bright petals that changed from red to orange and yellow depending on what angle he looked at them from, perhaps from the light bouncing off them. His curiosity was slowly taking the best of him, telling him to reach forward and see if they felt as velvety as they looked.

"You like that one?" Baum surprised him again, this time making Kramer fall flat on his butt. The bull didn't chuckle, but the tender smile on his face was enough to show his amusement. "This is my garden, by the way. I told you about it before."

"No, you said you had a greenhouse where you grew some medicinal plants. This is literally the Amazon rainforest," that did get a chuckle out of him. "What's this one?"

"Ah, this is a... personal project," Baum reached for the pot and picked it up, keeping the flower away from Kramer's reach, leaving him with the craving to touch it still burning the tip of his fingers. "I don't know what it's doing here, I must've left it around without realizing. It's a mixed breed I'm trying to grow here."

"What, like genetic manipulation?" the otter was suddenly intrigued by Baum's words and followed him into the inner forest, barely paying attention to the countless of other plants around them. The flower in the bull's hands took all of his attention.

"Nothing so fancy. You need the proper equipment and regulated environments for those. This is just mixing some crops to try and get them to inherit traits," he didn't even flinch when they reached a slight slope, unlike Kramer, who was so focused on his massive figure he almost tripped. Thankfully, the bull didn't pick up on that. "I've been working on it for a few years now. No particular reason for it, the idea just popped in my head once and I figured it was something to keep my mind sharp."

"Ok, but you can't just say that and expect me to not be curious..." his words drifted away when they reached the top of the small hill they had been walking on. The woods and plants around them were no longer blocking their view, leaving the sky open for Kramer to admire.

It was all just orange vastness as far as the eye could see, no clouds visible anywhere. A bit of a darkening edge in the idle as the sun drove back into the horizon, just as Kramer expected after seeing the time, but it was one thing to know what he would see and a completely different one to actually see it, in all of this colorful magnificence that made him feel so small...

"It is quite the view, isn't it? I didn't expect it to be this late," Baum's voice was somewhat distant, and when Kramer looked over his shoulder, he noticed the bull kneeling nearby, leaving the plant on the ground. Part of him expected the two of them to stand next to one another, looking at the sunset like you did in movies, but he was just deluding himself, over and over. "The first few days I got this far into the cave I used to sit here and just stare at the sunset for a while, just in pure awe. One time I was so tired, I actually passed out the moment it got dark and woke up the next morning with the worst cold of my life. But nowadays, it doesn't really have the same effect. I guess I kind of got used to it."

"How could anyone get bored of this, though?" Kramer was still staring at the sky, at the sun in the distance taking over every bit of attention he had to spare. He heard the leaves rustling behind him, likely from Baum doing something with them, but for the first time, he refused to look to the bull.

"I didn't say bored, I got used to it. Different things. Anyway, I need you to come over here if you really want to learn somethings," his voice was still distant, to the point that the otter heard him without really listening. His body moved on its own, sitting on the edge of the cliff and staring at the spectacle in front of him. It was breathtaking... So much that he didn't notice the soft clops or the massive body that now stood next to him. "Kramer... The herbs."

"Hmm?"

"Alright, fine," Baum got his attention back when his hand landed on the otter's head, and he ruffled his hair again. He tried swatting those thick fingers away, but the bull was simply too strong for him. Or maybe he didn't want him to step away as much. "This is your first time out here, so I'll let you off the hook this time. But you said you wanted to learn, so you better take this more seriously."

"I will! I'm sorry," he was trying to sound playful, despite the sudden guilt that crawled up his mind. He looked up, still thinking the bull would be mad at him, but it was unnecessary when Baum sat down next to him, looking in the same direction. It was the same as always, the otter thought; he couldn't get enough of those handsome features, of the fuzzy mustache or those violet eyes that seemed like they were seeing far beyond what stood in front of them. And then Kramer realized he was staring again, and he tried to say anything out of habit. "You're very eager to teach me all of a sudden. I thought you wouldn't want me here after... You know, the thing that happened the other day."

"You know, I was more than happy leaving that elephant alone in the room," he sighed. Did he finally make him mad? Kramer couldn't help but go back to the same question over and over, no matter what kind of expression the bull had. Despite being unable to tear his eyes away from him, Baum did the opposite, never looking away from the sunset. "I'm not mad. I was never mad about it, you just surprised me. As long as there are boundaries, I don't mind having you around. And if- If! We get to know each other better... maybe I won't mind a hug or a kiss from time to time," and at long last there it was, a bright blush taking over his cheeks and making him turn away, keeping his eyes off Kramer as much as possible.

The otter himself remained quiet, looking back at the horizon instead. The sky was turning darker above him, with only a stripe of bright orange remaining in the distance. It took him a while to realize there were no lights to turn on, and that the darkness would envelop them soon enough. Then he saw the moon and the thought stopped mattering. He always thought it weird how you can sometimes see the moon even in the middle of the day, even though he knew how the physics behind that worked.

"Why did you do it?" Baum caught him by surprise. He turned around and they looked at each other for a moment, the doubt evident in his frowning face. Kramer heard the question, his head answering it before his mouth could even start doing it. And every second with those thoughts plaguing him only made the red in his face brighter. He couldn't hold the bull's gaze any longer, and hugged his knees instead, hiding his face behind them.

"You're a handsome guy," it was such an embarrassing thing to say out loud. And it made him sound so shallow, he rushed to say more. "And nice! And pretty smart too, from what I can tell. You're just... a really cool guy, and it felt like a wasted opportunity or something... I don't know; I'm the type that likes kissing and just expressing what he feels, so it felt natural. For me, at least. It's not the first time it causes me trouble with a guy..." he stopped. Don't go there...

"I'm still trying to decide if you're too shy or too forward," he laughed, and Kramer blushed even harder. "To be honest... It's not that it made me uncomfortable per se. It's more like it seemed like something that should make me uncomfortable, so I kind of rolled with that. I actually liked it... a bit more than I should've."

Kramer's eyes widened when he heard that. He stayed frozen in place, staring at the sky as the last line of sunlight vanished, and they were left with nothing but darkness all around them. Just in time to hide the sigh that escaped him, and that he hoped the bull next to him didn't hear, illogical as it would be for him not to. The real question now was what to make of Baum's words. Did he dare to hope again? Or would that only hurt him even more in the future? All those thoughts disappeared yet again when a pair of lips landed on his head, leaving a soft, quick kiss that made his ears let out steam. He didn't move an inch, except for the eyes looking over at the massive bovine next to him, and even through the night, he saw the hints of red on his face as he turned away again.

"We're even now," was all he said. Was he acting bashful now? That was also a first, and he looked so damn cute! He couldn't deal with this, what the hell was he supposed to do now!? "There are stars already."

"What? Where?" his attention went completely to the sky, and he saw exactly what the bull meant. Whether it was because his eyes adapted to the darkness or because the moon started to shine even brighter, everything took a clearer hue now, and he saw countless stars above them, all of them shining with so much detail, it almost didn't feel real. Kramer's jaw fell at the sight, and his tail started swaying slightly, bumping against the bull's thinner one; neither of them cared about it, taken over by those bright lights as they were.

"Bet you don't get to see this many in the city," there was a smug inflection to Baum's voice there, but the otter couldn't fight it. All he did was shake his head to show him how right he was, his mind focusing on all those twinkles. "What is it? Looking for constellations?"

"I know shit about constellations. I'm looking for the stars I know. Hold on," he pulled out his phone, wincing at what little battery life he had left but thinking it would be worth impressing the bull. An app opened and he took a picture of a star to the left, one with an almost reddish hue that he was sure he recognized. The name soon popped on the screen, confirming his suspicions. "I knew it, that's Errai- Uh, Gamma Cephei, I think? I figured more or less from the color and the direction; I've been to a planet or two in the system."

"Been there?" just as he expected, that got the bull's curiosity. Perfect chance for him to brag.

"Indeed, I have. I'm a maintenance engineer in a star ship, after all," it was his time to look all smug and push his glasses up by the bridge. Had there been any light, he would've tried to make the lenses shine with the reflection. But he was more than happy with the surprised gasp he got from the much larger man.

"I didn't know we had made contact that far. The things you miss out on when you seclude like this," there was just a bit of nostalgia in his voice, but nothing out of the ordinary. Kramer had noticed he talked like that sometimes, as if the same part of him that was curious about current tech was also just a bit regretful. "What's it like in space? When are you going back?"

"Man, that's a loaded question if I ever heard one!" Kramer lied down, staring at the sky to see if there were any other stars his mind could bother remembering. "Space... The sky is nothing compared to it, really. It's a weird feeling; you look into the endless void and it's beautiful, and scary, and it makes you feel so special and so insignificant at the same time," he didn't know he had such words in him, but they were apparently enough to get Baum's interest. The bull lied down next to him, but unlike the otter, he was the one looking at him this time, his horns gently scraping the ground as he stayed on his side. One glance was all it took for Kramer to see the hopeful light in his eyes. "It's not for everyone. I've had friends retiring because they can't deal with the pressure of the universe being so big. And I've heard some people go crazy. But it's beautiful at the same time. It's a really weird feeling... And anyway, I'm on downtime right now. Will be for a few months, before I have to leave again."

"That sounds heavy," Baum turned over, now looking at the sky as well. Was he looking for stars too, Kramer wondered? Or was he looking for what words to use. He was doing a bit of both, now that he thought about it. "Last time I checked, space was a one way deal because a single trip lasted decades. So glad I never had to go to any of those farewell parties."

"Oh, that was before we got warp tech! Thank god, my date life would be even worse if I also had to think about all that," somewhere in the back of his head, Kramer heard a voice telling him to backtrack, to not go there like he did. But the sky was far too alluring for him to think about what came out of his mouth. "Or imagine if we met without it. We teach each other for a few months, then I go to space for 70 years and we never meet again."

"That would be sad. Why are you saying sad things?" just that bit of whining was enough to make the otter burst out laughing and kick the air. Baum just chuckled and kept looking at the sky, his eyes darting left and right. "Gamma Cephei is from the constellation Cepheus. See, those four there making a diamond, the line going up..." his every word got lower and lower, and in the end, he was just drawing the lines in the sky. "You see it?"

"Kind of. Not sure what it's supposed to look like," he was smiling anyway, though. It felt nice to be here like this, and just hearing Baum's voice was enough to help him relax. "What others do you know?"

"Let me see, there's Cassiopeia and Andromeda nearby," he drew them as well, close to the first one. It was the same as before, odd patterns that Kramer didn't quite understand, but it still made him feel warm to see them all together like that. "Let's see, something else you might know... There's Draco... Hercules... Bootes-

"Boots?"

"That's not what I pronounced and you know it," and he gave him a bit of a noogie, making the otter smack his hand away despite the giggling. "What else... That one's Excalibur, Beetle's Juice, Skywalker-

"Ok, you're just making these up now."

"That one's Blue-Eyes White Dragon," that got him a smack on the arm, but they still shared a laugh with it. "Ok, in all seriousness, a few slipped my mind already. I'll have to look for my old constellation map tonight- Yes, I have a constellation map, I'm that kind of geek."

"You know what? I'm not really surprised," he looked to the side just at the exact moment Baum did the same, and their eyes met for an instant, a single flash, before the bull rolled them back up. He didn't blush again, but no man looked away that fast unless he was embarrassed. It felt nice, suddenly being this casual with him. It almost kept him from catching on the hour, and what the sky above meant. "Holy shit, it's dark. I should've gone home already. I should leave now, maybe I can make it-

"The forest isn't really friendly this late at night, you'll get lost," he was really blunt when he wanted to. But he was also the expert, and Kramer was inclined to believing him. That left only one option, though, and the bull turned away again as if the exact same thought had just crossed his head. "You could... stay the night."

"S-Stay..." he heard him right... Right? He did say that. After being uncomfortable over the kiss- No, he said he felt he should feel uncomfortable! Right? Were those mixed signals or was he being even more blunt? Kramer had no idea what to think because his brain was still stuck in staying the night over! "Um... If that's... ok with you..."

"Well, I'm the one asking..." he looked away again, hiding the blush. And Kramer wanted to see it, damn. "And I do have a spare room or two, so you can use them. Just... you know, boundaries. And I guess you should leave early in the morning, since you need to charge your phone and all."

"Yeah, I can do that..." and that was all said and done. They went silent again, without much flair and no drama. Just a bit of a stay over, no big deal. With a guy he just met and that he lowkey was crushing on. No big deal, right? What's the worst that could happen? A shiver ran up his spine, and part of him thought it a bad omen of sorts... before realizing it was the breeze hitting him. "It's getting pretty cold, huh? Maybe we should get back inside."

"I didn't notice. Here," and once again, Baum sent him mixed signals with a stretched out arm pointed at him, his hand gesturing for the otter to come over. Kramer knew what he meant with that, but his brain still shut down for that exact second. Maybe this was a test, was the sort of nonsense that crossed his head in his shocked state; maybe he wasn't supposed to take that offer; maybe this was one of those boundaries the bull was talking about. "Don't think too much about it... I just... want to keep watching the stars for a while. And it is getting cold."

"I..." truth be told, he wanted to. His entire body told him to just crawl over and hold the bull. He felt his heart beating harder at the thought of his hands getting closer to that prominent chest, and seeing Baum avoiding his gaze while trying to hide his own blush... The way his mustache shook whenever he huffed, probably at the same thought...

Kramer's defenses stood no chance in the first place. So he just moved closer to him, not reaching his actual body out of fear that he might react poorly. And yet, the second he fell on his grasp, Baum pulled him close enough that their bodies pressed together, and his hand rested lazily on the otter's shoulder. It wasn't what he expected; they were pressed to one another without actually cuddling, and it felt just a tiny bit awkward. Not first date awkward, but not bad awkward either... That didn't even make sense! But it was warm. Baum's body was like a personal heater, and no matter how much of the breeze hit him, Kramer didn't shiver again.

"What..." fool, he thought. Why question it when you had it all right now? But his mouth moved on its own. "What happened with the boundaries?"

"Leave the elephant alone, Kramer," was all Baum said. And he decided to obey. No more wasting time with questions. He just leaned his head on the shoulder next to him, watching up at the first starry sky he'd seen in way too long. Not the last one, he hoped.