Patching up a Friendship
"Passengers, this is the captain speaking... we've touched down at O'Hare International Airport, but there's a little issue. There's, uhh, a big Lufthansa in our bridge... uhh... should have been out of there fifteen minutes ago, but it isn't, so we'll be sitting here until they get outta our way."
"Great. Just great," Teak cursed under his breath. His fear of flying and nearly unbearable anxiety had been swirling in his stomach for the past three hours, and relief would have to wait a little while longer. He sighed and glanced out the window, trying to get a look at the jumbo jet that was keeping him stuck to his seat. Instead, all he could see was his own reflection, the lights of the cabin overpowering what little light shone in the night sky. He sighed at the short, thin mouse, wearing a loose fitting t-shirt over his pure white fur. A large part of his clavicle was visible, due to the wide-necked shirts he needed to get to fit over his big, round ears. He never really liked his ears. They always seemed too big on his head. His friends and family had always told him how cute he is, but he just couldn't see it. So many of his peers had sleek, graceful forms, and he just felt like a cartoon character.
"Uhh, passengers, this is the captain speaking... looks like they're getting out of the way, so we'll be outta here soon. Sorry about the delay. Please remain seated until we've come to a stop."
"Right," he whispered to himself. This wasn't the time for body image issues. For the next week, and for the first time, Teak would be meeting his closest online friends in person. He had never been much of a traveler. Content to do most of his socializing online, he saw himself as more of a shut-in than anything, but when those friends pooled some money to buy him a flight to a convention that they were going to, he decided to take the plunge.
And it scared the piss out of him.
He wasn't scared of his friends. He had known them for years, trusted them with some of his closest secrets, and shared some of his life-defining moments with them. No, what he feared was himself. He felt like he had the whole online socializing thing figured out pretty well, but was clueless when it came to in person interaction. What if he acted weird? What if they thought he was ugly? His friends were all pretty good looking. Would he and his big, stupid ears look out of place with them?
Teak shook his head as the plane lurched, finally moving to the passenger bridge. No, that doesn't matter. It's just the anxiety talking. It'll be fine. They'll be as nice and cool as they are online, right? Walnut was always so relaxed, and Chiaro was always down for a laugh, and Patch...
Yeah, there was Patch. If Teak were being honest with himself, the self-image thing was just an excuse. What really got the stomach churning was thinking about his best friend. He cared deeply about all of his friends, but there was just something different about Patch. Whenever Patch was online, he became a little more lively, a little more energetic. Conversations with Patch would turn from minutes to hours without even realizing it. But one day, after Teak's pet cat, Ginger, died, he was beyond heartbroken. Ginger was older than Teak, and had been there his entire life. He couldn't imagine a world without him, and would have been inconsolable if Patch hadn't sat there for days on end, doing his best to soothe and reassure him. Teak was deeply moved by the amount of kindness and warmth Patch showed him, and realized just how wonderful of a person he really was. Before he knew it, he had developed a crush.
And, of course, it was Patchhe was sharing the hotel room with. It was a matter of leftovers; Walnut and Chiaro were dating, so they wanted to be together, leaving Teak and Patch to share the other room. The thought made him giddy, but in the back of his mind, he kept going over all the ways it could accidentally get real weird and ruin the whole trip.
"May I have your attention please?" a flight attendant said over the loudspeaker. "We are ready to disembark at gate seven. We thank you for your patience during this delay. Please-"
Teak tuned out of the rest of the message as passengers around him got out of their seats and got their luggage out of the overheads. The next fifteen minutes were a blur as Teak's mind raced, barely paying attention to the people around him as they all slowly shuffled off the plane. Once he arrived near the baggage claim, he threw himself against a wall, whipped out his phone, turned off airplane mode, and began texting Patch.
[22:34:17] Teak: here
Teak glared at his phone, waiting for a response. A few seconds later-though it felt a lot longer-'Patch is typing...' appeared at the bottom of the screen.
[22:34:36] Patch: you're late ????
[22:35:05] Teak: I was on time... it was the big plane in front of us that was late
[22:35:19] Teak: where are you? I'm at baggage at terminal 78
[22:35:21] Teak: 7
[22:35:29] Patch: omw
[22:35:53] Teak: what am I looking for? so many people here lol
[22:36:04] Patch: pink coat
[22:36:18] Teak: omg you wore that thing??
[22:36:28] Patch: 8)
Teak stuffed his phone back into his pocket and immediately felt a little sick. This was it. He was finally going to see Patch in the flesh for the first time. All he could hope for was that his ears wouldn't turn too red. He drifted through the crowd a bit, scanning for the puffy pink windbreaker that Patch had once posted a picture of himself wearing. His ears flopped around as he leaned from side to side, trying to see around the mostly taller people around him. Still no sign of Patch, though. He nervously pulled out his phone and started sending more messages.
[22:38:27] Teak: can't find you :s
"Have you tried looking behind you?"
Teak whirled around so fast that his ear smacked his forehead, his tail nearly striking a passerby.
"Patch!" He yelped, his voice cracking a little. About arm's length away stood a smiling goat, fur as white as his, except for a single brown circle of fur around his left eye. His horns were modest, curling at a low angle to his head, but even without them, he stood almost a full foot taller than Teak, including the ears. He had a slim figure, but his pale pink jacket made him look bigger than he actually was. Teak was pretty sure his ears were turning red. They certainly felt like they were turning red.
"Hey, man. It's nice to see you," Patch said with the warmth that Teak had come to expect.. Before he could reply, the goat stepped forward and pulled him into a big hug. It was a gentle hug, but Teak felt his breath leave him as like had been bear-hugged. His ears were definitely turning red now. Awkwardly, with his arms making a few jerky motions, he returned the hug.
Teak was surprised just how deep his arms sunk into the plush fur beneath the jacket. He felt Patch's breath on his neck, which made his fur stand up. It was a little overwhelming. Patch was just giving him a friendly greeting hug, and it was affecting him like it was some kind of big romantic moment. He didn't want to let go. He wasn't even sure if he could. Luckily, he didn't have to make himself, as Patch broke off the hug and smiled at him again. Teak looked right into his eyes. Unlike most species, goats had horizontal pupils. He remembered Patch mentioning that he was a little self-conscious about them, but whenever Teak looked at a photo of him, he was always drawn to the eyes. They just filled him with something that he couldn't explain. And now that he saw them in person, in motion, reacting to him and to the environment..."
"Long trip, huh?" Patch said, snapping Teak out of his gaze.
"Oh, yeah... I mean, no, but..."
"Nah, I get it. You've never done this before! The whole process can be pretty tiring at first."
"Yeah..." Teak said. He just wanted to gaze into Patch's eyes a little longer, but he was becoming increasingly aware that he was making it weird. "Yeah, I guess I'm more tired than I thought. So... uh... what now?"
"The hotel is just across the street from the convention hall, which is across the street from the airport," Patch said, looking down at his phone. "But this airport is pretty big, so I called a ride. It's a pretty long walk otherwise." Teak knew this, but he let Patch explain. He had done countless voice chats with Patch in the past, but he wanted to hear it unfiltered by technology. Patch's voice was deep compared to Teak's, but that wasn't a hard bar to clear. He usually spoke softly, but could get loud when he was really into a conversation. As Patch guided them to where the ride would be waiting, they chatted casually about how their days went, and before he knew it, Teak was in his comfort zone, even surrounded by all these strangers. Just hearing Patch's voice soothed his anxiety. When they stepped outside into the cool night air, Patch flagged down the ride and they got in. The ride to the hotel was short, with Patch pointing out a few features of the airport, and when they arrived at the hotel, he led Teak to their third-floor room.
"Home sweet home, at least for the next week," Patch said, opening the door and flicking on the light. The room didn't seem like anything special, with a television, a desk, and two single beds with a nightstand between them. Patch had arrived earlier in the day, and his laptop was already on the desk, along with one of his suitcases.
Teak tossed his bag onto the bed and flopped over next to it. "Man, I dunno how people can travel so much. I'm beat," he said.
Patch chuckled and sat down on the bed next to him. "You get used to it. People get their own plane strategies," he said as he took off his jacket. He was wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt underneath, and his fluffy fur protruded from the arm and neck holes. For what seemed like the millionth time in the last hour, Teak felt himself fighting the urge to ogle. How was Patch so damn cute?
"I guess," Teak said, trying not to stare. He sat back up and took his own coat off and tossed it toward the closet. He missed, groaned, and walked over to where it had hit the wall. As he bent down to grab it, he realized he was bending over directly in front of Patch, and bolted upright.
Patch snorted behind him. "What was that all about?"
"Uh," Teak had absolutely nothing.
"Say, you hungry?" Patch said, changing the subject. "I picked up some bananas earlier today. They're nice and ripe."
"Oh, uh, yeah, actually." Teak replied, grateful for an escape. He hung his coat up on the rack and accepted a banana from Patch. As they ate, they resumed chatting about anything and everything. The topic changed back to Teak's day, and he recounted a story from the morning.
"...and then she was like, 'well, it wouldn't have been a problem if I could see around those dinner plates on the sides of your head-'"
"Oh, come on," Patch said, his mouth twisting to one side of his face. "Totally uncalled for."
"I mean, I don't blame her. Look at them." Teak reached up, grabbed one, and shook it around. "They're big and stupid and-"
"They are not stupid!"
"-ugly,"
Patch gasped.
"They are absolutely not ugly!" he said, with a forcefulness that knocked Teak off balance.
"They are! Like... uh," Teak suddenly felt confused.
"I've always thought your ears were really nice. I mean..."
Patch looked away and scratched the side of his head. "If you want ugly, ol' sideways-eyes is sitting right here." Patch's voice was a lot quieter than just a few moments ago. Teak felt like a squall hit him. A thousand thoughts ran through his head. Patch... liked his ears? And he thought his own eyes were ugly? How is that even possible? Are we talking about the same eyes here? Those eyes that made his chest feel tight? The eyes that he could stare into for hours? The eyes that affirmed-
"Hello? Teak? Anyone in there?"
"Huh?"
"Ground control to private Teak," Patch said, waving his hands in front of the mouse's face.
Teak suddenly realized that he had been gawking, and started looking around for an excuse, finding one on the nightstand.
"N- no, it's past midnight now, and it has been a long day," he explained. That was true, but it was still a little dishonest. Teak never liked lying, but he really needed to gather his thoughts.
"Oh, shoot, is it? Man, why'd you need to get such a late flight?"
"The afternoon one was two hundred bucks more?"
"Oh, right. Well, uh, I guess it's bedtime?"
"I'm gonna go take a shower first..."
"Wait, you shower before going to bed?"
"Not usually, but I kinda got rushed out the door this morning, and..." Teak looked toward the washroom door. "They got one of those full body dryers, right?"
"Oh, yeah, man. You gotta try it. It's like being in a... hot tornado," Patch said, before blowing hard and spinning his hands around each other.
Teak giggled. Patch just seemed to have this sixth sense for when he was uncomfortable, and knew just how to provide enough levity to lift his spirit.
"Well, I'll try not to get blown through the door," Teak said, grinning.
"But yeah, it is pretty late. I think I'm gonna hit the hay myself. Don't worry about being too loud in there, okay? I sleep like a log."
"Oh, but you'll miss my lovely singing."
"A tragedy. However shall I survive?" Patch said. Teak may have had a cute speaking voice, but his singing skills were legendary in the group for all the wrong reasons. He felt a little bad at first, but he learned to lean into it. "Well, I'm gonna get changed into my PJs while you're showering. Don't peek, okay?"
Teak wouldn't do something like that, but the realization that they would soon both be naked with nothing between them but a cheap door got the hormones churning. In a hurry, he grabbed his entire briefcase and strode into the washroom, locking the door behind him with a loud click. He yanked his shirt over his head, pulled off his pants and underwear in one motion, and tugged his socks off with his feet.
He felt an irresistible urge to look at himself in the mirror. When he did, he didn't like what he saw. He felt so self-conscious when he saw his weak, thin figure. The way his shoulders, scapulae, and clavicle were subtly visible under his fur. That he was so short. His big ears... well, okay, maybe if Patch liked them, they were okay. He also kind of liked his hips. They were wide without looking girly, and his glutes were a little more shapely than one might expect from his level of activity. He looked down and inspected his genitals. He was, he thought, about average size for his species, which meant below average compared to most other creatures. This didn't bother him very much. With any luck, his size wouldn't matter too much when... no. No, no, no. It wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen. He sighed, rested his elbows on the sink, and rubbed his eyes.
"Oh, there's a button next to the shower door that turns it on, if you couldn't figure it out," Patch's voice came through the door. Teak shot up and looked over at the shower. He had been in there for a few minutes and hadn't even thought about turning it on yet. Outside the shower were two little buttons, one with a blue water drop on it and another with a red swirl on it.
"Huh, that's so weird. Why's it like that?" Teak said, acting like he hadn't been able to figure it out.
"Beats me. Fancy hotel shit, I guess. You change the temperature in the shower like normal, though."
"Alright, thanks."
"No problem! Have fun!"
Teak cocked his head. Was that supposed to mean something? No, he was overthinking again. He walked over, pressed the water button, and got into the shower, the powerful blast of warm water soothing him. Teak was a meticulous washer, always washing on and in every part that he could, but he was especially motivated to get clean and proper tonight.
After he felt sufficiently scrubbed, he turned off the shower, wrung out his fur a bit, and climbed into the "hot tornado," as Patch had called it. It was a chamber next to the shower, and there were several openings in the wall on each side. He pressed the button and almost immediately had to grab his ears, which flapped violently as the air buffeted him from all directions. Once he got used to it, he found that he rather liked it, and it didn't take long before he felt pretty dry.
He turned the dryer off and pulled some pajamas out of his briefcase. They were powder blue with little yellow stars on them. He was a little embarrassed about them-they felt like something someone half his age would wear-but they still felt cute to him. But how would Patch feel about them? Would he think they're weird? He took a deep breath and decided to just put them on. All this overthinking and anxiety had exhausted him, and he was running out of energy to obsess further.
When he opened the washroom door, all the lights in the room were off, and he walked over to his bed, slipped under the blankets, and closed his eyes. Anxious thoughts tried to creep in, but they couldn't find purchase in his tired mind. The room was silent except for his and Patch's gentle breaths.
The next thing Teak remembered was sitting at his computer, on voice chat.
"Hey, Teak, your ears are getting bigger," Walnut said.
"Each one is practically the size of your head!" Chiaro added.
"Teak..." Patch said. Teak looked around, but couldn't see him.
"Where are you, Patch?" Teak asked.
"Whoa, they keep growing!" Walnut said. Teak reached up and grabbed his ears, which were now each the size of his head.
With a bewildered stare, Chiaro said, "Haha, what the hell, man?"
"I don't know!" Teak said, feeling scared.
"Dude, this is getting out of control," Walnut said. "Knock it off."
Teak pulled at his ears in desperation. "I can't help it!"
"Tea...k..." Patch said again, a quiver of voice escaping alongside the breath.
"Should I, like, go get a doctor?" Walnut asked, frowning.
"Well, whatever this is can't be good," Chiaro said.
The faint voice of Patch came from all around. "Te-e-ak... ah..."
Teak dropped to his knees."Patch? Please, where are you, Patch?" Teak said, a tear falling from his eye.
Chiaro scoffed and said, "Patch's gone, Teak, remember? He's not coming back." .
"No!"
Teak's eyes popped open. Without moving his head, he glanced at the alarm clock. 3:36. He hadn't been out very long, and what was with that dream?
As he tried to remember where he was, his ears picked up a subtle sound in front of him. It sounded like... rustling? And some panting? He focused his eyes on the source of the sound. His vision was poor, but he was always good at spotting movement in the dark, and it looked like Patch, facing away from him, was... moving? As he continued to adjust to the near pitch blackness of the room, only faintly lit by the moon's glow shining through the window, he got a clearer view. He could see movement in the shoulder and upper arm. A quiet moan met his ears as the shaking continu-
Oh. Oh. In a moment of clarity, Teak realized exactly what was going on. He held his breath, not knowing what to do. Despite still being tired, this sobered him up pretty fast. The twister of emotions and feelings kicked up again. Here was his crush, masturbating a few feet away from him. He was getting worked up himself, his stomach tight and his penis slowly stiffening. The tension was rising rapidly, and he needed relief from it. What should he do? His mind searched for answers, and he settled on levity. He always liked a lighthearted prank, and knew that Patch did too, so he made up his mind and went for it.
"Having fu-"
"Jesus! Fuck!" Patch yelled as he reached up and pulled the blanket over his head, sinking under it so that only his horns were sticking out.
"What-"
"Nothing!"
"Sure looked-"
"Fuck, I thought you were asleep! I'm sorry-it wasn't-I just-" Patch said as he sunk further under the blankets, his horns disappearing as well.
Teak was taken aback. He knew Patch was a little shy about sexual stuff, but this seemed like an overreaction. "Hey man, I'm sorry, I didn't think you were this bashful," The playfulness in Teak's voice gave way to concern. Patch mumbled something in response under the blankets that Teak couldn't make out. "...Sorry, what did-"
"I said!" Patch was borderline shouting as his head popped out from under the blankets. He took a deep breath and then repeated, much more softly, "I said... how much did you hear?"
Teak was getting frightened. This wasn't like Patch. Patch was always so patient, so understanding, so caring. He'd never get so mad over a joke like this. Teak tried to figure out what to say, but before he could settle on something, Patch spoke up again.
"I'm... sorry for yelling like that. I'm just a little scared you hate me now or something. I'm just, well-"
"Wait, why would I be mad at you? I thought you were mad at me! I woke up and saw you were, uh, well, jerking off, I guess," Teak said, eliciting a groan from Patch, who slowly slid back under the blankets. "But like, uh, I mean, sometimes we'd talk about this kinda stuff in the server, so it's not, like, you know..."
"So you didn't hear anything?" Patch said with a slight quiver in his voice.
"Um? I don't think so? I guess I heard you panting and like... I think I heard you, uh, groan a little bit. Why are you so hung up on this?"
Patch sighed and rolled over to face Teak.
"Mind if I turn this lamp on?"
"Go for it."
With a click, a soft orange glow gently lit up the room, illuminating Patch's face. He smiled slightly and sighed again.
"I'm sorry again for yelling... I had a bit of a flight or fight moment there."
"No, it's fine. I shouldn't have surprised you like that. I thought it'd be a lot funnier than it actually was."
"No, no, usually it would have been, but..."
"But...?"
"How long were you up?" Patch asked, changing the sentence.
"Huh? Oh, I just woke up. Like, maybe fifteen seconds or something? I didn't really think out my decision, did I..." Teak giggled as he looked at the floor for a moment, then back at Patch. "I was dreaming... Walnut and Chiaro were there, and they were just talking about, uh, something, and I could hear you softly saying my name-"
Then Teak saw it. It was just a brief flicker, but an unmistakable look of terror washed over Patch's face. He tried to smile again, but faltered as Teak narrowed his eyes slightly at him.
"You were... saying my name... like a breathy... wait." Teak turned his head sideways as Patch took a slow breath and rolled over onto his back. "Wait," Teak repeated. "Hang on." Patch once again slid under the blankets, reaching for the pillow as he did before slamming it over his forehead. "...Patch? What I was hearing in my dream..." Teak trailed off, leaving a deafening silence in the room that seemed to last until the end of time. Finally, Patch broke the silence with a pained bleat.
"Fuck, I'm such an idiot! Couldn't keep my big mouth shut, could I?"
"Patch..."
"Should have just told you how I felt!"
"Patch..."
"Had to go and make it super weird!"
"Patch!"
"What?" Patch grunted. It felt like it wanted to come out like a shout, but it was more of a sad little whine. Teak felt awful, but... wait, what?
"How... you felt?"
Another awkward silence blanketed the room, broken by the sound of Patch's deep breaths.
"Teak... you're my best friend. I... don't really have anyone else around me in person. But... whenever I was chatting with you, I never felt lonely. It just made me feel good inside in a way that talking to other people just didn't. I can't explain it."
Teak began taking deep breaths of his own as he slowly brought his paw to his mouth. No way, was this real? He had always just assumed that his crush on Patch was one-way. Patch was always just so nice to everyone; surely Teak wasn't special? And yet...
"Well... I guess I can explain it. I guess I... well... I..." Patch couldn't seem to finish what he wanted to say.
"You... have a crush on me, right?" Teak said through a gap in his fingers. Patch sighed loudly and pushed the pillow off his head, a trail of fluff coming out of a hole left by one of his horns.
"I'm sorry, Teak. I wanted to tell you, but I was just so afraid... I didn't want to scare you off or anything... and now..."
Teak's head was spinning. He wanted to say the right thing, but the mixture of his anxiety and sleep deprivation made it difficult to get the words right. But he felt like he had to say something, anything, so that he didn't send the wrong message to Patch. But every time he tried to open his mouth, his throat closed up. Why was this so hard? Patch practically confessed to him! Why couldn't he say it back? What was he afraid of? His head was now throbbing, his whole body feeling like it was being crushed, as if he were standing on the ocean floor.
"Ah!" Teak finally squeaked, the pressure in his small body becoming unbearable. He rolled over and dangled his head off the edge of the bed, burying his forehead in his hands. Patch turned to look at him, and shot up when he saw the state his mouse friend was in.
"Whoa, hey man, are you okay?" He said, springing out of bed and kneeling down. Teak looked up to see Patch in his underwear, a mere foot away. He slowly raised his head toward the goat's face, taking his first look at his crush's nearly naked form. He was lithe, but seemed more structured than Teak did. And, of course, he couldn't help but steal a glance at the underwear and the noticeable bulge trying in vain to hide inside it. When his eyes met Patch's, he felt that familiar tumbling stomach, but he couldn't help but smile.
"Uh... am now," Teak managed before looking away. "Sorry, I just... got overwhelmed and didn't know what to say..."
"I guess I did drop something pretty heavy on you... I hope... this doesn't make things too weird between us. I still want to be friends if that's okay with you."
Teak sighed and looked back up at Patch. The goat's eyes were drooping, and a frown had formed at the corners of his mouth. He simply could not stand to see his crush looking so sad, and finally broke through his inhibition.
"What about... boyfriends?" he squeaked. Patch's eyes lit up and darted from side to side before looking back down at Teak.
"W-wait, what?"
"I've... felt the same way about you for months, man... ever since you stayed there with me for like two days when Ginger died. It was like, I always liked you as a friend, but ever since then, I realized just how wonderful you really are and that I, uh, really wanted to be with you... I guess?"
"Why didn't you tell me this!?"
"I was scared! Even after you told me how you felt, I still couldn't say it!"
"Oh my god, dude! You had me thinking I ruined everything," he laughed with the nervous laughter of someone experiencing relief from an unbearable tension.
"I'm soooo-rry! Hey, come here."
Teak scooted back from the edge of the bed and patted the now available space. Patch smiled at him and moved to sit down, but suddenly spun around back toward his bed.
"Oh fuck! I've still got my pajamas off!"
As he moved to dive back under his own blankets, Teak's hand shot out and grabbed Patch's arm and pulled him back.
"Why'd you even do that, you big goof?"
"I was hot..."
"It's not that warm in here."
"Well..."
"Well...?"
"I got hot thinking about you, okay?" Patch moaned, covering his face. Teak laughed and threw off the blankets before tugging again on the goat's arm. Patch let the skinny mouse drag him back as he fell onto the open spot that had been left for him. Teak couldn't believe it. Just moments ago, he was in agony, but he could barely remember that now. His heart felt so full, and he threw his arms around his boyfriend's torso and pulled himself closer.
"Nice PJs," Patch said, looking down at the sleeves around his stomach.
"I usually just sleep in my underwear," Teak said. He immediately realized what he just implied, and added, "uh, I mean, when I'm by myself, anyway."
"O-oh."
"Uh... you can put yours back on if that makes you more comfortable."
"Do you want me to?"
"Um... not really... I actually..." Teak replied as he rubbed his fingers through Patch's fur. He never realized this from the photos, but Patch wasn't as skinny as he looked. That fluffy fur did a good job at hiding what was a decent physique.
"Actually...?"
"Whoa... you've got a little muscle on you... it's... actually really fuckin' hot man," Teak said, his voice a touch lower than usual. Patch let out a shaky laugh and leaned forward a bit, putting his hands on his knees.
"Well, you know, I try to keep moving. But really, it's not much at all. Nothing special. Really!"
"You're doing a lot better than skinny old me,"
Patch swung his torso around and rubbed his hand up and down Teak's back. "You're really soft," he purred, drawing out a gentle hum from Teak. Patch rubbed his other hand on Teak's left cheek. "Um... can I touch them?"
Teak's eyes popped all the way open as his body tensed up.
"Wait, touch what?"
"Your ears, silly!"
His shoulders relaxed, and he laughed nervously.
"Oh, ah, yeah, of course."
"What did you think I meant?" Patch said, as he stroked the back of Teak's ear.
"Ummm..."
"What do you take me for?" Patch said, before adding in a quieter voice, "unless, I mean, you want me to... you know, somewhere else..."
Teak tensed again and took a loud breath. Was this seriously happening? But before he could say anything, Patch pulled his hands back and turned away.
"Sorry, sorry. Forget I said anything. That was-"
"N-no, it wasn't! I mean, I just, like..." Teak said, trying to fill the air. "What if... I did?"
Patch sighed. "You sure? I'm being a bit of a pervert right now. It doesn't feel right."
"Um, if I could remind you, this whole thing started because I caught you jerking off," Teak retorted with a giggle, evoking yet another groan from Patch. "No, I... want this. In fact... um, is it okay if I take my pants off too?"
Patch gulped.
"S-sure."
With that, Teak thrust his hips back and pulled down his pants as far as his arms could reach.
"Oh, wow," Patch whispered.
Teak felt himself getting flushed, and he moaned when Patch's fingers probed underneath his underwear's waistband. The hand slid progressively down his glute, gently squeezing and exploring its shape, until he felt Patch's thumb hook the band of his underwear.
"You can take it off if you want."
Without a word, Patch began pulling the band down. The mouse felt it momentarily resist passing his hip bone before it snapped down his glute, coming to rest at the bottom of his butt. He had to admit that he was a little scared. He felt vulnerable and exposed, but he also knew Patch wouldn't hurt him, and it put him at ease. Patch gently spread his boyfriend's glutes and exhaled deeply.
"You look really tight..." Patch said, his voice low and breathy.
"Why don't you find out?" Teak said, shaking his hips slowly, the tip of his long tail flicking back and forth. He wasn't sure where he was getting this confidence from. Perhaps it was feeling comfortable around Patch. Perhaps his self-image wasn't as bad as he thought. Or perhaps he was just really, really horny, and his inhibitions were failing. It was probably that one.
"You... you sure?"
"Patch... when I play with my toy, I, uh, imagine it's you..."
"Oh... when I jerk off, I imagine I'm fucking you..."
"Well, I know that."
"Dude, come on," Patch laughed, embarrassed. "You're killing the mood."
"Sorry," Teak giggled, before lowering his voice and continuing, "I want this so bad, Patch..." He placed a hand on his ass and spread again, giving the goat another look at his most intimate depths.
"God, I just wanna fuck you so bad..."
Teak's whole body shuddered. He imagined Patch on top of him, penetrating him, stretching him, claiming him. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed Patch. He needed him right now.
"Then fuck me!"
"I... I'm gonna go get some lube," Patch said. Teak knew it was necessary, but he hated it. Every second his hole was empty was one second too long. He flexed his legs back and forth and rocked in place on the bed, feeling antsy, excited, and hopelessly horny. A few moments later, the bed creaked as Patch climbed on, tucked his boyfriend's tail under his arm, and began to straddle him.
"Come on..." Teak moaned.
"Actually... are you sure this is a good idea? I really don't want to hurt you..."
Teak looked back over his shoulder.
"You won't hu-"
Whoa. Hang on. Teak pushed himself off the bed a bit to get a better look at Patch's dick. It was... bigger than expected. Not so big that it seemed out of place, but it was longer than any of his toys, and definitely way thicker. He had looked up caprine penises before, and while they tended to be bigger than his, it wasn't by too much. But not Patch's. Patch was packing, and Teak wanted it badly. He looked back up at the goat, who groaned and looked away.
"Man, why didn't you tell anyone you were so big?"
"I didn't wanna sound like I was bragging... besides, I figured people would just think I was exaggerating or whatever. It's actually really embarrassing..."
Teak inhaled sharply. Every second he looked at Patch's penis just turned him on more and more. "Patch... I really want this..."
"Okay, if you're really sure..."
"Hurry..." Teak moaned. "Uh, but not too fast, please," he hastily added, his voice abruptly returning to normal.
"Make up your mind before this lube dries out!" Patch groaned, but Teak heard a hint of snickering.
"It's just... if you push in too fast, it'll hurt like hell. Start slow and let me get used to it, okay?"
"Got it... well, you ready?"
"Yeah... yeah." Teak took a deep breath. This was really happening! He relaxed as best as he could-which was not much at all-and after a moment, he felt a gentle pressure on his anus, followed by a stretch. It was a sensation he had felt countless times from his toy, but as Patch slowly pushed deeper and deeper, he passed the point of familiarity.
"Holy hell," Patch breathed.
Teak groaned, taking handfuls of bedsheets in both hands. "Keep going..." he said, pushing his face into the pillow.
"I'm about halfway in... dude, why didn't you tell me this felt so good?"
Teak turned his head and laughed. "Why didn't you tell me I should have got a bigger toy?"
Patch snorted. "Now ya know, I guess. Still okay down there?"
Teak was more than okay, and it wasn't just the physical pleasure. There was just something about knowing that it was his best friend-his boyfriend-being so gentle, sharing this moment with him, that filled him with an entirely different kind of warmth.
"Teak?"
"Yeah, I'm good..."
"I'm almost all the way in. Just another inch or so..." Patch said before finally pushing all the way inside. Teak felt Patch's pelvis meet his glutes, and his testicles came to rest on top of his own. He felt so full, so complete. It was bordering on a divine experience, and the real fun hadn't even started yet.
"So... do I just start thrusting now?"
"You're such a virgin."
"No, actually, I'm not, thank you very much," Patch boasted. Teak rolled his eyes and laughed into his pillow.
"You're still a virgin until you cum."
"What? That's not the rule!"
"Is now."
"And who gave you the authority to decide that?"
"I'm the more experienced one here, so I get to make the rules."
"No you're not! You said this was your first time too!"
"I have my toys."
"I have my hands!"
Teak was learning some things about himself. He always envisioned himself being subservient and passive during sex, but he was discovering how much he enjoyed teasing, too. He twisted around and looked straight at Patch with puppy dog eyes.
"Are you going to fuck me or not?" He asked, adding a slight pout to his lips. Patch grinned at him, licked his lips, slowly pulled out, and then slowly pushed back in.
"Faster," Teak urged. Patch picked up the pace. "Faster!"
"I just don't wanna hurt-"
"I said faster!" Teak squeaked, a little louder than he intended. "I'll stop you if I can't handle it, so please..."
"Well, okay...," Patch said, before withdrawing to the tip and slamming back to the hilt. The force shook Teak's whole body. His penis rubbed up against the bedsheets, sending a jolt through his spine.
"Ah!" That's what he was looking for. That's what he needed.
"Is that a good 'ah' or a bad 'ah'"?
"Oh my god, Patch. Just like that. Don't stop," Teak breathed. Without another word, Patch slammed back in, and then again, and again, and again. With every thrust, Teak felt the breath being forced out of his body, and was panting just to try to get enough air. He slipped one of his hands under his groin and grabbed his penis, trying to reduce the friction from the sheets. Each little grunt and breath from Patch titillated him, the knowledge that he was pleasuring his boyfriend so much only arousing him more. Precum steadily dripped from his cock, soaking his hand. And yet, something was missing...
"Hey, Patch?"
"Y-yeah?" Patch said, stopping his thrusting.
"Could you... change your angle a little bit? Just a little bit more toward the bed?"
He saw the bedsheets crinkle as Patch moved his hands forward, trying to get into the position, and thrust again.
"Like that?"
"A little lower... a little lower... a lit-oh!" Teak tried to finish, but the air completely escaped his lungs as Patch made clean contact with his prostate. He certainly had been hitting it before-there's no way he could have avoided it with how thick his penis was-but they were mere glancing blows, and could not possibly compare to this new level of ecstasy.
"Like that?"
"Patch... my god..." Teak said, his voice high and breathy. Patch grunted and continued thrusting at that angle.
Teak was seeing stars. It was almost too much for him to bear. He tried to stroke himself, but he felt like he was losing control of his body. His legs extended and flexed erratically, and he didn't know what to do with his free arm, sliding it up and down the bed and the side of his head. It felt a little silly, but he didn't care. His penis was leaking wildly at this point, and he could feel it making a mess of his lower torso, but he didn't care. He realized he was squeaking noisily with each thrust, and the small part of his mind that retained rational control told him that he should keep it down, but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything else in the world. It was just him, Patch, and this moment. He never wanted it to stop, but suddenly, it did.
"Huh-uh!" Teak grunted, as Patch fell forward, resting his chest on Teak's back, narrowly avoiding bending the mouse's long tail at an awkward angle.
"Sorry... arms sore... not too heavy, am I?" Patch asked, his head at Teak's side.
"No, you're fine..."
He turned his head to see Patch's horns near his ear. He could hear his breaths louder than ever before. He could feel their hearts beating together. Even the feeling of being pinned down by Patch's weight just did something to him that he couldn't explain. He felt so warm, so protected from a world that sometimes could be so cruel.
And then Patch started thrusting again, and the two worlds of pleasure combined into one. As the taller goat thrusted, he turned his head toward Teak's face, and the two made eye contact for the first time since Patch began thrusting. Teak was certain that his ears and nose were red as a cherry. Patch gave him a caring smile that pierced straight into Teak's very soul. He closed his eyes, feeling like he was on the verge of tears. But before anything could come out, Patch's breathing became ragged, and he leaned as close as he could to Teak's ear.
"Oh, oh, Teak..." He said, his voice a staccato between his breaths. "Teak, I'm almost there..."
"Do it, Patch, please..."
"I... I..." Patch grunted, before he moaned loudly and buried himself as deep as he could. Teak felt Patch's cock twitching and jumping inside of him, pouring his seed deep into his body. He couldn't feel the spurts, not directly, but felt a warmth deep inside of him as the goat emptied himself. He imagined how it looked inside, his tight hole wrapped around the cock as the cum erupted from the tip. It was indescribable bliss, and was what he needed to go over the edge. His knees bent and pushed his calves around Patch's thighs, pressing the goat deeper as his orgasm ripped through his body. He spurted his own semen onto the bed, and he could feel it pooling in his fur, but that didn't matter to him. Patch drove him into the bed with a few more short, hard thrusts, riding out the end of his orgasm, before both boys came to a rest, panting heavily.
"Whoa..." Patch managed after several deep breaths. "That was... the best orgasm... of my life. How... about you?"
"Wow... Patch..." Teak said, unsure what else to say. What could he say after that? There were no words to describe how he felt. Patch nuzzled the side of the mouse's head with the base of his horns. They breathed heavily, feeling their chests rise and fall against one anothers'. Teak wanted to stay like this forever. He'd had many wonderful experiences in his life, but never has something felt so right. But it was not to be, as Patch pushed himself off his boyfriend's back.
"We'd better clean up before things get crusty..."
Teak felt his boyfriend's penis-which had softened considerably by now-slip out of him, accompanied by a wet, sticky sensation. He suddenly felt very exposed. He had tasted heaven, and now he was falling back to earth. But, he figured, at least he was bringing an angel back with him.
"Oh, jeez. Hang on, I gotta do something about this," Patch said, hopping off the bed.
"Huh?"
"I... don't usually cum this much."
"Oh..."
Teak reached under his tail and his finger slipped down a trail of semen in his perineum, landing in a large blob that had accumulated on his scrotum. "Whoa... that's really hot..."
"Eheh, yeah..." Patch chuckled as he started cleaning up Teak with a tissue. "Is that everything?"
"I... don't think so," Teak said. He pushed gently, and felt a large flow come out.
"Oh my god... just how much did I put in you?"
Teak pushed again, and what felt to him like the last of the semen spilled out. Patch wiped this up too, and threw the tissue out.
"Can you get me one?" Teak asked, and Patch tossed the whole box to him. After Teak had cleaned up his own mess the best he could, Patch flopped onto the bed next to him. Their faces were inches apart, and they gazed into each other's eyes, both wearing enormous smiles.
"Hey, Patch... wanna hear something weird?"
"Yeah?"
"We had our first fuck before our first kiss."
"Oh... hah. Yeah, I guess that is kind of weird, isn't it?"
"Uh-huh..."
They gazed into each other's eyes for a few more moments before Teak leaned forward, planting his lips onto Patch's. Patch pulled himself flush with Teak and put his hand on the back of his head, gently pushing them together. They softly moaned as they explored each other's lips until Patch swung his leg over Teak's side and slid his flexible tongue into his mouth. As the boys swirled their tongues around in Teak's mouth, he wrapped his arms around Patch and rolled onto his back, guiding the goat up onto his chest. He was getting hard again, and felt himself poking Patch in the stomach, who pulled his face away from Teak's.
"What, ready to go again?" Patch joked.
"It's not my fault you're so damn hot... where did you learn to kiss like that, anyway?"
"Um... I had a girlfriend in high school... she really liked to kiss."
"Wait, you had a girlfriend? Mister 'vaginas are weird looking and boobs are just balls of fat'?" Teak teased. Patch often pointed out how strange he found female anatomy, but never told the chat that he once had a girlfriend.
Patch rubbed the base of one of his horns and looked away. "Oh, shut it. My parents were always like, oh, Patchy, when are you going to get a girlfriend? So... I got a girlfriend and she kept kissing me. I guess I just... figured it out."
"Well, it seems like she taught you well, Patchy," Teak said with a mischievous grin. Patch looked like he had made a full house but had a terrible poker face.
"If you call me that again, I'm breaking up with you," he said, trying to keep a serious voice, but was betrayed by little giggles breaking out. Teak's grin widened even more, his large front teeth on full display.
"Oh no," he pouted with a faux-whiny voice, "you wouldn't do that, would you, Patchy?" Patch smirked, pushed himself back into an upright position, and grabbed Teak's still-erect penis.
"If you call me that again... I'm breaking this."
Teak gasped as his boyfriend's warm hand wrapped around his modest length, and he felt himself getting even more flushed.
"Whoa, hey, I just came a few minutes ago. I'm still kinda sensitive down there."
Patch rolled off Teak and lay down beside him. He opened his hand back up to get a look at his boyfriend's member, then looked into Teak's eyes.
"It's cute!" He said, nuzzling up against Teak's face.
"Cute? Hey, not all of us can be secretly half-horse."
"I like it just the way it is," Patch replied. Teak felt the sincerity in those words, and he pushed as close as he could into the goat's fluffy body.
"Eheh... well, uh, thanks. But I meant it when I said it was still sensitive... maybe just let it go back down on its own?"
"Of course," Patch said, taking his hand away and resting it on Teak's chest. Teak put his hand on Patch's, and they stayed like that in silence for some time, sharing their warmth and listening to each other's breaths. Patch eventually broke the lull with a big yawn, and Teak glanced over at the clock on the end table.
"Four forty..."
"We didn't actually sleep much, did we?"
"Yep, I'm ready to go back to bed..." Teak said as he too yawned, and reached over and turned off the lamp.
"Mm-hmm," Patch murmured, grabbing a blanket and throwing it over their bodies. "I'm staying here with you, if you don't mind."
"I wouldn't let you go even if you wanted to," Teak said, pressing himself again into his boyfriend, who giggled softly.
"Good night," he whispered. "I love you," he added, after a short pause.
"Love you," Teak whispered back. That was the last thing they said to each other until the morning. The dark hotel room, illuminated only faintly by the moon's soft glow, fell silent, and together, one after the other, the boys fell asleep, their futures forever changed for the better.