FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

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"You've been toying with that piece of chicken for the past five minutes." The fox said softly, reaching out to still the hand of the dragoness sat opposite him. "I think it's probably already dead, you don't have to hunt it."

"Oh, huh. I suppose I have. I'm sorry, I was a million miles away." She pushed her plate away with a sigh, setting the cutlery down so softly it barely made a sound "I don't seem to have much of an appetite tonight, I'm sorry." Her shoulders heaved slightly in a silent sigh; her eyes cast down toward her paws.

Fox tilted his head, regarding his life mate with flicker of concern, his ears pricked and alert. Ala Mhigan chicken was her favourite, she'd asked for it specifically a couple of days ago and he'd taken a day off work to prepare the spicy, slow flame roasted dish. "No worries, love, it'll keep," he smiled "It's better the next day anyway." He stood to collect the dishes, his tail flitting softly as he brushed past her. His whiskers twitched, the sensitive vulpine muzzle picking up another, softer spice, almost hidden by the pungent spices of the food. Dipping his head, he kissed her between her horns, his muzzle flaring a little "Life is uncertain," he murmured "how about dessert, and you tell me what's on your mind?"

A pair of sparkling eyes glanced shyly up at him, her nose bumping his "Chocolate?"

"Double-Belgian-Chocolate cheesecake with a Speculoos topping." The fox confirmed, rummaging in the fridge for the freshly made confection; cracking a grin at the rhythmic thumping that served as a response, her muscular tail thumping the back of the chair in subconscious glee.

"You're going to spoil me, fox..."

Setting the pie down on the table, he resumed his spot opposite her, regarding her with a look of guileless adoration "Nothing could spoil perfection, but I'd never stop trying..." he paused to cut her a slice "... If for no other reason than to see you smile. So, tell me what happened today."

She raised a slender, azure finger, staying his question to take a forkful, "Can't talk, eating!" she smiled, her shoulders relaxing noticeably as the chocolate coated her tongue; the slender, prehensile muscle hunting the tines of the fork for every morsel. The fox watched, entranced, every single thing she did was sensual to him, but that talented tongue drove him particularly wild. Fighting the urge to lean across the table and kiss her, he caught his breath and asked again. She shot him a sidelong glance, a smile faltering on her beautiful lips.

"Oh fox, I don't know. It's just been one of those weeks." She paused to take another bite, shooting him a mischievous glance, knowing he was watching with rapt attention. "Work has been a drag, I can't focus on the things I should be doing, I have no motivation and I'm frustrated!" Silencing her outburst with another angry bite. She swallowed and looked ah him "I don't want to be like this tonight. Can we just go play something together? Maybe beating your fluffy butt in some PvP will improve my mood."

Trying his best to stifle a belly laugh, he took her by the hand "Says you, the most beautiful floor tank I know. You're on though. You'd better know, though, we're playing for stakes..."

"You can't have my cheesecake!" she growled, holding the plate possessively and sticking her tongue out at him as she darted away, her tail flicking behind her, leaving the fox to admire the view.

They'd been living together for a little over three years, and it'd been a case of love at first flight for the fox. They had met at the local uni campus: she an engineering student, he an undergrad psychologist; both adult students on a summer day school. He'd been wool-gathering, lost in some detail of a study project as he wandered across the main courtyard, carrying a smoothie he'd just purchased from the cafeteria. He didn't see the diminutive, electric blue dragoness barrelling toward him until it was too late, her wings deployed as an air brake but nothing could slow or stop their collision, her snout hitting him just below the chest as she made contact with the comparative mountain of fluffy arctic fox; the momentum of their collision enough to stagger him, and in a moment of almost cartoonish fate, his smoothie launched itself airborne, landing with a slap between his ears. Lurid pink strawberry, cream and banana ran in rivulets between his eyes, the stack of books and papers she'd been carrying clattering to the floor. They both dropped to their knees, quickly gathering up every errant piece of paper, almost bashing foreheads together, the dragoness offering breathless, flustered apologies, she was late for an exam which had been moved across the campus. Their eyes met for the first time, and he was smitten. He reached out to help her up, but she flinched away

"Don't!... Please don't touch me." She sounded almost frightened of him. He looked at her with an expression that must have been crestfallen. Bedraggled, baffled, and stained pink, he withdrew his paw. Her expression softened a little, a ghost of a smile quirking her lips "I guess I owe you for the drink, and probably an explanation too... You know the tea shop at the corner of the campus? I'll be there at 5..." and in a flash she was gone.

A paw thumping him on the shoulder brought him back to reality "Hey, big guy. If you're going to meet a woman, you should probably clean that gunk offa you.." A muscular, toned cheetah had witnessed the whole thing and was now rummaging in his bag "There're showers in the gym block. You need directions? Take this!" Thrusting a towel into the fox's paws. "Funniest fuckin' shit I've ever seen! Sports block is on the west side of the square! Good luck dude!" He cackled as he too sprinted away.

The fox spent the rest of the day with his head in the clouds, thinking about the enigmatic dragoness that had, in one beverage-drenched moment turned his life upside down. Taking his seat in class, a bright-eyed Raven greeted him with a cry of "Milkshake! Bump into anybody good lately?"

He rolled his eyes "It was a smoothie, and I'm meeting her at 5 o'clock, birdbrain."

"I'll believe it when I see it, you scruffy bindog! Seriously, watch out for those dragons. Find yourself a nice bird!"

"Like you, Nikoli?"

"You wish, you couldn't take what I'm packing!"

He was in far too good a mood to rise to the amiable shit from his friend, "That's not what I heard from your last boyfriend"

The bird clacked his beak "Yeah, well, drunken surfing on Barq for needy horses always seems like a good idea... At the time. Just be careful, you're too kind for your own good sometimes. You ever even seen a dragon and fox together before?"

"Together? C'mon birdbrain, she just wants to replace the drink she spilled. The last time I checked, we hadn't woken up in a Hollywood rom-com. Love at first sight is a myth - we studied that last module!" He scoffed, hoping the note of uncertainty in his voice was something only he could hear. The bird was right - he'd never seen a fox and dragon together, they barely socialised out of their own circles.

"Then why have you got hearts in your eyes, and what's with those fluffy things that should be on top of your head? You got it bad, friend."

He felt the top of his head; without realising it his ears had pulled back flat.

The rest of the day was a blur, time stretched on and on and it seemed like 5pm would never arrive. Nikolai's words weighed on his mind. He was a jackass, a flirt, and a tease, but he was also cuttingly insightful. Foxes as a species struggled to hide their feelings, and he knew from past, painful experience that he was no different. He had seen something in the depths of those sparkling eyes, he knew he had. His heart said follow, his head (and Nikolai) said she probably wouldn't even show. He packed up his gear with heavy heart & walked slowly across to the west side of the park where the Red Panda Café was located, wondering the whole time if he shouldn't just go home and forget the whole thing. Even with his paw resting on the push-plate of the plate glass doors he considered turning around and walking away, and then he saw her.

The Red Panda Café was quiet at the best of times, set back at the far corner of the university it had become a home for the gamers, loners and more timid creatures that made up student life. With only a handful of summer school students left on campus it was currently empty, save for her; a solitary figure sat in subdued light, as close to the corner of the room as she could be, her head down, toying with a slice of... Something on a plate. He took a deep breath and entered. A terminally bored looking badger glanced up from their phone as if to acknowledge his presence, said nothing & returned to whatever it was they were doing. Picking his way through the maze of vacant tables, he stood in front of her; waiting for what seemed like an eternity for her to acknowledge him. Not wanting to make her jump, he cleared his throat with a gentle yap. Those beautiful eyes glanced upward, wide and momentarily startled.

"Milkshake, you came!" She smiled lopsidedly at him.

"Not you too," he sighed, "it was a smoothie..." He smiled nervously back "I wasn't sure you'd be here."

She motioned at him with her fork to the vacant chair opposite her "Sit. You're making me nervous... You're kinda big."

Even sat down he loomed over her, his white and deep silver pelt adding to the illusion of size, ultra-fluffy after his impromptu fruit and gym shower. He noticed her shrink back into her chair and he inwardly flinched, used to the reaction but seeing it from her stung more than a little. Despite his looks, he was no apex predator. His grandmother used to call him "as soft on the inside as the outside." He shifted in his chair, doing his best to increase the distance between them.

"Stop." She murmured "Please don't move away. I'll get used to you in a moment. I... Nobody tends to sit with me. It's a bit new. Can I get you a drink to make up for this morning?"

"I don't mind getting it, but sure - I'll have a latte."

Her muzzle wrinkled comically & he couldn't help but smile. "What?" she demanded. "I just hate coffee. It's bitter and..." She trailed off, toying a little harder with the confectionary on her plate.

"And you prefer something sweet. I got you. What're you eating?"

She glanced back up with a bashful look "Double chocolate cheesecake. It's always so good here and... It's good after a hard day."

His muzzle twitched, his sensitive nose registering the chocolate, cream and tang of the cheese, cinnamon and brown sugar - the biscuit base he supposed, and a spice... Something warm, soft, exotic. A scent he couldn't place. "It smells good," he agreed. "I can smell spices too?"

"Oh, it's got Speculoos in the base. The owner's Belgian."

"That'd probably be it. I... Should go get my coffee."

He returned with his drink & settled back opposite the dragoness. Taking a sip, he watched her watching him over the rim of his cup, seeing her properly for the first time. She was easily a foot shorter than him, hidden mostly in a pastel pink, massively oversized university sweater, despite the July heat. A pair of wings peeked just above her shoulders, a deeper blue than the azure scales of her slender, beautiful face. Her scalp was smooth, save for a pair of tapered ears and jet black horns that curved to the sides of her head. She was easily the most breathtakingly beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

"Have I got chocolate on my nose?" She enquired.

"S-sorry?" He flustered.

"You were watching me very intently, I thought I might have something on my nose."

He felt the tips of his ears light up, the darker hiding his blush "Oh. Oh no! Sorry, I was just thinking how good the coffee wa... You said it's been a bad day. What happened?

She slumped in her chair a little & started gathering up the crumbs of her now-finished slice of cheesecake with the tines of her fork, eyes cast back down toward the plate. "My car wouldn't start this morning. The bus was late. I got to where my exam should have been just in the nick of time, only to find that they'd moved it clear across campus and in the mad dash to get there, I ran full pelt into a strange fox, soaked him in a smoothie. Now I'm complaining to him about my day, and he probably hates me, and he doesn't even know my name. I'm Tabitha."

The fox chuckled softly "It was certainly a cool and refreshing first impression. I'm Fated, my friends call me Fox.... I'd like to think you'd call me Fox too."

"So not Milkshake then?" She said with a wry smile.

"Not even Smoothie. So, after all this excitement, how did the exam go?"

"I aced it, I think..."

They talked for hours, about uni, about life, about everything and nothing at all. They barely noticed the barista putting chairs on tables and cleaning the floor. "Guys, I don't want to spoil the party, but we closed well over an hour ago. Could you please go somewhere else?" the barista asked, with ill-disguised frustration.

They both looked up and out at the darkness outside the windows, it was closing in on 11pm. Worry flickered across the dragoness's face. "I don't like walking home in the dark alone. It's a lot to ask, and I don't even know where you live, but... Would you walk with me?"

"It's the least I could do." He confirmed, "don't worry about me getting home, I'm nocturnal by nature."

They walked slowly, in companionable silence through the park, a warm July breeze blowing through the canopy of trees lining the path. He felt her paw slip into his, slender fingers lacing with his warm, spongy pads "Is this ok?"

He glanced over at her with a smile "It's absolutely fine."

The walk back to her apartment took a little over 10 minutes, most of which they passed in the same companionable silence. Thunder rolled sullenly in the distance, heralding a sudden summer storm. She tensed, squeezing his paw that little bit harder with each booming clap. He squeezed back, signalling an unspoken promise that he wouldn't let go. The rain began to fall just as they reached the door to her nondescript apartment block; big, fat, warm droplets leaving dark circles on the flagstones as they huddled in the entrance way. She turned to face him, her face a portrait of sorrow as she reached for his other hand.

"We're here." She said flatly "I saw the look on your face earlier when you tried to help me, and I pulled away. I promised I'd tell you, but it's hard. Before I start, will you promise me two things?"

He nodded his response, unsure of what to say.

"Let me speak. However long it takes me, just let me speak. You'll know when I'm done. And," she looked at him earnestly, imploringly, her eyes wide with fear "Promise me you'll meet me for tea tomorrow."

She spoke, haltingly, timidly at first about the night that changed her life. The heavens opened, the sky crying in sympathy with every tortured word she uttered, soaking them both to the bone. Her slender body heaved as the tears flowed, speaking through racking, brutal sobs. Painting a story so horrific that to recall it even now made him ball his fists in impotent, seething rage. He listened to every word in silence, unaware that he too, had tears coursing down his cheeks. Eventually the words stopped. She looked him in the eyes and whispered "F-fox?"

He pulled her into his arms, his lips brushing her eyelids, tasting the astringent brininess of her tears mingled with the rain as he kissed them away. She resisted for a moment, tensed and ready to flee and then she sagged, her head rested against his chest; his strong arms bearing her weight as he held her. They stood In silence, wrapped in one another, his muzzle rested between her horns. Eventually she looked up at him, the ghost of a smile on her lips

"Fox? Your heart sounds nice."

He looked at her, not sure what to say. The look of puzzlement on his face making her smile wider.

"Fox? You smell like wet dog."

She kissed him then, shyly at first, her lips brushing his with the softest of pecks, gauging his response; her tail thrashing in approval as his muzzle tilted to hers, her tongue flickering past his canines and deep into the warm confines of his maw, pushing herself into his arms, claiming his embrace. He held her like he were made for her, despite their size difference, they fit together perfectly. She held the kiss for a heartbeat or two longer before pulling away, panting softly, her eyes flickering fire as she pulled away, her fingers brushing over his until the tips were just touching. "Fox.. You'd better go, while you still can."

His ears flattened to his skull, mistaking her words as a rebuke. Tilting her head, she watched his expression with amusement and softly she started to laugh, a sound so sweet it almost broke his heart "Oh, you silly creature. What kind of girl would I be if I invited you in. We'd only end up doing things neither of us would regret..." A clawtip touched his nose "Tea. Tomorrow at 9? I've classes at 10..." She pushed his chest gently, smiling "Go, Fox. It's late."

He looked at her, dumbfounded for a moment "N-nine, tomorrow. OK!" He stammered, but by the time he'd regained some composure, her front door was already closed. He walked home in a daze, the ghost of her still on his lips. He barely remembered the journey, and his dreams were the perfect shade of azure blue.

Of all the mornings to oversleep, it would have to be this one. He arrived at the café almost 20 minutes late, out of breath and doing his best to pat down one of the worst cases of bed fur he'd ever had. She glanced up from her textbooks as he walked through the door, the look of studious concentration on her face giving way to a relieved, shy smile. He'd barely made it to the table before she launched herself at him, her arms and wings wrapping around him in a hug that would've put a bear to shame. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her, staggering a little at the momentum of her embrace.

"You came! You came!" She exclaimed breathlessly, rubbing her snout firmly against his muzzle; her prehensile tail slipping around his waist to pull him tighter with a rippling, possessive squeeze.

He tilted his head, smiling confusedly "I'm sorry I'm late... I didn't mean to make you worry. I, um, hit snooze one too many times this morning..."

"I thought I might have scared you away last night." She confessed. "And then it got late and you weren't here and... No matter! You're here now and..." A sharp trilling noise from the table behind her cut short her sentence "I'm going to be late for my tutorial if I don't leave now. I'll only be gone 20 minutes; will you wait for me? I've something I want to ask you."

"I don't have any classes today, I'll be right here." He smiled, setting her down "Unless you want me to walk with you to class?"

She beamed up at him, her beautiful eyes cast upward as she swept her books back into her bag "No, it's fine. I appreciate the offer, but you should have a drink and... Knowing you're here gives me something to look forward to." She leaned up and pecked him on the lips, slipping away before he could respond.

He was just finishing his second cup of coffee when she returned, her slender fingers brushing over his shoulders as she slinked quietly up behind him. Rolling his shoulders into her touch, he looked up at her with a goofy smile. His keen vulpine senses had picked up the faint, spiced tell-tale of her scent. It seemed a little stronger today, it was a comforting, alluring. A scent he could definitely get used to, and it seemed a little stronger today. He wondered if he was just becoming accustomed to it.

"It's a lovely day out there... Could we go sit under the big tree? I'd like to talk for a while." She asked quietly. Nodding, he stood & she took his hand, leading him the short distance to the centre of the park.

The big tree was a towering, scented hardwood that grew in the middle of University park. It had graced graduation pictures for centuries and its twisting, stout branches made up part of the University logo. A handful of people sprawled on the grass, enjoying the quiet and soaking up the midsummer sun. They picked a bench in the shade, the monster trunk almost blocking the sun entirely. She nestled into the crook of his arm, quietly gathering her thoughts as he cuddled her.

A minute or two passed before she murmured quietly "Fox..." He turned to face her, reaching for her paws, his head canted in a concerned, curious way. Recognising the look she squeezed his fingers "Nono, it's ok. I'm just gathering my thoughts... This is all a bit new to me."

He nodded that he understood and was greeted with the glimmer of a smile. Her chest swelled with a soft sigh.

"You're so kind to me..." She started, her voice wavering with uncertainty. "It's only been a day since we met and it feels like I've known you a lifetime." She squeezed his fingers so tightly that he almost yelped "I don't make friends easily, and I've never had a... Boyfriend." She ducked her muzzle bashfully as the words left her lips "Everything scares me, and now I'm scared I'm going to do something wrong and lose you, or this, or whatever this is." She sighed again "The only thing I know is, that when I collided with you yesterday and you looked into my eyes, something in my heart said "don't be afraid" and when you hold my paws that voice gets louder. I need time to work this out... It's my birthday in two weeks, the same day as the solstice festival. Would you... "

A longer, uncomfortable pause hung heavy, the kind of pause where the birds stop singing and the silence is deafening. The fox closed his eyes, expecting the worst.

"Fireworks scare me more than anything." She said, her voice husky and little more than a whisper "But I don't think I'd be scared if you were there with me. We could go up to the outcrop together and watch them, for my birthday... Please say yes." She looked at him earnestly, her eyes shimmering, brimming with tears.

"Just try and stop me" He grinned.

"P-promise me?" She buried her nose into his chest, her slender shoulders heaving in overwhelmed sobs. He cradled her, his arms encircling her with a comforting squeeze.

"I promise. And I have two weeks to find you a gift!"

The tears slowly subsided, and she looked embarrassedly up at him "I... Think I'm OK now. You can let go if you want to... But you don't have to!" She waited, satisfied that he had no plans on releasing his grasp "I'm going to mess things up. I always do."

"We'll take it one day at a time." He promised.

She murmured soft agreement, nestling tighter into the crook of his arm. "Fox?" She paused. "Please don't buy me a birthday present. Just be there."

He nodded & nuzzled between her ears "OK. I'll be good."

They shared almost every moment of the next two weeks together; she showed him her love of urban exploring, and he of photography. Everything she did captivated him; from the intensity of her expression when she was concentrating, knees brought up to her chin, engrossed in her engineering manuals to the feline, agile grace of every move she made. "You're meant to be taking pictures of the surroundings!" She'd protest as he took photo after photo of her. He'd laugh and remind her that she was part of the surroundings, the most beautiful part.

He closed his eyes, remembering the first night they walked along the beach. The sun had just kissed the horizon, casting long shadows across the pristine sand as the sky lit up in hues of blue and the deepest red. They walked in silence for a while, listening to the surf and the calls of the birds, her fingers laced with his. With a gentle squeeze she signalled him to stop. "I... Want to show you something. Promise me you won't laugh, or be shocked?"

He tilted his head "What is it?"

"I... Want to fly for you." She confessed "But I can't do it with my clothes on. I'm... I'm... Scared you won't like it. Close your eyes and count to 20. Promise me you won't peek."

The promise was duly made, and he closed his eyes tight, his muzzle pulling into a rictus with the effort "You're so fierce!" She giggled "Just a moment or two more...." And now!

When he opened his eyes, she was sprinting away from him, running along the damp sand toward the setting sun, a silhouette of perfection in the distance. A heartbeat later her wings unfurled and she was aloft, gliding at first out over the water and then with a stretch and a flex she climbed toward the light. He fumbled for his camera, struck momentarily dumb by the sight as she arced, dove and climbed for him, stunned by her grace and beauty and barely aware of the tears of joy tracking through his fur, so captivated by her was he. A little under five minutes later the show was over and she glided down onto some smooth, weathered rocks near the water's edge; her wings splayed out, her chest heaving as she basked on the glossy, smooth stones, a fiery ray of sun burnishing her scales. She crossed her arms demurely and let him take the photo she knew he was aching to take. He'd hung the enlargement in his study the very next day.

When she'd caught her breath, she motioned for her clothes. Quickly, haphazardly dressing she looked at him querulously "Was it alright? I wasn't horrible was I?" Her eyes widened as she noticed the matting on his cheeks "Fox? Why have you been crying?"

He didn't trust himself to speak at first, he just watched her as his tail flagged behind him. Taking a deep, steadying breath he told her she was more than ok, that she was breath-taking, amazing. She flushed & ducked her snout "You're just saying that..." she murmured doubtfully.

He shook his head passionately "It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. You took my breath away... I loved it"

Her face brightened "Good... I think. I have a favour to ask... Flying is really hard work... Could you carry me home?" She grinned, drawing out the reaaally in a soft, tired whine."

He grinned and turned his back to her, dropping to one knee "Hop on, m'lady!"

Squealing in delight, she threw her arms around his neck & cocooned him in her wings "What do I say now?" She giggled "Um.... Giddy up?"

He shook his head and barked.

"Oh! MUSH!"

With a yap of agreement, he cantered off along the sand, his tail flapping in the breeze behind him.

They agreed to meet at sundown on the day of the solstice, the dragoness wanting some time to do some birthday shopping before their date. The fox spent the day cooking and baking, preparing a small picnic of some of her favourite dishes, information he'd carefully gleaned with carefully placed questions here & there. The centrepiece being a small, circular, black forest birthday cake that he'd made himself from scratch from fruit foraged from his neighbour's garden. He packed everything carefully into a spare camera bag with a neatly folded blanket, wanting it to be a surprise. At 6:30 exactly, his phone chirped to let him know she was waiting outside.

Closing his front door he turned and stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth slightly agape as she stepped shyly out from behind her car. The dragoness was wearing a carefully arranged wrap, ink black with an iridescent sheen like the feathers of a raven. It glistened like wet silk in the late afternoon sun, the slightest breeze making it ripple & catch the light in a myriad different ways. A silver fox brooch pinned at her shoulder held the material closed, glinting brightly against the dark material. She'd powdered the ridges of her eyes with chartreuse, the vibrant green contrasting against her azure scales, and the tips of her horns were adorned with silver filigree caps. Worried eyes scrutinised his expression.

"Fox, what is it? Don't you like it? I can go and change, there's still ti.."

He cut her off with a fierce hug, pulling her into his arms and holding her like he'd not seen her in a year "Don't you dare!" he exclaimed, "You look absolutely stunning, and..." He breathed a little deeper, his muzzle twitching as he breathed her perfume; so sweet, spiced and somehow... Primal. "That scent you're wearing is so beautiful."

She smiled in a coy, uncertain way, pushing him away self-consciously "I'm not wearing any scent, fox. You mean it? You think I look OK?

"On everything I hold sacred, I solemnly swear that you are the most beautiful woman I know. If you ever looked less than perfect I promise I would tell you," his smile softened "but I can't ever imagine it happening."

She thumped him playfully in the chest "You are a goof, and a flatterer, but it's my birthday so I'm going to allow It... This time!"

They hiked the short distance up to the outcrop, a plateau hidden by light scrubby bushes just off of the beaten path near the beach where he'd watched her fly for the first time just a few days before. Sheer walls of soft rock shielded them from the wind and gave them a view clear across the bay, their surface marred by centuries of scratches and scrawls, spelling a poem of loves lost, found and unrequited. Below them, a number of small stalls had been constructed; some selling food & drink, others hawking carnival games. People of all races and species mingled together, their voices muted by the distance. The smell of spiced meat and fried dough perfumed the air. They sat on the edge in easy, companionable silence, watching the crowd thronging below them. The dragoness nestled into the crook of the fox's arm; her tail coiled lightly around his hips. The silence was broken by a deep, sonorous gurgle, the sound of unadulterated draconic hunger.

"I'm so sorry!" She blushed "It's the smell of the food... I haven't eaten today... I've been"

"Too nervous?" He finished her sentence "Me too. It's why I took the liberty of packing you a little surprise... Call it a birthday present..." He rolled onto his knees, grabbed his back and popped the clasps. Her nose twitched frantically as she tried to peek over his shoulder.

"nu-huh-huh, not yet. Let me unpack it first." He beamed at her, flicking out the blanket he'd brought and slowly, deliberately, set out the tubs he'd so carefully packed earlier." Ala Mhigan Chicken, mushroom kofte, rice salad, Toum, Siracha and... No birthday is complete without..." he moved to let her see "Cake!"

"You did all this for me?!" She gasped "Oh Fox, you silly, wonderful creature. I did tell you not to do anything special... But I'm honoured and thankful you did."

He made up two plates for them and they retired to the shelter of the rock face to eat, their backs against the cool stone. A peal of drums and clatter of guitars from the beach below signalled the start of the entertainments. A cover band struck up with a snappy, punky cover of "Summer in the city". "I love this song!" he exclaimed, caught up in the moment & singing along with the chorus.

She looked at him, wide eyed "Fox! You didn't tell me you could sing!"

He blushed furiously, clamping his muzzle shut with a shake of his head "Can't. My bathroom caterwauling even scares the local cats away. It's a good job I live alone!"

Her fingers found his, squeezing them tight "Please don't stop... I think you sound wonderful."

And so he sang, losing himself in the moment as the music swirled around the pair of them. She applauded him, her tail thumping the rhythm of the beat. Eventually the music died away and an amplified voice from below them announced the main event, the fireworks show would be starting in a little over fiiiiiiiiiive minutes! She leaned back, resting her head on the rock with a sigh, her mood darkening.

"Tabitha, what is it?" He asked softly.

"Oh, Fox. I don't know. It's nothing, everything... You've been so wonderful to me from the moment we met, and, and... I don't think I deserve it. You've given me so much, you've shown me so many wonderful things. I never thought I'd be sitting outside waiting for fireworks with anybody, and now we're here, and... And... And..."

He opened his mouth, only to be silenced with a finger to the lips "For the first time in my life, I'm not scared, and that terrifies me."

In a sudden, fluid motion, she threw a shapely leg over his and straddled his lap. Instinctively his paws slipped to her hips, brushing over the swell of her behind as he steadied her. She gasped and tensed, hissing between her teeth.

"Should I let go?" He murmured.

"Don't you dare!" She gasped back "Your touch feels sublime to me. It's like electricity every time. I long so much to be near you and every time you touch me I know... I know..." She trailed off, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she took a deep, calming breath.

"I know what I want for my birthday, and every other birthday to come." She reached for the clasp of her wrap, sliding the pin free. With a gentle shrug of her shoulders, the material fell away, leaving her completely naked. "I want you, Fox. I want you, and I need you and I'm scared and I'm... I'm yours, Fox. If you'll have me." She dipped her muzzle, blinking back tears, unable to meet his gaze, terrified at what she'd see.

He stared at the vision in front of him, momentarily lost for words. She transcended beautiful, her scales shimmered with every breath, the deep azure blue fading into a paler, softer hue over the swell of her chest and the flat, taut expanse of her tummy, giving way to a pearlescent silver, framing the neon blue of her sex. Her perfectly proportioned breast swelled with every breath. Her tail coiled tightly around his leg, squeezing his thigh & he became aware that she was shaking, trembling against him like a leaf in a tempest. He wondered for a moment if he were dreaming, that if he reached out to her she'd disappear. He tenderly lifted her chin, raising her gaze back to his. "Look at me" his voice barely a whisper, husky with longing, desire and more than a little awe.

Her slender muzzle brushed against his fingers, longing to feel him, his touch comforting like nothing she had ever known before. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw the future in his glossy, silver-grey orbs. He spoke softly, haltingly at first, of the joy, the magic and wonder she had brought to his life; how he dreamed of her, and how empty even a heartbeat seemed without her at his side. How he, too, ached for her touch and the memory of that first kiss in the rain made his heart skip a beat every single time. He'd loved her from the moment her eyes met his on that first, fateful day. She leant in, kissing the words from his lips with urgent, hungry pecks as he made his promise to her, that he would remain by her side for the rest of his life. She owned his heart, his soul and every fibre of his being.

She kissed him ferociously; her paws slipping behind his head, guiding his muzzle to hers, her agile tongue invading the confines of his maw, her body arching into him, begging for his touch. He seemed instinctively to know her, his paws cupping and lifting her breast, his thumbs rolling across her nipples, coaxing them to aching, rigid points as he kissed her back with the wildest abandon. His paws lingered for a moment longer, a playful squeeze making her gasp against his lips. His paws roamed, brushing over her waist, strong fingers gripping her hips as he pulled her tighter to him. She pulled back, breaking their embrace just enough for her to speak.

"You mean it? You won't let me go, not for a moment? Fox, be certain... Dragons mate for life." She panted against his muzzle as his paws pulled her closer, the heat of his loins so tantalisingly close to hers.

"I adore you!" he gasped back against her lips "You're my light, my fire, my inspiration, my every waking thought. I can't imagine a life without you, it hurts too much to try. I would spend the rest of my life devoted to showing you just how much I need you, I long for you. How much I love you."

"I love you too, Fox." She murmured tenderly against his lips "Every step we take from now, we take together. Your hand in mine, our lives, our souls, our future as one... My life mate."

Fireworks burst in the air overhead as she moved against him, her heat finding his as if they were made for one another. She enveloped him, moulded to him; rippling and coaxing him to move with her, their two bodies becoming one as he answered her need with his own. She buried her muzzle into the crook of his neck, her fangs grazing the flesh beneath his pelt, urging him on, claiming him as her own. He gripped the firm swell of her behind, snarling in unbridled lust at each loving bite, his hips meeting hers in firm, rhythmic thrusts, pulling her down as he picked up his pace; the lovers so focused on one another that they barely noticed the light show around them.

She answered his need with rolling, grinding urgency, working herself against the rapidly swelling bulb at the base of his thick, throbbing heat, his paws gripping her so possessively as he pulled her tighter, urging her to claim him, pushing one another closer and closer, neither one wanting to give in as they neared their apex. She threw her head back, her wings spread wide & screaming his name as her climax crashed over her, his hips driving up as she clamped like a silken, velvet fist around him, slaking her hunger with torrential, pulsing bursts. She collapsed against his chest, listening to his caroming, thundering pulse; his arms cradling her, comforted by the rhythm, knowing it beat only for her. She rocked against him, milking him, wanting his all, inextricably tied to him. Neither spoke for a time, their panting, ragged breaths saying more than words ever could.

"Fox?" She broke the silence with a shy purr, nestling deeper into his soft, fluffy pelt "Would you sing for me?"

She closed her eyes, her breath slowing as he sang to her. By the time he'd made it to the first chorus she'd fallen softly, sweetly asleep.

They went home together that night, her tail snaked around his waist, his fingers laced with hers. He fumbled for his keys as they reached his front door, kicking it closed behind him as she pulled him toward the bedroom, jumping up into his arms, falling backward onto the bed, her thighs wrapping his waist, squealing in delight as she found him ready for her.

They slept, sated, wrapped in one another's arms until shafts of golden, early morning sunlight woke them. He tried to sit, but she pushed him back, her nose touching his with a giggle as she sprawled over him, "Mine!"

"Hey, Milkshake!" A voice calling over the din of rapid spellcasting from the adjacent room shook him from his daydream "What're you doing out there? Your ass isn't going to kick itself; you know? Hurry up... And...?" A tense pause, followed by a resonating *FOOM* and a giggled "Got him! Oh. Can you bring me another slice of that cheesecake? I love you!"

He couldn't help but laugh at the old nickname, his tail wagging in anticipation. She always got so competitive during the first days of her heat; her scent had been betraying her for days: that mix of cinnamon and vanilla, with the subtle undertone of pepper and spring rain; a perfume that became headier with every passing hour. It was a scent she knew he couldn't resist. Clothes shopping with her at her peak was a risky affair - he was certain they'd given more than one department store security guard a free CCTV show as she'd pull him into the changing room with her. He groaned, painfully aware of his arousal. Quickly adjusting himself, he called back that he'd be right there.

He found her sprawled across the full length of the sofa, naked as the day she hatched. Spying him in the doorway she set aside her controller and stretched, hooking a shapely leg over the back cushion; arching her back & slowly, tantalisingly running her paws down over her front with a low, sultry purr, giving her perfectly formed tits a lingering squeeze before gliding her fingers downward, brushing over the flat expanse of her tummy & resting so tantalisingly close to her puffy, swollen sex.

"It's soooo hot in here, Fox." She cooed "I hope you don't mind that I made myself comfortable... You seem to be staring, my light and love. Do you see something you like?" She stuck her slender tongue out at him & curled her tail up between her legs, dragging the prehensile tip across her arousal with a low, guttural moan. "Oh Fox, you do! I can see your bone! Who's a good boy?!" She giggled, sat up and grabbed her controller again, wrapping her tail around her demurely "So, are you tanking or DPS?"

He set the cheesecake down in front of her & sprawled on the floor, his back to the sofa, snapping playfully at her fingers as she patted him on the head "Such a good fox!"

"You're a minx, and a tease, and, and, and If I didn't love you so much..." He grinned up at her.

"But you do love me, and you're the one that said there are stakes to be played for... A girl has to do what she can to get by! Now..." She dropped the controlled into his lap, making him wince as the heavy plastic hit him somewhere sensitive "Less QQ and more pewpew. If you're very good, I might help you out with that thing later... After I've beaten you, of course."

"Gods, woman. You yap more than Gaius Van Baelsar on a lift." He grinned up at her. "You, me, frontline PvP?"

She leaned down and kissed his nose "You won't want to skip my cut scenes, believe me..."

They played ruthlessly, viciously; not passing up a single opportunity to exploit a missed mitigation or poorly timed area of effect. The giant, flat panel screen lit up with glossy, slick animations as spell after spell repeatedly pummelled their target. At the two hour point she'd got the best of him by the tiniest of margins. He hit pause on his controller and glanced up at her "Call it a draw?"

"Hah! You're just saying that because you're losing, you adorable loser boy." She giggled, blowing him a raspberry.

"I'll make it worth your while..." He smiled back.

"What could you possibly offer? I've beaten you and eaten your cheesecake. Flawless victory!"

He stuck his tongue back out at her "Well, you can keep up the trash talk and never know, or you can close your eyes and maybe I'll give you a surprise."

She sighed and rolled her eyes theatrically "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. You win. It's a draw." Dragging the tips of her claws under his chin, she raised his lips to hers & kissed him tenderly "To prove I'm not a sore winner..."

"Eyes closed. No peeking, it'll spoil the surprise..." He growled against her lips, pecking her softly back. He waited until her eyes were closed tight. Satisfied she wasn't watching him, he reached beneath the sofa where he'd hidden his first surprise.

The collar he'd had commissioned was a thing of stunning beauty: Made from butter-soft kid leather, a shade or two darker than his pelt and lined with the softest, plum purple velvet; it felt warm and supple to the touch, almost like it were alive. A layer of skeletal, shiny silver filigree sat atop the leather, forming part of the clasp; thorns and hearts twisted together to spell her name, positioned so it would sit perfectly centred on her slender throat. A flexible titanium cord sewn between the layers held captive a ring suitable for a leash, or a hooked finger. Without a word he reached around her neck and fastened it in place, the mechanism closing with a perfect, soft "snick."

She started, tensing to pull away "Fox! What're you doing! What is thi..." Her voice trailed off as she felt the softness encircling her neck "That feels wonderful... But why?"

He grasped the collar ring & softly pulled her close, his muzzle brushing her ear as he whispered "dominantdrakes.com. You left the browser open when you borrowed my laptop a couple of weeks ago..."

The colour drained from her face, her ears plastering flat against the side of her skull "Oh Fox... I'm so, so sorry. You must think I'm the worst person in the world..."

Releasing his grip on the ring, he murmured "Look at me, tell me if I look upset."

"Fox, I can't... I'm so embarrassed." She blushed; her shoulders slumped forward as she cast her gaze downward.

"You can, my love. I know that I don't always... Scratch that itch, especially when you're having a hard cycle. All you've done is give me some ideas, and, well, you'll see. Whatever happens from now until the end of the night you can control. You say 'Guppy' and I'll stop dead in my tracks. Now..." A note of steel entering his voice "Look at me."

She glanced upward, looking shyly into his eyes "You know you satisfy me in every way, Fox. I was just cur.."

Resting a finger on her lips, he silenced her "I know. I've never doubted that you're satisfied with me, and you know you drive me beyond wild. I also know you're about an hour away from the peak of one of the most ferocious heat cycles you've had in months... Your scent has been driving me absolutely nuts for days... So, let me do this for you. And... It's not like you've never caught me sneakily taking care of myself..."

The tip of her tail twitched in shy anticipation, the shy gaze becoming a tentative, shy smile. "Yeah, but you're a fox. You have a reputation to live down to... You can really tell my cycle that precisely just by my scent?"

He wriggled his nose with a grin, his whiskers jutting forward proudly "Top of my class in mouse hunting at fox academy. I can smell a shrew under 15 feet of pure white snow.... And if you keep asking me questions, I'm going to lose my nerve and that's going to spoil the rest of the surprises I have for you tonight. So," he gave the collar a playful tug "Are you going to come upstairs with me and find out what they are, or am I going to have to drag you?"

She looked up into his eyes mischievously "You don't have to drag me, fox... But you can give me encouragement..."