FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was an October day, cloudy and grey. Blustery with a strong chance of rain by nightfall. Boldly colored leaves, orange, red, and russet, swirled up and down Main Street in the little town of Arcadia.

Inside the big front window of the grocery store, there were bold, colorful signs highlighting sales and special items.

'Acorn squash! 75 Cents a Pound!'

'Tomato soup! Buy 1, Get 1 Half Off!'

'Local Apple Cider, 6.99 a Gallon!'

On the other side of the glass, at the cash register, webbed, red velvet paws, seemingly clawless, moved items over a barcode scanner.

Beep!

Boop!

Once scanned, Akira, the owner (and current cashier; today's floor help, Willow, a bubbly buckskin mare, didn't due 'til noon), put everything into grocery bags.

For the items without barcodes, the 'short clawed' otter checked a laminated sheet for a corresponding stock number. Usually five digits. Those had to be typed in manually. She had some of them memorized, but there were seven types of apples in store right now! Or was it eight?

She put a bag of a variety called 'Snapdragon' on the scale, registered the weight, and typed in the code.

Box of cereal.

Beep!

Egg whites. Almond milk.

Boop! Boop!

Asparagus.

Bop!

Breaking the silence between her and her frequent customer (but, then, all customers were frequent when you ran the only grocery in town; there was a farm supply store at the end of Main Street, which had basic snack and novelty foods, but Akira's place offered a wider range of meal items), Akira teased, "No circus peanuts today?"

"Mm?" Charlie the Canadian fox squirrel was surveying a rack of candy bars. "No, not in a marshmallow mood."

"You literally just bought a box of 'Marshmallow Moons'."

"It's part of a complete breakfast!" Charlie insisted, undeterred from her candy search. "But, right now, I need something hearty and filling. Something ... nutty!" she decided, paws on hips. "With chocolate and caramel and nougat." A pause. "What is nougat anyway?"

"I think it's a State secret."

"Well, it's awesome whatever it is," the squirrel said, waffling over her pick.

So many choices!

Almond, peanut ... freaking _hazel_nut?

She impulsively grabbed for that one.

No.

No, wait.

She promptly put it back.

Grabbed another.

Almond.

Classic.

Charlie casually tossed it onto the conveyor.

"Good choice," Akira said, scanning and bagging it.

Charlie, opening up a magazine and flipping through the pages, was only paying half-attention.

Akira quirked a brow at the next item on the belt. Oh, my. "Um. How, uh ... how are things between you and Emerson?"

"Mm?"

"Your mate."

"Emmy's out in the field today," the squirrel said, putting the magazine back. "Harvesting the last of the corn. Gotta get it done before it rains." It had to be dry to sell. Her fluffy tail fluttered. "I'm doing our food run."

"I figured." It was that time of year. Being in a rural area, almost everyone had at least a loose connection to agriculture. "Everything going okay, then?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"No reason," Akira said slowly, making a show of putting a pregnancy test in a shopping bag.

"Oh, that," Charlie said nonchalantly.

"That?" There was no one else in the store right now, so Akira didn't bother to lower her voice. _"_I mean ... how? You're not even the same species!" Emerson was a Eurasian harvest mouse.

"Last time I checked. Heh. Which was in the shower last night!" Charlie raised a paw for a high five.

The otter didn't give her one. Just crossed her arms. "The odds are, like, what ... less than one in a hundred?"

"More like three. Maybe four?" Charlie said. "On account of us both being rodents." She leaned against the counter and shrugged. "We're just lucky, I guess!"

"Hmm ... " The otter didn't seem convinced.

"Also, we've literally done it, like ... hundreds of times since we got together?"

The bronze-and-silver fox squirrel tried to count on her fingers and gave up. Her and Emmy had just celebrated five months as a couple. Half-year anniversary was coming up! Just in time for Christmas. Did that mean double gifts?

In her mind, yes!

It totally did.

She had been leaving him plenty of hints about what to get (and not get) her. The tomboy didn't want anything soft or delicate. No dresses or jewelry. 'Yes' to heavy-duty work gloves and candy and t-shirts with funny phrases.

Charlie continued, "Anyway, I was supposed to come into heat last week. I'm not normally late." She shrugged. "Passed that doohickie in the aisle," she said, of the test, "and thought I should probably check."

"You're that late? How many days, exactly?" the otter pressed, an increasingly concerned look on her face. "I sell condoms, you know!" she reminded for future reference. They were right next to the pregnancy tests.

"A lot of the times we do it, it's outdoors. Super spontaneous, eh? In the barn, in the fields." She giggled. "On the tractor." Which reminded her: they should totally fool around in the combine before Emmy returned it to his cousins.

Akira leaned forward, hoping for some juicy details.

Charlie didn't exactly provide them. Just explained, "Don't always got protection handy."

"What about self-control?"

"You only live once!" Charlie insisted.

"Get yourself on the pill," Akira said matter-of-factly.

"I don't have a doctor to prescribe me one," the foreign-born squirrel said.

"Are you on someone's insurance? Your aunt and uncle's? Emerson's?"

"No? I don't know." She shrugged. "I don't understand how it all works. It's nothing like back home! Seems like a rip-off even with insurance. Emmy tweaked his back a while ago and was afraid to see the doctor because it would still cost too much."

"Well, you'll be seeing plenty of doctors if you're pregnant," Akira said pointedly. "So you're gonna have to figure it out."

"Huh. That's true, isn't it?"

"How will your family take it?" Akira wondered.

Charlie's parents were back in Canada, but her relatives (aunt and uncle) were Emmy's neighbors here in America. That's how she and Emmy had met, when the squirrel had moved in with them to help run their farm. They were getting older and, not having kids of their own, needed help.

But since she and the older harvest mouse had become mates, she'd moved in with him next door.

She still worked for her aunt and uncle, though.

Charlie was actually due to takeover their farm when they decided to retire, which could be next year ... or could be five or ten years from now!

When that happened, she and Emmy could combine the two properties into one and double the land they owned. Of course, that would mean even more work for the both of them. But hopefully double the revenue?

Whatever.

She'd worry about that when it happened.

If anyone had mastered living in the moment, it was Charlie.

"Charlie?"

"Mm? Oh. Heh. They'll probably be like 'what took you so long!' Auntie and uncle couldn't have kids, so they'll love having them around. They can help babysit. But my parents were younger than me when I was born! And my siblings already have families. I'm the lone straggler."

"How old are you, again?" Akira asked.

"Twenty-five."

"Mm."

Emmy was thirty-four. The nine-year age gap didn't bother the squirrel at all, though it occasionally made the mouse self-conscious. The townsfolk weren't above raising their brows about it.

Akira just replied, "You don't seem overly worried about all this ... "

"Eh, it might be nothing. I haven't taken the test yet!"

"And what if it's positive?"

"I mean ... I want this! It's probably the only time it'll happen, given our different genes, so that makes it even more special. I love Emmy to pieces, right?"

"Right," the otter echoed, waiting for more.

"And we're a childless couple with a good amount of valuable farmland to our names and no one to help us run it. Or even inherit it when we get older," she added. "Having kids wouldn't be the worst thing. I don't want to end up in auntie and uncle's situation! Can't have a 'family farm' without the family."

"I admit, there's some logic to that."

"It's a generational profession, y'know. My parents were farmers. So were his! I always knew I'd have kids." She paused. "I thought it would be with another squirrel, but ... " She shrugged, as if to say 'what can you do.'

"Does Emerson want them?"

"Sometimes, you don't know what you want until you have it! He'll be shocked at first, but he'll make such a cute dad." She paused and huffed. "Mmm. He hates when I call him daddy, cause he's older than me? But, if I'm preggers, I can call him that legitimately ... and he won't be able to object."

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out," the otter said.

"Heh. Don't worry!"

"You're my friend," Akira stressed. Over the past few months, they'd grown closer. Long chats like this. Hanging out, going to the movies together over in Circleville. The earliest matinees, which were always empty. This let Charlie be the peanut gallery, which always had the otter in stitches.

Do you_sound like a friend to_ her_?_

"I'm sorry, Charlie. Didn't mean to grill you. I'm happy for you. Congratulations. If it's true, I mean."

"Thanks!"

Selfishly, Akira knew that if the squirrel started a family, she'd see her a lot less. But that didn't seem right to mention. So, she just said, "You're moving so fast."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, in less than half a year, you leave your home country, come to town, fall in love, take a mate, and now you're ready and wanting to have kids?"

"Isn't it great?" Charlie insisted with a smile.

Impressed by the squirrel's relentlessly positive attitude, the otter lamented, "Sometimes, I feel I'm stuck in neutral. I've owned this store for ... almost five years, now? I like it. But when the biggest commitment in my life is to a building?" She shook her head, wondering what that said about her. "I'd be totally freaking out if my heat was late."

"You'd make a great mom!" Charlie insisted, tail swishing. There were numerous but subtle 'spots' peppering the fur. This pattern existed on her back as well. It was quite a subtly exotic effect.

"Me?" Akira echoed. "You're just saying that."

"No, for real."

"Not as good as what you'd make," Akira told the squirrel. "You're so warm and open and ... uplifting. You have boatloads of energy. You roll with every punch. You'd need all that to raise a family."

"Aw!"

"I'm not any of those things," the otter decided.

"How would you describe yourself?" Charlie pressed.

The red velvet otter scrunched her muzzle, swiping at her whiskers. "Hmm. I mean ... I like to think I'm responsible ... but also playful? In the right situations, of course. I mean, at work here, I have to maintain a level of decorum."

"De-what?"

"Etiquette. Like ... proper behavior. My business is a community anchor. I'm on the Town Council, too."

"Really? Since when?"

"Since last year, since before you arrived," the otter said, rolling her eyes. "I tell you about our meetings all the time?"

"Okay," the squirrel decided.

The otter gave her a look before continuing, "There's five members. Then the mayor above us."

"Yeah, Rikki! He's handsome."

"Believe me, he knows," the otter said, rolling her eyes.

The Malabar giant squirrel, Arcadia's one-term mayor, was as colorful as all get out with an ego to match. And an even healthier libido. He wasn't above trading sexual favors for political ones. Akira hadn't engaged in any of those transactions (despite being at a loose end), but several other Council members had.

"Ooh! I saw that bright orange 'jack-o-bat' coming out of Town Hall the other day," Charlie whispered conspiratorially.

"Persis?" She helped run the local post office. "She's a 'painted bat,' technically."

"You think they're doin' it?"

"Wouldn't be surprised."

"Oh, man." Charlie clasped her paws together. "They look so colorful together! Purple, blue, red, orange, black. Aah! They'd maybe be the cutest couple in town ... other than Emmy and me, of course. He's gold, and I'm bronze and silver? It's, like, we're all glittery and rich. All the Olympic medals at once. Boom." She pumped her fist. "We own!"

Akira, refocusing, remembered she had the rest of the squirrel's order to ring up. She proceeded to finish with that. It was so easy to get distracted when talking to Charlie! Mainly because Charlie herself was so easily distracted. That was squirrels for you.

Steering the topic back to her friend's potential pregnancy, the otter said, "So, uh, the gist of it is: either you're 'late' for some random reason, or you pulled his 'lever' and everything in your 'slot machine' came up cherries."

"Oh, heck, that's a really good euphemism! I'm totally stealing that one."

"Or," Akira added, tossing out a third option, "you've been canoodling with another squirrel?"

Not that she believed that was the case! But, given the extreme odds of a mouse impregnating a squirrel? It had to be asked. Lord knew there were a ton of squirrels in the area. They'd already talked about Mayor Rikki. And there was obviously a big population of fox squirrels. Some reds, too. A smattering of greys.

"Psh," Charlie scoffed. "Like anyone would be as good a lay as Emmy." She paused, stroking her chin. "Hmm. Except maybe Queenie. She's so hot!"

"Most people think so."

Seldovia, a glamorous albino/lavender skunk, operated the diner at the north end of Main Street. She was so popular in town that she was running for mayor next year. Against Rikki. Two attractive people with intense egos. Frankly, the otter didn't know who she was going to vote for. But she had thirteen months to worry about that.

Charlie blinked and asked, "You don't?"

"You know I'm straight."

"Aw, sorry to hear that," Charlie replied, reaching for the otter's paw.

The otter scrunched her whiskers, turning to her computer screen and totaling the squirrel's bill. "That'll be twenty-nine ninety-two. Cash or card?"

"Cash," the squirrel said. "Can I pay with ones?" Before getting the answer, she shoved a pile of one-dollar bills at the otter.

"Uh, sure." Akira, whiskers twitching, took them. "What ... where'd you even get all these?!"

Charlie opened her mouth.

"No." The otter raised a paw. "Never mind. I don't wanna know."

"It's nothing lewd," Charlie insisted. "I work the farmer's market with auntie on Saturdays."

"Yeah, I know."

"Last week was the final one for the season." The market ran from May to September. "I put out a tip jar, and people tip me in ones." As an aside, she added, "And there's more where that came from!"

"Tips? Don't you mean 'tits'?" the otter said. She was aware that Charlie didn't like to wear a bra. Especially in hot, summer weather, during which the peak weeks of 'farmer's market' were. "Were the customers looking for melons?" She snerked. "How's that not lewd?"

"Emmy's okay with it."

"I've known Emerson longer than you. He's a _very_patient person."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That ... I guess he'd make a good father, after all," Akira said politely, after a slight hesitation.

"Hey, I'm wearing a bra today," the squirrel said, flashing the otter. "See? Aren't you proud of me?" It was getting too cold out. She needed to insulate her tits!

"You should get the key to the town," Akira said dryly as she tried to sort the green, wrinkly bills into something resembling an 'organized' pile.

Charlie looked down at her breasts, mumbling, "How much bigger will they get, do you think? If I really am knocked up?"'

"I dunno ... everyone's different."

"Ain't that the truth."

"Bah!" Akira gave up. She shoved the ones as best she could into the drawer. "I'm going to the bank during the lunch hour. I'll just deposit them." It was just after eleven in the morning now.

"The bank? Doesn't your boyfriend work there?" the squirrel said in a singsong tone. "That spotted mouse?"

"Roanoke? Yeah." The otter got a faraway look. She shook it off and corrected, "And he's not spotted. He's ... I don't know, blotched. He's a 'merle piebald'."

"What's that mean?"

"It means ... " The otter trailed, not really knowing. "Never mind."

"How far down to the spots go?" the squirrel asked, waggling her brow.

"Blotches. And I wouldn't know."

"I won't tell! Cross my heart."

"He's not my boyfriend, Charlie."

"What? You said you made out with him at the Harvest Festival! On the library steps, behind the kettle corn stand."

"You make it sound like a game of Clue." Akira thumped her thick rudder-tail against the counter. "Anyway, that's all we've done. It was a one-off. We'd both had a little too much hard cider. It wouldn't have happened otherwise."

"But he 'hit the spot,' eh? Get it?"

"Charlie ... "

"Sounds better than 'hit the blotch'," the squirrel insisted.

The otter, tilting her head, had to admit this was true. She also had to admit, "I want him, yes." She idly gave Charlie her change. And her receipt. "But I don't know if he wants me. He's too polite." Roanoke was friendly to her, but that didn't necessarily mean anything.

"You're overthinking it. You don't suck someone's face unless you like them. The fact that it even happened means he digs you."

"Even if we were both tipsy?"

"Tipsy. Not drunk," Charlie pointed out, holding up a finger. "Bet he'd do it again!"

"I have to go to the bank every day," Akira said. "If I make a move and he turns me down, how awkward is that gonna be? This is a very small town. You can't hide from anyone. Or burn bridges."

"He might say yes! Go for it." The squirrel gave the otter a harmless shove. "Unless you like sleeping alone."

Relenting, Akira asked, "You're with a mouse. Any advice?"

Charlie leaned in, looked both ways, and said, "Go for the ears."

"Ears?"

"They're very sensitive."

"I figured, but--"

'The Gateway to the Mouse'," Charlie declared grandly.

"Did you coin that just now?"

"Once you control the ears, you'll have access to everything else. Hah, he'll be putty in your paws!"

"I can't just go randomly touching someone's ears," the red otter protested.

"That's why you build up to it!" Charlie envisioned them screwing. "You're like a red velvet cupcake, and he's, like ... some sort of cookie with lots of chips and stuff in it. Mmm! What a delicious duo."

"I think maybe you're hungry," Akira guessed, giving Charlie her candy bar.

"You'd be the second cutest couple in town." Charlie opened the wrapper and proceeded to scarf it down. "Mmf. After Emmy and me, mm ... but ahead of Rikki and Persis."

"I'm glad I have your blessing," Akira said, marveling at how the squirrel was attacking that candy bar. She sure looked like she was eating for two.

"If you hook up with him, we'd both have mouse mates and we could talk about it all the time! About the silly stuff they do. Their twitchy habits. Ha!" She took another bite, chew-chewing with her mouth open. "Maybe he's a sex maniac. It's always the quiet ones!" Lowering her voice, Charlie swallowed and warned, "And mice are known for it."

"For being quiet?"

"That, too."

Akira blinked.

Charlie smirked, finished (already!) with her snack. She took her grocery bags and flicked her big tail, bounding for the door and saying, "See ya later!"

"Hey! Charlie!" Akira called after her. "Tell me if you ended up hitting the jackpot with your, uh, slot machine." She paused. "I really wanna know."

"Love you, too! Text you later." Charlie gave her a thumbs up.

Akira waved back.

If that squirrel's 'adorkable' carefree nature could be harnessed? It would solve half the world's problems. Maybe all of them. But some things were far too powerful to control.

When Willow arrived to relieve her, Akira put on her cap and coat and prepared to duck outside. Had it gotten colder? Definitely, judging from the nippy air that had blown through the door when the mare had opened it. Thankfully, otters had very dense pelts.

The bank was in the middle of Main Street, on the other side of the road. Not a far walk. She'd be there in two--

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Akira, there's a delivery truck backing into the alley," Willow said, peering through a side window.

The alley connected to a small parking lot behind the store, where the stock room doors were at. There were also five parking spots on the street right in front of the store.

"Figures!" Akira sighed. "They never come when they say they're going to."

"What did they bring?" the tall horse asked, rubber-socked hooves scuffing the floor as she returned to the register. Her tail flicked.

"Canned and boxed goods. Produce. Everything? You watch here, and I'll deal with it."

The bank (and Roanoke) would have to wait.

After the delivery, one of the freezers went down. Ice cream and frozen pies. Not ideal. There was nothing mechanically wrong. It just needed to be defrosted. Really, it needed replaced, but that was an expensive investment.

So, Akira flipped the breakers off and had Willow move everything into another freezer until the ice build-up in the original had melted and was able to be turned back on and get back to safe temperature.

All in all, it turned out to be a more hectic afternoon than the otter had anticipated. Which meant she hadn't made it to the bank yet.

It closed at five.

So did the grocery.

If she ran a big department store in a bustling suburb with a bunch of staff? With a huge pool of potential customers? She could be open longer hours. But her place was just a 'mom and pop.' Well. Except no 'pop.' And definitely no 'mom!' It was just Akira and a handful of employees. 8:30 to 5 was a long enough day.

If no customers were in the store during the last ten minutes, she'd pull the till early. Anyone who showed up after would have to pay by card, like it or not. She'd bring yesterday's money bag and today's to the bank at the same time, which would save her a trip on Saturday morning, which happened to be tomorrow.

By five-o'clock, it was getting dark. The clouds hadn't abated, and the sun was starting to set somewhere behind them.

It wasn't winter yet. They still had another month and change to go. But, bleh, Akira could feel it lurking.

When she got to the bank, the door was locked.

"What?!"

She banged on it.

The otter, panting, checked the time on her phone.

4:59.

She'd been ready to head over here at ten 'til, but the phone had rung.

Willow was checking out a customer, and Akira had a policy that you didn't answer the phone while checking anyone out. It would lead to distraction and money-counting mistakes and someone, either the person in store or the one on the phone, would get mad they weren't receiving full attention.

So, Akira had answered it.

At five 'til, she'd run over to the bank.

Pressing her forehead to the glass door, she could see the lights were still on in the back rooms. Surely someone was still in there?

She prepared to knock again when two pairs of big, pink ears rose above the teller's counter. A head popped up.

"Roanoke!" she said. "I just need to make a deposit." She put on a pouty face. "Pleeeeaase?"

The mouse, smiling at her, nodded and scurried to the door.

His fur was a strikingly unique base of cream and smoky grey, with irregular, random patches of dark mocha brown and warm, buttery caramel up and down his body.

It's Charlie's fault I'm comparing everything to food.

_Now, I'm hungry. _

Damn squirrel.

Roanoke unlocked the door and opened it for her. "Hey, sorry about that! We, uh, hadn't had anybody in a while. I'm on close-up duty today, and ... y'know, I have to lock the door before moving all the cash to the vault."

"Thanks! Yeah, no problem," the otter said, finding her breath. She went inside. "Didn't mean to get here so late! Just been one thing after another." She held up a bag with money pouches in it. "I have two days of takings to give you."

"Great!"

Roanoke locked the door again before they went to the teller's counter. The mouse ducked behind it and the otter stayed in front.

"Here's ... no, wait, this one is yesterday's." Akira opened each pouch. "Yup, yesterday. I forgot to label them."

"Everything okay?"

"Mm? Yeah. Just got a lot on my mind."

"Like what?" he asked.

Akira hesitated. She knew Roanoke was just asking to be polite. As always. He didn't really want to know, did he? But why not be honest? It always worked out for Charlie.

So, the otter leaned forward, batting her eyes. "Like ... that time we kissed back in September?"

"Oh? Oh." The mouse cleared his throat. "I ... I remember that."

The otter smiled at him. Is this working? Keep going."What do you remember about it?"

Reaching for a slip of paper, he gave it to her. Along with a pen. "You, um ... but y-you need to fill out a deposit form, and--"

"Right! Can't believe I forgot that, too." Akira wrote in the required information, then signed her name at the bottom.

"You have lovely penmanship, I must say," the mouse observed, expertly changing the subject.

"Really?"

"It's ... it's not the first time I've noticed."

"Maybe I should autograph something for you," she added.

His ears got pinker. "Maybe ... "

"Anyway. Here you go." Akira gave her deposit slip to the mouse, purposely brushing her furred fingers against his pink, fleshy ones.

"Thanks." Frozen in place for a moment, he blinked. "I'll ... I'll just put this in the system, then."

"Sounds good," she breathed.

He's so sweet.

I want him all for myself.

Roanoke blew out a breath and counted her deposit, feeding the money into a sorting machine and her signed slip into a scanner.

While he did this, the otter looked around. Where were those complimentary--

Ah!

Bingo.

She reached into the jar of lollipops and took one, like usual. She didn't know what flavor it was (the wrapper was clear), but it was pink. Strawberry? Some kind of berry. She'd gotten purple last time.

"There! You're, uh ... it's all taken care of. Here's for your records," the mouse said, giving her documentation.

Akira took the paper with one paw, making a show of pulling the lollipop out of her mouth with the other. Then putting it back in. "Mm." And sucking on it. "Seems like I'm always stopping by your job. Haven't seen you at mine lately." The lollipop came out again, and she showed her teeth. "You're not cheating on me with another grocer, are you?"

"No! I usually do my shopping on, um, Saturday mornings. I'll stop by tomorrow ... "

"My staff takes care of Saturdays. I have weekends off."

"Me, too."

She leaned forward, resisting the urge to crunch on the lollipop. "I like seeing you."

"I, uh ... I like seeing you, too."

"Yeah?"

He nodded.

"Maybe we should see more of each other?"

"Oh. Um ... maybe?" He leaned in, too, as if drawn by a magnet. Not close enough for a kiss, but she was fantasizing about it.

Akira, unable to take the tension, remembered Charlie's advice: 'Go for the ears.'

Here goes ...

"A friend told me that mouse ears are extremely ... sensitive. Is that true?"

Roanoke nodded, ears hot, cheeks hotter. "Were ... were you talking about me with someone? That squirrel friend of yours?"

"Charlie? Yeah. Your name might've come up." Before he could react, Akira swiftly reached up and traced her furred, clawless fingertips around the edges of a big, dishy lobe. Delicately. The whole way around. "How's this feel?"

Roanoke shivered, grabbing the counter.

"Good?"

He squeaked, looking liable to melt.

The otter rubbed his ear outright, pinching it between her thumb and forefinger, stroking it inside and out. She then went for a 'big swing,' the biggest there was, and said, "How would you like to make a deposit for a change?"

It took Roanoke a while to get the reference, sweet and innocent as he was. When he did, his eyes widened. He drew air in a slight gasp, looking to her for confirmation.

The otter nodded seriously. "Please?" she said. "I ... I don't know what to do. Ever since we kissed at the festival, I've thought about you. Constantly. I've wanted more, but ... " She tossed her lollipop in a trash can. "I haven't had the nerve to do anything about it until now."

Roanoke went quiet, pressing his paws to his cheeks.

I've scared him off, haven't I?

Way to overreach!

He finally countered her proposal with, "W-would you like to see inside the vault? I gotta go back there anyway, and, uh--" He gestured toward the back of the building, adding, voice slipping into a higher pitch, "Did ... did you know it's soundproof?"

A toothy, happy smile overtook Akira's muzzle. "That's news to me."

If anybody else had been in the bank, they surely would've noticed the trail of clothes in the short hallway leading to the vault door, not to mention the light coming through the crack between the door itself and the carpeted floor.

But, as the mouse promised, they wouldn't have heard anything.

On the floor, surrounded by walls of safety deposit boxes on all sides, a very naked Akira rolled onto her back. She raised her legs and spread them, rudder-tail steering from side to side, her pussy on full display.

"Wow," Roanoke whispered, his ropy tail whipping around. On his shins and knees, equally bare, Roanoke stared at her body. If he'd had any doubts about doing this, they were fading fast.

The otter was flattered by his reaction. Confidence spiking, she beckoned him closer with a sultry glance. "Come 'ere."

The piebald mouse crawled over to her.

She couldn't help but notice his fuzzy balls, how big they were, how they swung with every movement he made.

She wanted them.

Wanted what they promised.

Akira's simmering desire could no longer be denied. Only satisfied.

She reached out. First with her arms, drawing him flush to her body with a hug. And then her legs curled around his hips (double hug!), locking him into place. "Think you can take it from here?"

The mouse answered by aligning himself and pushing into the otter.

Gently, slowly.

Until her sex was fused with his.

Roanoke, in a hazy daze, couldn't believe he just did that!

The otter gave his pert, ropy-tailed rump a light, playful slap.

Squeak!

He drew back, just as quickly surging forward. Repeating the motions, rhythmically building his pace, taking advantage of that sweet, slick friction. Everything else faded. Worries, cares. Nothing existed outside of her and the pleasure of being with her.

Akira's paws grabbed at Roanoke's ass, both paws, holding him, feeling him move, pulling him flush to her body with each thrust. By now, she was wet and squelching, and his balls were audibly slapping at her.

Slap-whap!

Slick-squish!

Akira's paws strayed up his back, rubbing, caressing. All while she emitted a helplessly random array of noises: churrs, whistles, barks.

The mouse panted.

Squeaked!

Chittered!

That soundproofing was really coming in handy, now.

"That's it ... ah, mousey, get loud for me! Ah, ah ... talk to me! Let it ... ah, all out!" He was so quiet and polite. She wanted to coax out the feral beast in him. Why was that so hot? Akira didn't know. She just wanted to hear her name, dripping in passion, come out of his mouth.

"Akira!" he cried, eyes scrunching shut.

"Mmh! That's it! Oh, yes, yes ... " She arched her body, gasping, reaching a paw between their grinding bodies to rub at her clit. Frantically moving those fingers, breasts heaving for air. Her body and mind overcome with an obsessive need. So. Fucking. Close!

"Akira!" he cried again, tail flailing.

"Roanoke!" she replied, gasping, head twisting about as orgasmic shockwaves rocked her to the core. "Ah, ah ... ahh!"

The tri-colored mouse lost his breath, slamming into her and staying there, practically squealing as he came. Filling her. Flooding her. Feeling so much he could barely parse it all.

A minute passed.

They nuzzled wordlessly.

Akira, eyes half open, staring at the vault's ceiling.

If this were a movie, the lights would go out and a secret map drawn with invisible ink might appear on the ceiling, leading them on a sexy adventure to find the town's long-buried secret. Probably treasure.

It would be so cool.

But this was reality.

Which meant that when the mouse, rapidly shrinking, pulled out of her, the first thing he said was, "I really gotta clean this up! They'll know."

"I'll help you," Akira promised.

Ten minutes later.

Even before getting fully dressed, they'd quickly mopped the floor of the vault. Sprayed the air with some scent neutralizer. Nobody would be the wiser.

"I don't normally, um ... do things like that," Roanoke said as he put the rest of his clothes back on. "Like, ever."

"What, make a girl cum twice?" Akira teased, arching into her shirt.

He looked over at her. "You ... you came twice?"

"Mmhmm. Couldn't you tell?"

"No! Oh, goodness!"

The otter grinned. "Could you be any cuter?"

I can see why Charlie has a thing for mice.

"I, uh, don't know how to answer that," he admitted shyly, securing his belt. He got back into his shirt, too. "Except to say--"

"Yes?"

"Maybe, uh, we'll have to spend more ... um, time together," he insisted, "so you can find out? Only, not really at the bank anymore, cause ... we shouldn't have done this." They'd gotten away with it this tonight, but, "I really don't want to get in trouble." Mice tended not to be rule-breakers, and he was no exception.

"You had fun, didn't you?"

"Yes! Of course."

"Me, too."

"But, um ... " Roanoke trailed off and nodded shyly. "No, not our ... it's our, um, choice of location."

"Alright, alright." She reached for his paw, taking it in hers. "I won't put you in this position again. Promise! I just ... I saw an opening and made the move. I've waited too long. I couldn't wait anymore." She paused. "I really like you, and I'm sick of being lonely. You understand that, right?"

"I do," he whispered, looking into her eyes.

"Maybe we could do it at my work? I own the place. We won't get in trouble there."

Roanoke exhaled, whiskers twitching. "Or, you know, maybe a nice, comfy bed? In a house? Like normal people. Just ... just an idea."

"Heh. You know, if we do it too many times? We're gonna end up as mates," the otter warned with a click of her tongue. "Then we'll be stuck with each other."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm. Guarantee it." She winked, giving him a swoon-ful look. "Is that a risk you're willing to take?"

Roanoke beamed. "Gosh!" he declared.

Akira, liking this answer, leaned in for a kiss.

He accepted it.

The mouse didn't taste like kettle corn and cider this time. No, he tasted even better. He tasted like a mate.

Emerson, with a satisfied grunt, rolled off Charlie's naked body and onto his back beside her.

The bed creaked, the blue-walled bedroom lit by a single incandescent lamp.

It was after ten-o'clock at night, dark as anything, and raining steadily. He'd gotten the corn combined just in time. Hadn't brough it to the granary yet. He'd do that tomorrow.

The harvest mouse's creamy-white chest was heaving, muzzle open, air rushing past his buckteeth. "That ... oh, t-that was good," he said, golden-furred arms coming up and over his head, where he folded his paws. "Mmm."

"Heck, yeah!" Charlie agreed, bronze-and-silver fur matted and disheveled. Her breasts heaved.

The mouse brought his paws back to his face, grooming at his whiskers.

The squirrel turned her head to watch.

So sweet!

"Hey, Emmy ... "

"Hmm?"

The fox squirrel, never been one to be coy or beat about the bush, just came out with it: "I'm pregnant."

Emerson blinked.

She rolled onto her side and grabbed one of his furless paws, bringing it to her belly, as if to physically emphasize the words. She figured he'd need it. He seemed to be struggling with some dissonance.

Finding his voice, the mouse finally stammered, "B ... b-b ... huh? But we're ... the odds!" He took a deep, stabilizing breath. "Are you sure?"

"I should've been in heat by now, eh? And I'm not. I got a test from Akira's shop this morning." She paused. "It's positive." She added, "I've not fooled around with anyone but you since I arrived in America. I swear." She drew invisible patterns in his chest fur, whispering, "You did this. Heh. You hit the jackpot!"

The mouse stared at the ceiling, seemingly in shock.

"I think it happened at auntie and uncle's house. Remember? We were house sitting? We did it in the kitchen?"

"S-standing ... yeah. Had you against the fridge."

Yes, he remembered.

Vividly.

Magnets shaking off the door, clattering to the floor. Dripping wet from just getting out of their hot tub, high on her scent. The impromptu thrill of banging her in the kitchen, in someone's else's home.

That made him a father?

That changed his life forever?

His whiskers twitched.

He sat up, shaking his head. His paws went to his cheeks, which were suddenly furnace hot. Was the room spinning? It felt like the room was spinning. "Oh, my God."

Charlie remained calm, whispering, "Emmy ... it's okay! It's okay."

"I ... I should've controlled myself, and--"

"I was in heat," she emphasized, pulling him back down. "Shh." She wrapped him in a warm, tender hug. "You were doing nature's bidding. We both were. It's the most primal, natural thing in the world." She kissed at his neck. "We're going to have our own family. I want this."

"You do?"

"Of course!"

Emerson turned to face her, closing his eyes. When they opened again, they were glistening. "I n-never ... never imagined. That I would ... that I'd find somebody to ... " Choking on his emotions, he couldn't get his thoughts out. Tears streamed down his whiskers. "I love you so much, Charlie."

"I love you, too, Emmy." She smiled so wide her face hurt.

Their muzzles came together in a sweet, sustained kiss.

"Heh, you taste salty," she accused.

"S-sorry. I'm ... I'm just ... " He took a few deep, stabilizing breaths. "I'm overwhelmed. I'm happy! I really am." He curled his prehensile tail around her body, tying them together.

"Me, too. I feel like I'm glowing," she told him.

Their whiskers brushed.

He panted on her cheek, and they kissed again.

"I wonder what our pups will look like," the squirrel said, smiling contentedly, laying her head against his. "Will they be boys or girls, do you think? Or a mix? I mean, it would be better if they're _mostly_boys. To help with the farm."

Emerson smiled.

And then blinked again.

Hold up ...

They?

"Did ... did you say pups?" He swallowed, squeaking at a high pitch. "Plural?!"

"Oh, yeah. Won't be just one," she said matter-of-factly. "Multiples run in my family! I was in a litter of three. Mom and dad were litters of two and four. Auntie was in a litter of--"

"Oh ... okay ... " The shellshocked look returned to his face. "Yeah. Sure." He swallowed. "W-why not?"

Charlie grinned. "Heh. You're so fucking cute!" She crawled atop him, to a straddle, grabbing and stroking his cock. Trying to nurse it back to a ridable state.

"Hey! What are you-- " Emerson gasped. "Eek!"

"Can you go again?" she cooed, wagging her thumb over his tip.

He whimpered!

The fox squirrel grinned, taking that as a yes. "Let's officially celebrate," she murmured huskily, mounting his erection, lowering her body to take it all in. "Daddy."