FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The soft pattering of rain woke Rayner Tuesday morning. As he stirred, the smell of dirt, salt, and exhaust were heavy in the humid air. In his room, he could also smell the mark Gab and he made yesterday morning. The thought of it brought a smile to his muzzle.

He had been late to class after trying to get his fur dry for about half an hour. He was starting to shed though and a deep rinse and dry would create more problems than just keeping the smell with him. At least, that's what he argued himself to. The fact was he didn't want Gab's mark to fade. Under the blankets, he could still smell the wolf even with his own musk permeating everything he owned.

Rayner lay in bed, happily listening to the rain and deeply breathing in the scent of the wolf he loved for half an hour. He was trying to think of what he should do for the next date. The first date he had paid for and the last two were almost free. Rayner wondered if Gab would be okay with having an actual sit-down dinner. A Picnic was sort of out with the current melt and having food in the cafeteria seemed routine now.

Eventually, he had to get up. Gab was going to expect him soon and he had to find a way to get there without too much wet fur. He had a full raincoat but truly hated the thing. The way it crunched as he walked was truly obnoxious. Rayner tried to look outside and see how bad the wind was. Maybe an umbrella was all he needed.

The walk wasn't bad but it was significantly longer than normal because Rayner tried to use every indoor path he could. Meant going to the far end of campus and then back. The wind was worse than expected though and his ankles got wetter than he would have liked.

Gab was sitting at their table, happily munching on a sandwich and working on what looked like a diagram of some sort, when Rayner arrived with his wraps. Gab smiled at him when he sat down and Rayner noticed him run a paw through the fur on his stomach. They both smirked at the other when they realised they were both thinking about the mark.

"Good morning," Rayner chuckled.

"Best morning," Gab happily said.

"No regrets about yesterday then?" Rayner asked, handing Gab a wrap and taking the other half of the sandwich.

"None," Gab looked down, smiled and shook his head, "Honestly, if I could tell myself a month and a half ago that this is where I'd be I wouldn't have believed it."

"Yeah, we never come to this cafeteria," Rayner teased and smiled as he pulled out his books, "it's so foreign."

"Sort of, I was scared I'd never come back here that Tuesday," Gab said quietly. Sighing to himself, he looked around and then at Rayner. Rayner's smile dropped as he listened. Gab put a paw on the wrap and another on his stomach and continued, "Now I'm sharing food at a place I love, with whom I love, my furs all warm, and I'm... I'm just happy."

"I'm really glad," Rayner said as his smile returned.

"Feel like I could do anything," Gab said, smiling back at Rayner.

"Well how about something Friday evening?" Rayner offered. Gab glanced around but looked back at Rayner and nodded. Rayner's smile deepened and suggested, "I was thinking, umm, like a sit-down place? I can cover it. I have some money from smuggling in mail for my sister that I really should spend. I'll try and make up for the movie date we had."

"Rayner, I-" Gab hesitantly started but Rayner shook his head and cut in.

"If it's not something you want," Rayner interrupted quickly, "We absolutely don't have to. It's just a, umm, standard thing we haven't done."

"It's not that," Gab whispered, he stayed silent for a couple of seconds as he thought through something. Visibly shivering, he sighed and looked around before whispering, "I'm still just scared of doing anything other than kissing. Yesterday."

"It was a lot," Rayner whispered and nodded when Gab stopped talking.

"No," Gab whispered quickly, "It was different. It had purpose. You explained it and I really liked what we did. Rayner, I'm trying really hard to be better, I have read a lot, and I just. I don't know how to do this without feeling like I always do."

Rayner wasn't sure what to say. Gab had been working hard to overcome his anxiety, and Rayner worried about stretching him too far. He wasn't sure what this looked like or how it would resolve because Gab would backslide every time they seemed to take a step forward.

"Well, what if we had a night where we only went back to my apartment, watched something, snuggled and kissed?" Rayner suggested quietly.

"Rayner, isn't that kind of silly?" Gab muttered.

"If it helps it isn't," Rayner explained, "We can be together, like this, and just try something really simple."

"You'd be okay with that?" Gab asked, now sounding very unsure.

"Yes," Rayner said with a nod, "Gab, I want to do something you would actually like doing."

"I like doing," Gab quickly whispered but abruptly lost his words. Tilting his ears, he stared at the table and whispered, "I'm trying."

"Gab, I know you are," Rayner whispered instantly and as caring as he could. Gab looked defeated though, the shine that he had when Rayner had arrived was now covered. Rayner sighed and whispered, "I'm trying to help. It's like a marathon. You don't just run it, you have to be able to walk it first. I like walking with you. I like sitting with you when you need a break. Walking is good. Taking breaks is good. I'd like just sitting on my bed again and being close. We don't even have to kiss."

"Rayner, I'm fine with kissing," Gab whispered, looking back up at Rayner, "I just don't know where it goes. Where we go. It's just like a vice that holds me when I think of everything."

"We don't go anywhere beyond that then," Rayner explained, "We decide what we do, what we wear, and where we can touch. We try something simple but very clear. I'd like that."

"I'd actually really like that," Gab whispered even quieter than he had before, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Rayner leaned and whispered, "I think this is a good idea."

"I have a thing due tomorrow," Gab whispered and nodded, "maybe we could do something tomorrow night? I don't know about Friday though."

"Oh," Rayner whispered, shocked at how quick Gab's timeline was, "Well, we could spread this out. Do something simple this Friday and then a sit-down thing next Friday?"

"Would that be better?" Gab asked quietly.

"Do you want to do something tomorrow?" Rayner whispered a quiet chuckle and then let out a full smile when Gab nodded hesitantly. Nodding himself, Rayner continued, "How about a walk and then just an evening at my place?"

"I can do that," Gab whispered, almost sounding sad. He let out a long sigh and then asked, "If, if it works, can we do the thing Friday like that?"

"Of course," Rayner whispered.

"Would it, would it be much?" Gab asked and bit his lip, "The restaurant."

"More than our first," Rayner admitted, "I was sort of thinking if you liked the Italian bakery, then a proper restaurant would be fun. Spaghetti and meatballs sort of thing."

"Rayner, I'd," Gab started but stuttered and bit his lip hard. He took a deep breath, looked up and nodded before saying quietly, "I would really like that."

"Really?" Rayner asked softly.

"You like me," Gab whispered, rubbing his sides uncomfortably, "I read some beings show love with gifts. You're saying you love me? Not you owe me?"

"Yes," Rayner whispered happily, "Skoll above Gab, that's exactly it. I just want to spend time with you. I know you're trying. Is there anything that I can do to make this easier?

"You already did," Gab whispered.

"What?" Rayner asked back.

"It's stupid," Gab said and shook his head a bit, "That's like out of my favourite movie."

"Oh, okay," Rayner chirped with a smile and almost bounced in his seat before continuing, "I'm glad. I'll get a reservation when they open."

They grabbed at each other's paws underneath the table, worked happily together and occasionally ate before heading off to their classes. They got almost no actual work done as they broke into conversation regularly. It was mostly about movies they watched as a pup. Surprisingly, they had a lot of overlap. Gab's family either watched popular pup movies or R-rated ones and the Pack only put movies on for an audience on special occasions.

At the start of the afternoon, Rayner phoned the restaurant he had been thinking of and tried to get a reservation. He was warned that after seven was already booked but he was able to grab a table for two at five. It would be early but worth it. He added, if it was possible, if it could be a secluded table. After they asked, he just told them he was just nervous about it. They said they'd try but no guarantee.

After a text to Gab confirming, they were both excited. Even the next day at the study session they were smiling at each other. Kacy asked and they eventually admitted that they were going on a date Friday and where they were going. The group agreed that it was a good choice. The restaurant had low lighting and a good selection of Ciders. Rayner hesitated on asking but he did approach Olive afterwards on if he should get anything.

"Probably a Gala or Ark Black if you're leaning toward beef or a Golden for chicken," Olive leaned over and whispered when Gab and Josh were talking about a class, "That's usually the house so it's not too bad on price."

"I don't know what those are," Rayner admitted.

"Rayner, I know you don't drink often but have you had Cider?" Olive asked quietly.

"Yes," Rayner whispered but then hedged, "sort of. I had one that was very bitter once."

"Red or white?" Olive asked.

"It was dark?" Rayner tried to answer.

"Those are reds," Olive explained and nodded, "did you like it?"

"No," Rayner whispered sternly and shook his head, "I only had a sip. Is there like a sweeter version?"

"Probably," Olive whispered, let out a breath and scrunched up half her face as she thought, "Maybe stick to Sangria. Red with beef. White with chicken. It's sweet but it's a cider cocktail. Comes in the same glass, though."

"Okay, I'll make a note," Rayner whispered and pulled out his phone. He wrote down what he thought was Sangria but autocorrect didn't seem to help. Olive typed it in for him when he showed her.

That night Rayner and Gab took a fairly long walk around the campus, starting at Gab's dorm and going around to Rayner's apartment. Sneaking in without being seen, Rayner started streaming a romantic comedy on his laptop and the two snuggled up together for a while. Starting with a nuzzle, Gab reached up and kissed Rayner gently partway through the movie. They reaffirmed a couple of times what their boundaries were and Gab asked more than once if it was okay but Rayner enjoyed every minute of it. At their most passionate, Gab was sitting on top of Rayner's lap as Rayner dragged his tongue along Gab's. They could feel each other under their shorts but made no move to escalate the evening. The movie ended mostly unwatched, the two shifted a bit in the bed to turn it off, and with a whisper, Gab decided to spend the night with a series of loves and thank yous.

Gab didn't come to RiverBEND either Thursday. Rayner was sort of hoping he would but didn't push. Maybe he'd never show but it wasn't like that was a bad thing. It was just Rayner who sort of wanted to be in a queer thing together. He thought it would make it safer or something.

The talk this week was about summer activities and camps. There was one that was open to those under twenty-five who were LGBT. It was stressed that they were Trans inclusive and not just willing to accommodate. There were whispers about another camp that Rayner couldn't quite hear but Lilith told him the other camps shut down so it's not worth figuring it out.

Over supper, Rayner asked Lilith about what she'd do for a sit-down dinner. She listed off about half a dozen restaurants that Rayner was scared to look up. She said she'd make the reservation for him if he ever wanted to get into one. He thanked her but knew he'd probably never be able to afford it. Lilith asked him about where he was going and she seemed okay with it.

"This is going to probably sound stupid because I don't know ciders," Rayner said quietly.

"Honestly, most experts aren't that great at them either," Lilith almost scoffed.

"Okay, so you know what a good cider is?" Rayner asked.

"Cider's not really my thing but I can probably point you in the right direction," Lilith explained, "I'm more single malts. Or liqueurs if I'm at a party."

"Okay, so is Sangria a good type of cider?" Rayner asked. Lilith breathed in, caught something in her throat, and then started coughing. That turned into a quiet laugh that she was trying to keep under control.

"Wow, thank you for that," Lilith said, still trying not to laugh, "I'm sorry."

"Is Sangria bad?" Rayner asked.

"No," Lilith said as she tried to catch herself, "Sangria's fine. It tastes like a fruit punch with a bit of a kick. Who said Sangria was a good cider?"

"Olive," Rayner answered, "called it a cider something."

"Cocktail," Lilith corrected and nodded, "Yes, probably what you want if that's your experience with cider. Do you like fruit punch?"

"Yeah," Rayner said, tilting his head back and forth, "I like fresh fruit punch at least. The little containers at the store were very sour."

"You going red or white?" Lilith asked.

"Most likely red because we are probably having spaghetti and meatballs," Rayner explained.

"That's adorable," Lilith said with a smile, "If it's mango or blueberry, you're safe. Raspberry can get tart... er, sour. Blackberries have quite a kick."

Lilith pulled out her phone at that and checked in on something as she sat. Rayner copied down what she was saying on his phone. Lilith made a satisfied sound and turned her phone around. On her rather large screen was a menu. Rayner quickly saw it was to the restaurant and looked for what she wanted him to see.

"They have blueberry on special right now," she explained when Rayner frowned at the phone, "Just get a pitcher and share."

"Twenty bucks?" Rayner scoffed at the price.

"That's actually a good price for four drinks," Lilith muttered, looking at her phone, "probably take it out of the cider though."

"I'm like spending that on food," Rayner explained, "coffee for both of us would come out to like six."

"Sorry," Lilith said, tilting her head, "I forget sometimes. Do you like dessert?"

"I like ice cream," Rayner responded, "it's cheap. I like pudding too."

"I'm sorry," Lilith said again, "Yeah, desserts are probably out if you're watching the bill. When are you going?"

"Always are," Rayner muttered, "Friday at five."

"Well I hope you have a good time," Lilith said, "It's a nice place and I actually like the food there."

"Yeah," Rayner said quietly, "we are really excited."

The rest of the night went smoothly and when the next morning dawned Rayner was there with it. He spent a good amount of time trying to brush his shedding out of his fur and then got frustrated trying to get it out of his shorts. The little sticky roller wasn't as useful as last year. He added a note to get a new one.

Josh made a fried rice dish for them at the session. Gab and Rayner smiled at each other through all of it and got nothing done. Kacy watched them and smiled to himself but didn't say anything. Everyone was a little unnerved by it. Olive even checked to make sure he wasn't sick and had a tongue stuck out at her for her effort.

"They look happy," Kacy argued when Olive stuck her tongue out at him in response. He tucked his ears down, then looked away and admitted quietly, "I'm a little envious."

"Slow to start," Olive said, shaking her head, "slow to part. Rayner and Gab are going at their speed and want to stay together. You want that, next date you have to go slower than your usual lightspeed."

"They knew they wanted to date, though," Kacy argued.

"Kacy," Olive scoffed, "there has to be someone you want to date."

"Yeah," Kacy grumbled.

"Then just go and ask," Olive argued but then stopped for a second, thought, and then added, "Unless it's Lilith. Do not make that mistake again. Don't date someone who doesn't want you."

Kacy looked away and didn't answer so the rest of the group let it slide as they ate. Rayner felt bad for the shepherd. He seemed lonely this time rather than his usual rambunctious self. Rayner hoped it wasn't Lilith but he didn't want to pry. With his date tonight Rayner figured he knew what it would be like to see someone else as happy as he felt right now.

The sun was still proudly shining in the sky when Rayner stood waiting outside the dorms for Gab. He had arrived even earlier than usual. There was something inside of him that was about as nervous as what he suspected Gab could get. It felt something like a pit just behind his stomach that wanted to seep into the muscles in his back. He kept his breathing steady, though. Deep breaths for deep adventures.

The noise and smell around him were almost white and neutral. Sometimes he'd hear a part of a conversation from a group and follow it until he couldn't anymore. They never really made sense. One would start about how someone he didn't know went somewhere odd he didn't know and then faded into the background before the conflict was ever revealed. If there was one at all. It smelt similarly bland. Sometimes, someone would walk by him with some overdone fake scent or they need a bath.

"Found you," Gab said suddenly from beside Rayner. Rayner looked to the side and saw his wolf standing there in the same polo and pants that he wore on their movie date. He was holding something out though. Gab lifted it further out for Rayner and added, "I made you a card."

"Oh," Rayner said quietly, with a smile that got brighter he opened the handmade envelope to find a handmade card inside that said, "Thank you for loving me and keeping me safe. Love, Gab." It included a tiny drawing of them together in the park. Rayner chuckled softly at it and whispered his thanks to Gab.

"It's not accurate this time," Gab commented as he looked at the card and then over at Rayner, "I didn't even know you owned pants."

"Oh," Rayner laughed and looked down at his dress pants, "Yeah, they were in my suitcase. I wanted to look as good as you this time."

"Like you could even not look better than me," Gab whispered and looked Rayner over, "Umm, we are supposed to be there by five, though, right?"

"Correct," Rayner said as he checked his phone and then pulled up the directions to the restaurant. It wasn't that far but it depended on when the train was in. They agreed to give themselves at least half an hour buffer just in case. Friday after four was sort of peak time so they may have to wait for a couple of trains.

They walked close together to the station. The air got cooler and muggy as they walked down the stairs and swiped their university id. Part of the fees was a non-optional semester pass so they had the entrance prepaid. As they descended, the number of beings became increasingly cramped. Personal space wasn't an option on the platform and the two stood facing each other until a train could come.

The first filled up before they even got close to the entrance so they listened to someone playing a drum poorly. Multiple wisps of music could be heard from any number of headphones that other beings on the platform were wearing. Rayner figured it would be a good investment if they had to do this every day but the volume of some of them concerned him.

Gab seemed weirdly okay with everything. Rayner was a little surprised because he was starting to feel a bit anxious as the crowds pressed in on him again. He thought that if someone started pushing, things would go poorly quickly. No one did of course, till the next train came but Gab and Rayner were able to get on before whoever it was got to be too much.

They stood, again cramped, facing each other, and without a measure of personal space for the four stops until they got out. Gab looked like he was almost about to rest his head on Rayner's neck but then flinched and stood up straight again. Rayner smiled at the action. He was now just excited to be off the train.

Breathing in a large breath of fresh air, or at least fresher than train station air, Rayner tried to shake off the nervousness of the station. Gab looked at him curiously but continued walking. The restaurant was only a couple of blocks from the station but they had to cross two of the large intersections.

Downtown was definitely different from campus life. Multiple beings tried to beg for money off of them and a street preacher told them they were going to hell. The old dog had numerous reasons listed on a sign that he kept above him. Rayner was not shocked to see at least three reasons for himself but ignored them all to keep them from mistaking politeness with interest.

As part of a high rise, an older neon sign stuck out from the side of the wall that highlighted a logo of a waiter holding a dish. A muted old English font was stencilled into the glass that read, "Antonio's." Rayner had been to the one closer to home as a pup when his parents renewed their vows. It was high-class for the Pinewoods.

Walking in, they were met with silverware clattering and the smell of pasta and meat sauce. They couldn't see anything as the entrance was about half a floor down from the restaurants but the general din of chatter started filtering in. Beings were lined up both in the entranceway and the edges of the walls where chairs had been provided. A lot had little devices resting on their laps or hanging by their sides.

"Reservation for two, umm, for Rayner at five," Rayner tried his best to say to the attendant after they were able to make their way to the front. A short, round-looking shepherd cross that had welcomed them looked up at him and then down at her sheet. Scrolling through with her pen quickly, she found him on a different page than she was on, checked his name, and then handed him one of the odd devices.

"It shouldn't be long," she said loudly, "this will buzz and flash when your table is ready."

Rayner and Gab moved to the back edge and looked at the blinking coaster thing they had been given. One went off somewhere beside them and they looked to see that it was quite bright and the buzzing was loud enough to hear. They looked at each other and then back down to the device they were carrying.

Rayner was actually shocked at how much it vibrated when the one he was holding went off five minutes later. He was ready for it in a sense but it was still confusing. He saw multiple stares though from the groups of being around him that had obviously been waiting longer than they have.

After turning the vibrating coaster thing in, Gab and Rayner followed a rather tall, thin dog with curly fur through the restaurant for longer than expected. The wide-open tables transformed into large booths, which then turned into smaller circular booths. They passed what looked like some sort of party room and were finally seated near the back of the restaurant. It was hard to see out of it or around it the general noise was quite a bit less back here.

"Rayner, this is so cool," Gab said after the attendant left with a smile that made Rayner's heart melt. The circle booth had large walls around it, a narrow entrance, and had rather dim lighting, "Feels like a date date."

"I'm really glad you like it," Rayner said quietly and reached out to hold Gab's paw under the table. They stared at each other, smiling broadly and feeling mischievously close.

"Good evening and welcome, my name's Mary and I'll be looking after you two this evening," a thin, older-looking shepherd greeted them. Both Rayner and Gab flinched and let go of each other when she introduced herself. Her bright white-blue eyes could be seen even in the dark of the restaurant and softened when the two wolves moved. "That's not a worry huns, I have a nephew like you two and back here you can be free to be who you are. However, to start you off, I have a gift for you from a friend. She phoned in and ordered you two a pitcher to start and a dessert at the end."

"Who?" Rayner asked and tilted his head when he saw the waitress move to pull out a pitcher of the Sangria that he recognised. He whispered to himself and shook his head, "Lilith."

"I just need to see some IDs," the waitress asked. They pulled out their wallets and showed her their cards. In Rayner's head, he wondered if she had read anything off of them; her glance was so quick. With a smile, she put the pitcher on the table along with two glasses of water and two empty cider glasses. Afterwards, she added, "your friend has good taste, she switched out the house Mac with a decent Fuji. It's what we do. But is there anything else I can get you two before I leave you with the menus?"

They both shook their heads and she wandered off into the dark.

"That was odd," Gab muttered, almost to himself as he looked between the water, the pitcher, and Rayner.

"Kind of freeing though," Rayner responded and then tilted his head toward the pitcher, "I can guarantee that's from Lilith, the wolf from RiverBEND."

"I thought she was the one that put a collar on Kacy?" Gab asked as he looked from Rayner to the pitcher.

"Same one," Rayner said quietly and nodded, "Sorry, I was trying to get a recommendation for a special cider and this is what Olive and her recommended. I wasn't expecting her to actually buy it for us."

"I didn't think you drank?" Gab asked and leaned over to put his nose close to the pitcher, "Smells good."

"I do when it's a special occasion," Rayner explained and tried to hide a smile that was forming, "and a date with you is a special occasion."

"Aw," Gab said happily.

"Do you drink?" Rayner asked quickly, "Sorry, I probably should have asked before this."

"When I can afford to," Gab explained, "Dad and my brothers drink this cheap beer though. Don't think I have ever had Sangria."

"It's apparently like cider but sweet and fruity," Rayner explained and poured a glass for each of them.

"So like us?" Gab asked quietly as he took a glass. Rayner shook his head and snorted a little but didn't say anything. They each took a sip and agreed that it was pretty good. Rayner was really happy that it didn't taste like the stuff that he remembered his parents giving him. It was sort of sour but not enough to be off-putting. They sipped it happily as they continued.

Looking through the menu, Gab picked out what he wanted very quickly. Rayner smiled when Gab whispered that he wanted the spaghetti and meatballs from the movie. Rayner wasn't sure what he wanted. He just wanted to be here with Gab, in truth. It wasn't until he got to the end of the menu that he saw something he hadn't considered. It cost a lot but without drinks, he now had enough money to afford it.

"How are you two doing with the menu?" Mary came back and asked. She had popped out of seemingly nowhere with a pen and notepad ready to go.

"Yup," Gab said with a nod.

"Actually," Rayner said hesitantly and turned to Gab, "I hope you don't mind me doing this. I think it includes what you were going to order."

"Oh?" Gab asked and looked at Rayner. Rayner turned back to Mary though and moved the menu toward her.

"May we get the Couples Dinner for two?" Rayner asked quietly. He heard Gab take a small breath in but didn't say anything else.

"Absolutely, it's really good for the price," Mary said as she wrote down on her pad, "That starts with a soup or a salad?"

They both picked salad.

"Garden, Caesar, or Spinach?" Mary continued.

Rayner went with Garden, and Gab went with Caesar.

"And for your main course, what would you like?" Mary asked.

Gab hesitantly asked for his spaghetti with meatballs and was happy when she confirmed. Rayner went with a baked lasagna because it was a known food from home.

"Okay, I'll be back shortly," Mary said after she wrote the last of the order down. After she packed up the menus, she headed out in the other direction.

Gab looked at Rayner suspiciously. Rayner smiled but looked away. Out in the little of the restaurant, they could see a couple of slivers of where families were eating, probably a number of couples sitting happily together, and they could hear a large group being loud somewhere. The laugh was entertaining.

"Back again," Mary popped up with her paws full, "Here is your bread and butter. And I will just need to set this down to light it properly."

Mary took out a small taper candle on a brass stand and set it in the middle of the table. Gab's eyes went wide when he saw it and then wider when Mary struck a match to light the end. Rayner heard Mary in his mind sometime later say that she would be back when the soups were done but at that moment all there was Gab's face. Gab looked like he was trying his best not to lose his composure.

"What do you think?" Rayner asked quietly.

"Rayner," Gab whimpered quietly, biting his lip and looking at Rayner, "oh my god Rayner. It's actually like the movie."

"I love you," Rayner said quietly and moved closer to hug Gab. Rayner suddenly felt a thump as Gab buried his head in Rayner's neck and hugged him tightly. After a couple of seconds, Gab lifted his head back up and kissed Rayner gently, then looked at the candle again.

"I love you too," Gab whimpered as he hugged Rayner from the side, "I love this. Thank you."

Mary came back with their salads after a couple of minutes to find the two of them closer together and munching on the bread. Rayner was a bit surprised by the salads. They were small but had a lot more than just the lettuce and dressing that the Pack usually had on theirs. Rayner wasn't sure what the purple sticks were on the top of his but they tasted okay enough. He kind of envied Gab's salad. The Caesar had come with bacon, nice-looking croutons, and there were strips of tissue-thin cheese on the top. Both were good but it was just enough to get them started.

Next up came the main course. Gab hugged Rayner again after Mary left them with their food. The Lasagna was a lot more flavorful than the ones back home were and the cheese seemed to be easier to deal with than the stringy stuff. Gab twirled and scooped his spaghetti with a smile and bounced occasionally.

"How is it?" Rayner asked quietly.

Gab was trying to get another spoonful in his mouth though when Rayner asked. Seeing a long strand hanging off the side of his muzzle, Rayner took the opportunity to lift it with his fork to his mouth. Gab stopped and stared at Rayner for a second before realising what he was doing. Rayner slowly sucked the spaghetti up until he was just about to Gab's muzzle, then leaned in for a kiss. Gab moaned quietly and gasped as Rayner added his tongue. Gab chuckled though when they parted, then quickly kissed Rayner again before going back to his food and another glass of Sangria.

Rayner felt light. The food was almost gone and the Sangria was mostly gone but it left him in a sort of floating state. He loved kissing Gab, he loved hugging Gab, and it felt amazing to do it out in public. If this isolated booth could be counted as public. Anything seemed like it was public when the only place they felt safe was behind the four lockable doors to Rayner's bedroom and even then they had to be quiet.

Mary came back after they had finished off their food and asked what they wanted their after-dinner drink to be. She recommended the tea but they both went with coffee. When they were alone again they snuggled into each other and rested. Gab held Rayner's paw with both of his and massaged it gently.

"Okay, so part two of your gift is this card," Mary came back with more stuff. Rayner was starting to wonder how he was going to fit all of it in him let alone how Gab was managing to. Rayner took the card and turned it over a couple of times. It had an R and G on the front of it. On the card, though Lilith had written, "It's like pudding. L."

"I like pudding," Gab commented, looking at the card and then at the custard dishes in front of them.

Mary had seemed to be setting something up and after setting the coffee down she brought out a small blowtorch. It lit and had a tiny roar to life as Mary picked up one of the custard dishes and moved the torch over it. Gab had flinched when the torch started up but they both stared in shock as she caramelised the creme brulee.

"I love these," Mary commented after she put the torch away, "I'll be back to check on you two in a bit."

"Did she just light our food on fire?" Gab asked quietly.

"Sure looked like it," Rayner said and moved closer to the custard dish. He picked up a spoon and tentatively touched the top. Finding the hard crust he tapped it once and then harder again when it didn't break. Inside he found the creamy center and with a decent spoonful, he tasted it.

"How's fire pudding?" Gab asked.

"It's really good," Rayner admitted after biting down on the caramelised top, "you should try it."

"Not sure if I trust it," Gab teased.

"You trust me?" Rayner asked with a smile.

"Course," Gab said quietly.

Rayner leaned over, reached up behind Gab's head with his paw, and gave Gab a soft kiss. When he was able to, Rayner pushed his tongue far enough that he could drag it across the roof of Gab's mouth leaving a trail of Creme Brulee for him. Gab moaned and sucked at his tongue as Rayner withdrew it.

"That is good," Gab whispered and bit his lip.

"I should feed you like that more often," Rayner leaned close and whispered. They both chuckled softly.

"I'd eat you right up," Gab whispered back but then groaned and looked at the ceiling, "I'm not going to be able to get up to leave if we keep doing this."

"I wouldn't be able to right now," Rayner admitted quietly, "promise to behave though when we are ready."

"When we are ready," Gab whispered back and smiled.

They ate up the dessert slowly and sipped their coffee afterwards. Both had a few sips of their water but neither felt like having much. The Sangria felt very refreshing and the coffee was smooth. They were very full.

Mary checked on them twice as they sipped their coffee and Rayner asked for the bill on the second. The price was okay all things considered. Granted Lilith had taken out a large portion of it when she paid for drinks and dessert but Rayner was happy that he was able to spend his money on the actual meal. He put the entire total of what he had left from what Tess had given him for collecting her mail and they eventually left the restaurant's calming lights and din behind.

Outside was still bright, it was only a quarter past six and the atmosphere of downtown filled the air. They both looked around. On one side of the streetcars and buses passed them by while the other had some brave souls riding bikes in the slush of early spring. When they got to the entrance to the train station Gab stopped and looked around.

"Do you want to walk home?" Gab asked and pointed toward the bridge peaking through the buildings. "It's probably only like a half-hour walk from here."

"I'd really like that," Gab responded and turned to follow Gab.

They walked and talked about what they enjoyed about the Antonio's for a while. Gab repeated multiple times that he loved the candle and acted out the spaghetti scene. Rayner said he enjoyed just being that close. They both agreed though that the Sangria was interesting but probably not something they would order for themselves. Rayner never mentioned how much it cost.

All the little shops downtown seemed to have beings flowing in and out of them as the two passed. Multiple times they stopped and smelled as the odours of dinner floated out some of the doors. One, a very spicy-smelling shop, had cheering coming from inside but neither of them could figure out what it was for.

Just on the other side of a major intersection, all the stores changed to big brand names. There were grocery stores, liquor stores, and more a few tight groupings of fast food places that were like matchboxes stacked together. A couple looked stacked as a section had an upstairs and downstairs as different places. As they walked past one, Rayner felt Gab get anxious.

"Do you mind if I just pop in and get something quick?" Gab asked as they walked up next to a large drugstore.

"Umm," Rayner said, tilting his head and looking at Gab, "No?"

"Okay, I'll be right back," Gab said quickly and headed inside.

Rayner took the chance to send a couple of texts. A long one went to Lilith, thanking her for everything that she had bought for them and telling her how well it went. The next went to Olive for helping him with the Sangria. He didn't tell her about Lilith, though. Two short ones went to Josh and Kacy, just saying thanks for supporting him.

Smiling down at his phone, Rayner almost flinched when he saw Gab wander up beside him with a small bag of stuff trying to control his breathing. The wolf looked like he had seen a ghost.

"You okay?" Rayner asked quietly.

"Yeah," Gab said and nodded, "sorry, it's... I'm just in my own head."

"You sure?" Rayner asked, rather concerned.

"Yeah," Gab said and nodded again, "Let's keep walking. It felt good."

They walked quietly for a bit. Rayner was tense as he got to the bridge to get across the river and back to campus. Gab's smile returned slowly as they walked and they started talking again. It was mostly about the view. Gab pointed out a couple of places on campus that he had wandered through and said they had some beautiful views. Rayner managed to relax when they got to the other side.

The hill from the bridge to the campus was a bit of a push for Gab but Rayner didn't feel it. Back of his head, he thought, even though he was full, Gab was probably one percent Italian food now. He never did say it. Gab didn't seem uncomfortable with how thin he was but Rayner never wanted to test that idea.

Rayner's heart sort of fell when he saw the pathway to the dorms come up. As fun as this evening was he worried about what he would do when Gab parted. He hadn't said anything. Another kiss seemed like a risk at this time of day but he couldn't think of a place where they could part with one. It may just have to end with the memories of what they shared at Antonio's.

"Umm, Rayner?" Gab asked quietly, "Would... are you still good if I come to your apartment for a while? I just don't really want this evening to end."

"Yes, for sure," Rayner said happily, "I'd love that."

They walked the same path they did last Wednesday but said very little now. Rayner quickly flipped through a long list of movies in his head that he could put on to watch. He had enjoyed Wednesday a lot. Gab sleeping over again was more than a delight and being able to be together was a hopeful continuation to this evening. Thankfully, when they arrived at the apartment complex, it seemed less crowded than usual.

Rayner opened the door to his apartment and listened carefully for a couple of seconds. It didn't seem like anyone was home. A deep sniff of the air resulted in mostly stale fox, a bit of fish, and some sort of floral scent Rayner wasn't sure about. Nothing smelt fresh. Opening the closet door loudly didn't produce any curious movement in the apartment either.

Gab followed Rayner in after he got a wave. They both wiped off their feet the best they could and then made a beeline to Rayner's room. After Rayner had closed the door, both of them let out a deep breath and looked at each other and smiled. Gab was standing in the middle of the room looking at the floor and smiling to himself. Rayner saw that was about where they stood when they were marked and smiled as well.

"How are you feeling?" Rayner whispered as he pulled Gab into a gentle hug. Staring into Gab's eyes, Rayner let his smile widen as the thinner wolf gently nuzzled his cheek. Gab pulled back a bit after a second however and took a deep breath, trying to settle himself.

"Rayner I," Gab started but anxiously tried to find the words he wanted without having them slip through his paw.

"It's okay," Rayner whispered as he got closer, "what can I do? What do you need?"

"Just calm," Gab whispered back, "Sorry, I'm screwing this up. We had-"

"No, hey," Rayner interrupted, "the path in your head doesn't have to be the path we need to follow. Look, I love you, what can I do?"

"I don't know," Gab whispered a bit calmer.

"We could watch a movie," Rayner offered, "or just snuggle and talk. Actually, I think I have the romantic one you like."

"Would you be okay with that?" Gab asked cautiously as he watched Rayner. He let out a rather shaky breath when Rayner nodded and brought him into a hug. Gab whimpered into the embrace but felt himself firmly hug Rayner back. Pushing into the white fur on Rayner's neck, Gab nuzzled him gently before letting go, looking away and whispering, "I'm... I'm sorry it's not more."

"Twenty minutes ago, I was willing to walk you home if you weren't comfortable," Rayner whispered, "This is more but if it's too much I can still walk you home."

"No," Gab whispered quickly. He took a deep breath and played with a bit of Rayner's fur before saying, "I'd really like to... a movie sounds really nice."

"Here, go get comfortable then," Rayner whispered as he parted.

Looking around for his bag, he found it in the corner of the room by his dresser and grabbed his laptop out of it. He grabbed the cord out of it a couple of seconds later after a popup warned him of low battery. He had to unplug his light in order for both his laptop and phone to charge but he eventually got settled on his bed with the laptop on his lap and Gab beside him.

They kept the volume low. Gab's breathing calmed down after the opening credits and the wolf seemed to be lost in the story after the protagonists first met each other. Rayner listened more to Gab's little noises and whispered echoes of the dialogue more than the movie itself. The two snuggled and nuzzled more as the movie progressed until the restaurant scene, where Gab rose up a bit and looked at Rayner.

"Can I?" Gab asked, barely loud enough to hear as he licked his lips and stared at Rayner's muzzle, "Can we?"

Closing the small gap between them, Rayner pressed his lips against Gab's as gently as he could and held the wolf close. Gab gave off a small moan as he moved his paws to Rayner's shoulders. Rayner felt Gab's claws move through his fur as he enjoyed himself.

"Rayner," Gab panted as they parted. He looked a bit nervous but he wasn't trying to wiggle free. After a hard swallow, Gab whispered, "Rayner, I'm not sure."

"It's like Wednesday, okay?" Rayner whispered back quickly, "Nothing complicated."

"You sure?" Gab asked back quickly.

Rayner didn't answer directly, though, leaning forward again and kissing Gab. Another quiet moan escaped Gab before a louder one replaced it when Rayner dragged his tongue across the very edge of the top of Gab's mouth. Gab smiled brightly when they parted and pushed his head into Rayner's neck for a second before pulling back and looking up at him.

"I'm always sure I want to be with you," Rayner whispered gently.

Gab shivered at Rayner's words and pushed the laptop away so that he could climb on top the white wolf like he had Wednesday. It had been comfortable then. It felt even safer now and Rayner smiled as he watched Gab awkwardly take off his shirt. After throwing the shirt on the floor, Rayner took the opportunity to pull Gab into a firm hug and at this angle, push his nose into Gab's neck and take a long sniff into the wolf on top of him. His wolf.

The cream-white fur on Gab's stomach was a dark brown in the little ambient light from the lamps outside. Rayner's more reflected the movie, now ignored on the other side of the bed from them. Gab couldn't see it and Rayner had too much of his tongue in Gab's wanting muzzle to notice. They were slow in their movements but their actions had their own pace.

Rayner smelt Gab's arousal only a second after Gab had thrusted his hips into Rayner's stomach. That smooth, earthy scent held Rayner harder than he was holding Gab, putting him in a mild vice of desire and lust. Knowing there was now a shiny red rod pushing up against him, Rayner joined Gab's moans as they continued to kiss.

"Rayner," Gab panted before Rayner was able to catch his breath and go in for another kiss, "Can, can we? Can we turn around?"

"You liked being pushed up against the wall?" Rayner leaned in and whispered into Gab's ear making him shudder.

Gab nodded desperately as the two separated enough to reposition themselves and continue. Rayner moved Gab's legs out a bit further than they had been and pushed himself up so that he was sitting on his knees. Rayner didn't need to get close to Gab's neck again to smell his scent. The tent in his shorts was allowing Gab's arousal to escape freely and filled Rayner's mind.

Pushing Gab into the wall, Rayner went back to that wonderfully warm muzzle and tongue ambitiously. Dragging his tongue along Gab's set his senses on fire and hearing Gab moan into him pulled at his heart. Rayner moved his paws down to grip either side of Gab's thigh as Gab took his turn exploring Rayners maw.

A yip shocked them both as it left Gab halfway through a kiss. Leaning back a bit, Rayner let Gab push a paw between them and into his own shorts to rearrange himself into a more comfortable position. Gab looked a bit frustrated, panting and clenching himself but Rayner slowly closed the gap back up and gently kissed him.

They found their pace again and more as Gab started to thrust into Rayner's stomach with more force than before. A low, continuous little growl started in Gab's throat as the two enjoyed each other more. Rayner loved the sound. He found if gave small scratches to Gab's back, pulling the thinner wolf into a firmer embrace; the muffled growl almost got desperate.

"Rayner," Gab whimpered as Rayner ran his paws through his fur again. Shivering, Gab panted, "Please, please... hold me."

Rayner chuckled internally as he push Gab up a bit and pulled him even closer. Gab's erection was now entirely pushed into Rayner's stomach, giving Gab just enough room and freedom to thrust gently into his shorts. Rayner shivered at feeling his knot, now fully formed and firm. His own was still in his sheath and contained but Rayner thought better of taking it out like Gab had. He wanted Gab to feel safe and free.

Kissing became harder as Gab's panting became harder and his mind was lost to what he was feeling. Rayner turned to nuzzling him when Gab was lost and firmly holding him in a kiss when he wasn't. Gab whimpered and shuddered every once in a while when Rayner ran his claws through his fur but didn't say anything other than some incoherent noises. It got louder when Rayner ran his teeth along Gab's neck after a long passionate kiss.

"Oh, fuck," Gab whimpered, clenching his legs together and giving off a couple of shaky shallow thrusts. Whispering almost a beg, Rayner heard, "Oh. Yes. Do the, do the bitty thingy."

The fur on Gab's neck tickled his tongue as Rayner leaned in and up, taking a lot of Gab's exposed neck into his muzzle. Gab's form stiffened to the point of stillness as Rayner pressed his teeth in just enough to be noticed. A whine escaped Gab's lips when he felt them leave though. Rayner smiled as he tried his best to bring Gab into a kiss but was surprised when the wolf lifted his head up quickly again after they had parted.

"Rayner," Gab shuddered.

Rayner had to stop himself this time from openly laughing at the eagerness. He pushed Gab's neck into his wanting muzzle as he pulled Gab's body into a tight and loving embrace but Gab didn't stiffen this time. At least not to start with. The wolf shuddered and tightly gripped Rayner's back but let himself squirm and thrust while being held. Something inside Gab locked up though and it wasn't until something else pulsed between them that Gab seriously tensed up.

"Rayner," Gab gasped as Rayner let go, "Rayner, I'm... fuck."

"Hey, it's okay," Rayner whispered quickly on repeat as he reached around Gab for the box of tissue on the side table. He leaned back a bit and pulled four or five tissues out in rapid succession. Gab looked horrified and startled but had difficulty moving through his orgasm. Passing the tissues, Rayner whispered, "You're okay."

"No I'm not," Gab whimpered as he grabbed the tissue and pushed them down into his shorts, "Fuck, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

"Shh, Gab, I love you," Rayner whispered. He leaned back and secured his paw on Gab's side tightly and moved his other to Gab's jaw and ear giving him enough room below in order to deal with himself. Leaning in, Rayner whispered, "I'm here. I love you. Just ride this out. Just kiss me."

A simple lick across Gab's nose got him back out of his head and his mouth open. Gab's eyes sparkled even as wide as they were and Rayner didn't wait for a response. A quick drag across Gab's teeth as he had with the dessert made the wolf whimper and match the response. Gab almost seemed desperate to kiss Rayner after that moment as he moan and squirmed in Rayner's hold.

After no more than a minute, Gab pulled back and whispered shakily, "I'm so sorry for this. I didn't think. I wasn't supposed to."

"Gab, we were trying for this," Rayner pointed out, "It's just with how much is between us it was unlikely. I'm glad it did though. I'm happy you liked it this much. I'm happy you like being with me this much."

"You have no idea," Gab whispered, breathlessly before looking at Rayner and asking, "I'm sorry, what do I do? What can I do?"

"Enjoy being with me," Rayner chuckled as he nuzzled Gab's wet neck.

"Rayner," Gab shuddered as the bewildered wolf leaned back against the wall, still holding his tip and knot.

"How are you doing?" Rayner asked back. Gab looked down at himself and lifted up the now soaked wade of tissue. Rayner grabbed a couple more out of the box without a word and helped switch them out.

"I came," Gab whimpered finally.

"You did," Rayner whispered back, his bright smile returning, "How did it feel?"

"Scary," Gab flatly stated before Rayner had even finished speaking. He looked around the dark room before returning to Rayner. He glanced up once but twilted his ears back when he did, "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you should," Rayner whispered encouragingly, "I want to hear your thoughts. And, it was kind of scary for me too."

"Really?" Gab whispered, "Why?"

"I wanted to make sure you were safe," Rayner whispered back, "I don't know how to do that when you're this vulnerable."

"I really like you holding me," Gab whispered and looked down at himself again, "This feels so right."

"I'm so glad," Rayner whispered.

He ran a paw along Gab's neck and up to help his ears back up. He didn't realise his intention at the time but the two gently kissed each other again. Before they parted, Gab slipped his tongue in and barely touched the top of Rayner's mouth and dragged his tongue back out so that he followed Rayner's teeth. Rayner chuckled at it.

"You don't have to do that," Rayner whispered, "I want us to be equals."

"What?" Gab asked back, now looking rather confused.

"Oh," Rayner chuckled again and nodded before explaining, "sorry, I forgot. That lick is how you acknowledge someone."

"Like at home?" Gab whispered, "what did I acknowledge?"

"Yeah," Rayner whispered with a nod, "That I'm more than you. That you're okay with my decision. You want me to lead."

"I'm good with that," Gab quickly whispered and leaned forward to repeat the action. Rayner leaned far enough away though that Gab couldn't reach him.

"Yeah, well, I'm still not sure about it," Rayner whispered, "Make sure you always get a say, okay?"

"I don't want a say," Gab scoffed and chuckled a bit, "Can't you tell me how to do this right?"

"I don't know what's right," Rayner whispered back, "I don't know what's too far for you and I don't know how to keep your anxiety down."

"I don't either," Gab whispered quietly, "I do it wrong all the time but when you say something it feels right."

"It won't always," Rayner whispered.

"Can it tonight?" Gab asked. "I don't know what I need to do and I'm scared to think of it."

"You sure?" Rayner asked back. Gab tried his best to lean forward again and submitted to him. Rayner let him this time. The wolf looked meek and squirmed a little in his grasp after he did but Rayner looked down and took the tissue from Gab's paw. He hadn't felt a pulse of seed a bit so he figured Gab had finished. Lifting it up, taking a deep breath in, and looking at the tip of Gab's cock, Rayner whispered, "I love your scent. I'll get you a change of underwear, though, to wear tonight. If you need them, you can borrow a pair of shorts tomorrow."

"Rayner, you don't need to," Gab whispered but before he could continue, Rayner looked at him with a smile and interrupted.

"Would you prefer me to tell you to sleep in your fur?" Rayner asked gently, "I'd probably forget to wash your scent and seed out of my sheets this weekend."

"No," Gab whispered meekly, "I already a mess of myself. At least, I didn't get it on you or your stuff."

"You say that like it's an accomplishment," Rayner leaned in and whispered, "Instead of punishment for me."

"Rayner," Gab whispered, "You want this mess on you?"

"I want your scent," Rayner leaned in further, pushing his nose under Gab's ear and whispered even fainter. "If you're willing to mark me with something special."

"Oh fuck," Rayner felt Gab shiver but the wolf pulled back and looked himself rather hard before asking, "You sure, like absolutely sure?"

"Same amount as I want to be your boyfriend," Rayner whispered back, "I want other wolves to smell you on me."

"They won't, though, right?" Gab quickly asked louder, "Like we are washing up after this."

"Of course," Rayner chuckled.

"Okay, I'm just going to," Gab whispered as he pushed his knot forward. When Rayner felt Gab's tip touch his fur he could have sworn he could feel the warmth already. However, when Gab's red tip touched him, a small splash left it and Rayner wasn't sure if the heat was he was feeling was just within him. Gab couldn't really seem to whisper anything other than, "Fuck."

"Such a good boy," Rayner whispered back as he leaned in and licked Gab's neck again, "I love you so much."

"That's you," Gab whispered.

The two held the moment as long as they could. Rayner eventually felt Gab relax in his paw and his shivering settled down. The pressure that Gab held his tip against Rayner's stomach didn't lessen but it took a bit for Gab to be able to look down at it.

"Rayner, I made a mess on your stomach," Gab pointed out.

"You made a mess on yours as well," Rayner whispered and looked down at the wetness, "You want to do something about that?"

"Umm," Gab whimpered as he nodded.

"Then let's get you out of these and into something clean," Rayner explained as he let go of Gab's hip and helped him up.

Standing up, Gab was, at best, unstable. Rayner's figured the poor wolf's knees and calf muscles were sore or numb and they didn't respond how he wanted them to. Having to hold himself up didn't help either. The wolf's cock could rotate and hang in some ways but the bone running through it made it almost painful to hang while standing upright. He managed his best as Rayner deposited the tissue Gab had soaked in his garbage and got up to grab some underwear for him.

Rayner purposely made unbuttoning Gab's back button and releasing his tail a bit more intimate than it needed to be. Gab moaned a bit when Rayner held underneath his tail and pushed the base up a bit in order to remove the clothing. Putting on Rayner's boxers, Gab let Rayner button them up.

"What do you want to do now?" Gab asked, looking at Rayner anxiously.

"I'd like to finish the movie," Rayner whispered, "and I'd like you to sleep here tonight."

"Okay," Gab whispered back happily, nodding in short bobs with his eyes closed. He hesitated though and asked, "Are you... did you want me to help you... finish?"

"Not tonight," Rayner whispered quickly and he watched Gab visibly relax into a slightly sad pose. Leaning close, Rayner whispered, "Tonight has already been amazing. I don't want to get reckless."

"I'm sorry," Gab whispered, "It's just I can smell you."

"Here," Rayner whispered as he stepped back a bit and took off his shorts and underwear to show Gab where he was at. The fur on his thick sheath was wet and some of him was poking out the top but his knot had never formed. In the darkness, Gab stared at him frozen but Rayner slowly moved closer and touched Gab's shoulders. He whispered, "I wasn't moving like you were. I'm horny but I'm not like desperate to go."

"But Rayner you smell really. Like really," Gab tried his best to whisper but wasn't able to finish.

"Do you like my scent?" Rayner asked as Gab trailed off. Gab nodded, biting his lip a bit as he glanced down at the source between them. Smiling, Rayner asked, "Do you like that I make that scent because of you?"

"Me?" Gab whispered quietly, looking back up and into Rayner's amber eyes as he shivered and tensed up.

"My beautiful wolf," Rayner whispered and nodded before stating, "It doesn't matter how I smell though I won't ever hurt you. I want you to enjoy my touch. Not be scared of it."

"I'm trying," Gab shuddered out.

"I know you are," Rayner acknowledged and nodded, "You have done amazing tonight. I know it has been a lot. I loved every minute of it."

"I did too," Gab whispered in a shudder before looking around and asking, "What can I do? I should do something."

"Just love me," Rayner whispered.

"I do, I love you," Gab whispered, "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Rayner whispered back, bringing Gab into another gentle kiss. He kept his midsection away enough that he wouldn't touch Gab as he was pretty sure he was starting to leak again. Breaking away from the kiss and leaning back, Rayner told Gab, "Here, can I get you to rewind the movie to where we got distracted? I'll be there once I change."

"Okay," Gab whispered, dutifully looking back at the bed and setting up the laptop like he was asked. Rayner watched curiously for a couple of seconds before grabbing another tissue, wiping off his tip and stuffing himself into a pair of boxers.

When Rayner got back into bed, the two snuggled into each other and started up the last half of the movie. Gab whispered an apology a couple of times during the end but Rayner always whispered back that he loved his wolf. Rayner did. He loved feeling Gab slip into a deep slumber as the end of the movie started to roll.

It wasn't all that late but Rayner felt himself following Gab as he put away the laptop and snuggled back up to him. Gab needed to be held. Every once in a while Rayner felt him wince at something unseen or unknown but every time Rayner held him tighter. Eventually, he did calm down and Gab's soft pants, his inviting scent, and his warmth lulled Rayner into a blissful peace that he rarely had, if ever, felt before.