FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The morning came in breezy, blowing around the dust and fluff as well as some of the thoughts in Rayner's mind. He was going home. It still felt weird to think that, but the more he did, the more it made Rayner feel like what he said to Meredith was correct. He wanted Pinewood to be home, he wanted the Pack to be home, and that meant getting Gab out here. He had been slow to commit to Bell because he knew he didn't want her, or at least some part of him knew. Gab, he wanted.

Rayner, after eating, went back out and gave himself another deep clean with Tess' good shampoo, the full body dryer, and then the compressor. Tufts of fur were still blowing off of him. The birds would be happy, but he was hoping for a little bit of relief. At least the smell of cow wasn't as bad as it had been when he had arrived.

After brushing and packing, he said his goodbyes to his siblings, cousins, and elders. Grand Elder Thomas and Speaker Ebba wished him well and hoped his studies were going well. The two had been and were still quite busy even though May Day had finished. Sigmund could have kept him the entire day.

He spent the ride back to Riverview thinking about how much he really wanted Gab and some of the things Sigmund had said. Victor made a comment about how Rayner was smiling once, but Rayner just tried to explain it away. Smiling was one thing, but he also had to keep his thoughts in check so that he didn't build up a scent. Victor, thankfully, didn't bring up Olive but Rayner was pretty sure his Dad wanted to. Maybe it was a good thing that his parents thought he was dating a husky? Rayner wasn't sure if they were more homophobic than speciest.

When they arrived at the apartments, Rayner said thank you and hoped his dad had a good trip back. Victor took the opportunity to take out his list of things to pick up and wanted to know the best way around. Rayner knew at the end he was going to wander through one of the large hardware stores before getting back on the highway. When asked, Rayner still laughed softly at that. He couldn't understand how his dad could literally spend an hour just wandering through a store, but Victor seemed to enjoy it.

The diesel roared to life after Rayner closed the door and headed inside. Multiple beings looked at the truck as it drove away with a scowl or a frown. City didn't like loud or smelly vehicles, and Victor's truck was both. Slightly rusted. Rayner himself got a couple of sour looks but he mostly ignored them. His fur or his dad's truck had an equal chance of drawing them, so it was what it was.

Inside the apartment, he was hit by the familiar scents of his roommates at their full volume. Jack in the kitchen and Melissa in the living room perk up when he entered. The usual detachment seemed to have disappeared. He tried his best to ignore it, but when he glanced back at them, Jack looked like he was trying to say more with his face than with his muzzle.

"What're you looking at?" Jack tried his best to say it as tough as he could say it. The fox wasn't, though. Compared to the wolf, Jack's body was like a malnourished pup, his voice might as well have come out of a kazoo, and all the fierceness on his muzzle meant nothing.

"You," Rayner said, frowning a bit but staying calm, "What's your problem?"

"You," Jack tried to growl. Rayner had to stop himself from laughing at what could have been a pur. Jack continued regardless, though, "We know what you are. You and that other fag. I don't want you getting any ideas."

"Okay, Jack," something in Rayner stuck at that moment. Glaring at the fox, the small creature lost everything, his composure, his confidence and his stance all melted at seeing a wolf basically twice his size walk toward him. When Rayner got to the kitchen, he narrowed his eyes and continued, "Let's get this very clear."

"Shit wait, I'm sorry," Jack whispered quickly as he cowered, trying to get away from Rayner's paws reaching toward him.

Rayner didn't do anything physically harmful. Mentally, it probably fucked with the fox to have a wolf reach down, pick him up, and set him on the high level of the counter so that they were able to look at each other. They weren't exactly, the fox still had to look up at him, which Rayner forced him to do with a careful paw guiding the tip of Jack's muzzle.

"Now," Rayner growled at him before more calmly saying, "Say that I again?"

Jack whined as he nodded as much as Rayner's paw would allow him.

"No? Don't like knowing that I'm dating someone with a knot," Rayner stated more than asked, "That's probably real unnerving considering what's online about foxes."

Jack groaned.

"And in my place, you'd probably be thinking of some real interesting things to do to this body of yours," Rayner growled. He had never liked how Jack talked about dating. No one in the apartment did, but it felt really nice actually to use it against him.

Jack continued to stutter out nonsense and started to shake slightly.

"So let's get this really clear," Rayner said slightly calmer, "I like guys... not you. Nothing has changed. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," the fox muttered.

"Good because you basically look like a pup," Rayner scoffed as he let go of Jack's muzzle and patted both his shoulders, "You could be running around the living room with your four-day-old bong water scent, and I wouldn't feel a damn thing."

"Okay?" Jack whispered as Melissa started trying to cough out the drink she just inhaled.

"Now, unless you're really enjoying the smell of cow," Rayner said, suddenly very calm as he backed up from Jack, "I'm going to go put my stuff away and call the guy I actually like. He may come back here, and like everyone else that has come into this apartment, none of you are going to make a big deal about it because it's none of your damn business."

"So that wolf was your boyfriend?" Melissa coughed out as Jack held himself and looked anywhere but in Rayner's direction.

"Still is," Rayner said, turning away from Jack and back toward his stuff.

"He was cute," Melissa said after getting a hold of her breathing. She frowned to herself, though, and added, "I think... you know, for a wolf... if wolves are cute."

"You should see him now," Rayner said as he chuckled, mostly at hearing her try, "He got his fur done, and now it's all floofy."

"Like Jack floofy?" Melissa teased. Jack scowled at her but didn't say anything.

"I'd say yes before I lifted him up," Rayner explained, "but no, Jack is actually more fur than I expected."

"I'm a solid hundred!" Jack yelled as Rayner walked to his room with his bags, "and it's still spring!"

"That means almost nothing when I'm a small one-seventy-five," Rayner called back as he walked back out of the bedroom, "My dad has probably fifteen pounds of just muscle on me."

"Your dad is really big," Melissa said as he walked back into the living room, "seeing Jack beside him was insane."

"Hey, I'm actually pretty strong," Jack complained, still sitting on the counter with his ears down and his tail wrapped around one of his legs.

"For a fox," Rayner added for him.

"All I heard was pretty," Melissa poured on coldly.

"Fuck off, the last thing I need is beings knowing that I live with a gay wolf. Everyone thinks I'm gay just because I'm a fox," Jack pleaded and then desperately yelled, "and I'm fucking not. You aren't wrecking my life this close to the end of the year."

"Did you know that I was? Have I treated you like you were?" Rayner asked, Jack was silent for a second and tilted his ears back again before shaking his head, "Good, because I'm not going to."

"Yeah, well, we have less than a month till summer," Jack said quietly, "just... fuck. Just please don't do anything really obvious outside when I'm around."

"Again, wasn't going to," Rayner confirmed, "actually, I wasn't intending to tell any of you."

"Well, as long as your boyfriend doesn't scream like the vix Jack brought back," Melissa said calmly, "I'm fine."

"Yeah, no, that's not going to happen," Rayner confirmed with a nod, "I'm still good with just keeping our scents off each other's shit."

"Gay," Jack muttered before shaking his head as Rayner turned to him, "Sorry, don't hit me. I'm sorry."

"It's a low bar, Jack," Melissa scoffed, "even for you."

"Yeah, I know," Jack said quietly.

"You able to handle that?" Rayner asked and looked at the fox directly.

"So long as you don't put me on the fucking counter again and not say a word about my tail," Jack grumbled, "I'll stay out of whatever."

"Deal," Rayner agreed, "If there's nothing else, I'm heading out."

"You actually smell really bad, though," Jack hesitantly said before Rayner opened the door, "like really really bad."

"Yes," Rayner stated, "Welcome to farm life. I worked with the cows, so I smell like cows. I'll probably be back in about fifteen minutes to shower."

"With your boyfriend?" Jack asked quietly.

"Most likely with my boyfriend," Rayner confirmed.

"I'm out," Jack said quietly as he jumped down from the counter and walked past Rayner to his room.

"Not related," Melissa said as she watched Jack turn the corner, "but I am too. Just in case you want to try anything Jack like."

"Nope, no. No," Rayner whispered to himself as he shook his head and turned to open the front door. He wasn't going to get into that with his roommates. Definitely wasn't going to get into it with them with less than a month until summer. Coming out to them was way more than he wanted, and the idea of talking to them about his relationship was unappealing at best.

The warm May air outside smelled of exhaust and cement with the white scent of thousands of different beings all walking around. It was sunny. Rayner saw in the distance that the campus fitness classes were making use of spring, and one of the few times, the ground wasn't wet. Beings were studying on the benches outside the different residence buildings and looking up and around, more than a few patios were being utilised.

Walking toward the first year's residence building, Rayner texted Gab that he had unpacked and was ready to meet up. Rayner took in the new clean green of campus even as he took the direct route to Gab. The grass was entirely in now, and the early blooming trees were filled with shades of white and pink. There weren't many. Most of the trees were spruce or pine, with a large number of oak trees along the older parts of campus.

Though it was a beautiful day out, the faces of a lot of the beings working were not happy. They were a couple of weeks out from finals in the final semester of the year and everyone seemed to have not done enough. Rayner had. Even leaving his books behind this weekend, he had his cards prepared and most of his homework done. Carl joked that dating destroyed his marks, and Rayner sort of figured that dating had improved his. Studying with Gab and the group was a lot more fulfilling than just being alone in the library.

Gab's text came through just as Rayner got the residence building in his sights, and he made an almost one-eighty-degree turn back to the way he came. Gab was packing up in the cafeteria that Rayner had passed a couple of minutes ago. Laughing to himself, Rayner picked up his pace a bit as they agreed to meet outside the south entrance.

As he approached, he saw Gab looking away from him and toward Rayner's apartment. Rayner stared at the wolf he loved and the now radiant fur he had. Gab wasn't wearing a coat, just the same sort of shorts that Rayner always had on and had his backpack slung over his right shoulder. The greys and browns of his fur bounced and flowed in the wind as he stood. Quietly and quickly, Rayner snuck closer.

"Hi there," Rayner leaned in and whispered as got close to Gab. Surprisingly Gab didn't flinch, he just turned around and smiled at him. Rayner pulled back a bit, taking in the white of Gab's stomach fur and asked, "I'm not scary anymore?"

"Not when I can hear you," Gab said quietly and then pointed at the window now behind him, "and see you. Well, and smell you. You're cute when your stalking, though."

"Well, look at you," Rayner almost whispered as he looked Gab over and patted his fur.

"I feel like Josh," Gab whispered back and smiled shyly as he watched Rayner look at him. After a couple of seconds of Rayner admiring him, Gab pivoted and asked, "How did this morning go?"

"Simple. Well, simpler than expected," Rayner admitted and snapped his eyes back up to Gab and away from his tail, "Thank Skoll, because this weekend was absolutely insane."

"Well, you don't smell as bad as you kept saying," Gab pointed out, making Rayner laugh.

"Wait till we get inside," Rayner warned, "actually, if you don't mind, I'd really like just to go back to my apartment and use that de-scenting wash Tess gave me again."

"Everything okay with your roommates," Gab asked hesitantly, "you know, after what happened."

"Jack's still Jack," Rayner admitted, "I kind of shocked myself with how aggressively I shut him down though. Melissa seemed fine, and I haven't talked to Cade yet, but she was in the kitchen on Thursday when we walked in."

"Is that good?" Gab asked quietly.

"She gave me a wink and a nod when we went past her, so I assume so," Rayner admitted, "None of them are there right now, though."

"Okay," Gab whispered, nodding, and turned to start walking.

Rayner saw the small hidden smile Gab was wearing as they walked. His ears were tucked back; however, his tail was wagging slightly, swaying in the breeze. Rayner realised he probably shouldn't be watching Gab's tail so overtly in public. It was just nice to see it. It was nice to see him. Gab looked happy and thin, but healthier than he had since Rayner had met him, and maybe a bit stronger.

They wiped their paws on the mat but didn't stay long outside Rayner's bedroom. Gab did multiple looks around and obviously listened outside his roommate's closed doors as they passed but didn't seem to find anything noteworthy. Rayner figured both had cleared out quickly for different reasons, and Cade was always gone somewhere. It wasn't until Rayner had closed and locked the bedroom door that he relaxed.

Leaning against the back of the door, Rayner watched Gab scan the room quickly as his now vibrant fur bounced as he moved. Smiling wide, he felt the weight of the weekend release. His back and stomach hurt a bit but the smell of Gab's fur lifted his spirits.

"You okay?" Gab asked quietly.

"Yeah," Rayner muttered, more out of routine than out of honesty, "Weird thoughts. This weekend wasn't supposed to go this way."

"Something happen?" Gab asked as he walked closer to Rayner. Putting a paw on his shoulder, Gab pushed his head under Rayner's chin and gave in a quick nuzzle. When Rayner smiled at him, he added, "I thought everyone was okay?"

"They are," Rayner said quickly, pulling Gab into a tight hug, "I'm just sort of shocked that everything is okay. And you," Rayner pivoted, realising his shorts were tightening again and looked at Gab again as he said a little louder, "look at you. You look like you could be a model."

"Only to you," Gab chuckled.

"Next to me, you look like front-page, poster ready," Rayner laughed and continued, "I doubt I could get a brush through my fur for a while." Leaning in close, he took a sniff and whispered, "And you smell like spring."

"Yeah, and it's been making my nose run since they spritzed me," Gab complained. Mimicking Rayner, he leaned in and tried to say that Rayner still didn't smell as bad as he was warned but sneezed directly into Rayner's chest. It was dry, but the poor wolf now looked horrified.

"Not even close to the worse thing I have had on me in the last couple of days," Rayner whispered as he brought Gab into a tight hold again.

With a bit of encouragement, Rayner debriefed the entire weekend on the bed and explained what happened around the two calls that he had had with Gab. It felt surreal. It sounded worse to Rayner now that he talked about it. Carl was the absolute last being that Rayner had every thought of trusting, and Meredith was out of the ranking entirely. If Anthony found out, Rayner wouldn't even be back in Pinewood.

Rayner skipped Meredith's possible secret entirely, however. Some part of his mind fought with the memory, thinking that couldn't have been real. Rayner found himself thinking a couple of times, parallel to his story to Gab, that he had just imagined what Meredith had said as some sort of comforting fantasy for himself. Tess would have known but he couldn't ask Tess in case she didn't.

Looking at the door when he ran out of words, Rayner wasn't sure when the two of them had sat down on his bed or how long he had talked for. Worse, he wasn't sure when the last time Gab had spoken. Most of what he had been saying was just a straight stream of consciousness following the same path he had taken.

"You know, I just realised I outed you to like half a dozen beings this weekend," Rayner admitted before he even had time to process the thought. In the corner of his eye, Rayner also saw Gab look at the door and frown. Rayner whispered, "I'm sorry."

"No, I trust you," Gab said in a faint whisper as he nodded. Taking a deep breath and swallowing hard, he put on a smile and said, "I feel like I'm following you through this. And I didn't realise how much I'd miss you when you're gone. If you come out, I come out... Plus, your roommates knowing is sort of my fault. If-"

"No," Rayner interrupted, "I should have known Dad would have shown up early. That's not new and I left it to chance," thinking about that, he felt his eyes go wide and darkly continued, "Like, fuck, I left a lot that morning to worse than lotto odds and somehow managed to get out on par."

"What?"

"Sorry, I hate being around Carl," Rayner complained, "I start talking like him. Cussing and stuff."

"That's cute," Gab chuckled, leaning forward to give Rayner a peck on the cheek, "I mean, Carl would probably scare the shit out of my brothers, but he's posh in comparison to Dallas."

"I," Rayner muttered as he twitched as if he was going to sneeze but was just trying to process that sentence, "I, umm, Carl isn't. He'd never. Carl is Not posh. Posh at least has to smell nice."

"You're honestly going to try and say cow smells worse than a wolf soaked in oil, gas, and old beer?" Gab chuckled before shuddering and adding, "And that's just the perfume he unintentionally uses to cover up The Musk of Dallas."

"That a thing?" Rayner asked, now curious at the phrasing, he had heard it in the hall, but it was only worth thinking bad of it at the time.

"It's a podcast," Gab stated coldly, "Musk Masters? Something. Dallas has it on repeat thinking he can learn something."

"I don't want to know," Rayner chuckled, pulled his floofy, spring-scented boyfriend close, and just breathed deep for a bit. Squeezing, he whispered, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Gab gave a soft chuckle at Rayner's words but leaned into him, "I love you so much."

"I love you more," Rayner was expecting to sound happy or in love, but it came out almost sad. A statement of his existence, or was it a question about his future?

"Well, if there is more to what I'm feeling," Gab whispered as he snuggled into Rayner's chest, "I'm all for it."

Rayner hugged Gab tight, rubbed behind his darker ear and closed his eyes as hard as he could. He loved Gab. He wanted everything just to hurry up and be right. At home. He wanted to feel like he was home again.

"Rayner, I umm," Gab whispered as he squirmed in Rayner's hold, "I need a moment."

Loosening his grip, Rayner felt a wave of heat whip through him as Gab rather sheepishly adjust himself. It was only a second, and then Gab was once again pressed up against Rayner's chest and leg, but there was an added firmness now there. Rayner's shorts tightened considerably, and he found himself panting a couple of moments later.

Crawling up, Gab pressed the side of his muzzle into Rayner's neck. To Rayner, he felt eager to get close. Rayner was. The general hesitation between them that Rayner was used to wasn't there.

"You looking to feel more?" Rayner chuckled as he sat up as Gab pressed further up and lifted Gab's smaller frame with him. The darker wolf had a momentary loss for words but with Rayner's lips pressed up against him, Rayner found he didn't need any. A tongue against the roof of Rayner's mouth was more than Gab needed to say.

One of Rayner's paws found Gab's ear, and the other found Gab's hip. Both held firmly as they tasted each other, running their tongues over each other's teeth and sucking on them when the other got adventurously deep. Letting go of his ear, Rayner brought his paw down to pin Gab against him and heard a high pitch moan reward him.

"Fuck," Gab whispered, tilting his ears away, " I didn't just do that."

"I'm okay if you do it again," Rayner whispered softly as he squeezed Gab against him.

Gab quickly held his muzzle shut as he squirmed a bit but, although faintly, could hear him.

"I love hearing you," Rayner whispered as he pressed his head under Gab's chin.

"I don't," Gab argued, "I sound like some toy dog."

"No, you don't," Rayner couldn't help but say with a smile, "just, relax and let it out," Rayner explained, squeezing again, "You'll sound like you."

Gab was still quiet, but the squeaky sound was less.

"Rayner," Gab said loud enough to shock himself before repeating in a whisper, "Rayner. I need a thing."

Crawling out of Rayner's lap, Gab rushed to the side of the bed, opened Rayner's side dresser, and pulled out a couple of packages. Rayner couldn't help how wide he was smiling. With how fast his tail was wagging, it was hard to see that Gab's paws were unsteady, but his intent was clear.

"I love you like this," Rayner whispered as reached out and grasped Gab's tail so that he could undo the button just above it. Gab let out a meep at the touch. Ears dropping, the wolf turned around, looked at Rayner's paw, and then moved to continue taking off his shorts.

"My roommate hasn't left our fucking room the entire weekend," Gab whispered, frustration and fur now on full display. It didn't take him a moment to wrap himself up and have his deep red knot bob in his paw.

"Oh?" Rayner chuckled, "I thought this was our fucking room."

Rayner regretted saying it the moment he saw a ripple through Gab's fur, puffing out his back and the fur around his sides. Gab's ears didn't tilt, though; his tail was motionless but still cupped in Rayner's paw.

"You know, I found myself here a couple of times this weekend. Outside," Gab admitted, wrapping his arms around Rayner tighter, "I was sure this was all going to come undone. You'd come back, hating me for outing you to your roommates, your dad, and everyone. Then you called."

"And I outed myself to my brother," Rayner continued when Gab went quiet.

"Something just sort of snapped in me," Gab whispered, "Well, more than one thing. I mean, your sister wasn't what I expected. Then everything happened--the call with your cousin and everyone around Josh's laptop. I looked around, and all these beings knew about us." Gab looked down, and Rayner followed him, Rayner saw Gab's sheath had retaken its position but not enough to stop a little bit of red from poking out. "About this."

"Well, hopefully not about like right now, but, yeah, general idea," Rayner chuckled.

"Rayner, I can't tell my dad," Gab whispered more seriously, "I won't tell my brothers."

"Gab, you don't have to," Rayner hugged Gab as he whispered, "I love you no matter what."

"And I know what tying means to you," Gab leaned in close and whispered, "I want that too."

"I know, love," Rayner reassured as he tried to pat down Gab's fur, "And we can do that in Pinewood. You know? It gives us time."

"No, umm, Rayner, we could drive out today," Gab whispered, "I'm good if it happens today."

Rayner's brain and body paused for a moment.

"Oh! That's nice," Rayner managed to mutter as his brain tried to confirm what he had heard. His knot screamed at him. Something twitched inside of his core, and upon hearing himself, he realised it wasn't where the thought, "What the fuck is wrong with you?" came from. It is where he felt his own words should have stayed, though. Catch himself, Rayer sputtered out, "Wow, okay, really? What?"

"Yes," Gab whispered as he nodded.

"Like you want to drive out to Pinewood to have sex?" Rayner asked quietly.

"If that's where you want our time to be," Gab explained.

"Um, okay, so I won't lie, I'd call Dad in a heartbeat and have him pick us up, but that conversation might be a bit of a buzz kill," Rayner chuckled, "Like, Skoll above, Gab, you're serious?"

"I want to be your mate," Gab whispered as he panted, "Skoll as my witness. I love you. I want you. I mean, I marked you. You marked me. I don't know? I love you."

"Oh, Gab, I love you too," Rayner heard himself choke a bit as he said it but hugged Gab so tight that the two groaned together. "I love you so much."

"But?" Gab whispered.

"Yes, I love that too," Rayner chuckled before realising, "Hey, I'm I allowed to touch it now? Or kiss it? I mean, again?"

"Yes," Gab said, nodding.

"Lay down," Rayner whispered as he tried to push Gab toward the headboard again.

The Grey little wolf crawled and rolled onto his back, displaying his probably painfully hard knot. The dark red was stark against his white stomach fur. Rayner, still in his shorts, crawled up and entwined with Gab so that he was facing Gab.

"I love your mind," Rayner whispered as he kissed Gab's forehead.

"I love your words," Rayner whispered as he kissed Gab's muzzle.

"I love your heart," Rayner whispered as he scootched down to kiss Gab's chest.

"I love your intuition," Rayner whispered as he pushed even more to kiss Gab's stomach.

"And I love your lust," Rayner whispered as he hovered over Gab's knot. He waited there, smiling until Gab gave any indication. Taking a breath in, he could feel Gab's scent flow through him like a wave. It only took a second, and it only was there for a moment, but Gab gave a single nod. Rayner pressed his lips against the wrapped hard flesh and gave him a single kiss.

"Are you really going kiss my butt?" Gab asked very quickly, now obviously shaking.

"Hang on, what happened to the, I want to drive to Pinewood, wolf from a minute ago?" Rayner chuckled, lifting his head up with a smile.

"Your paw is off my tail," Gab admitted.

"Oh, that's all that you need to get going?" Rayner whispered as one of his paws reached between them and wrapped around the fluffy base of Gab's tail. A deep moan left Gab as he squirmed gently in Rayner's touch but there wasn't a touch of hesitation to it. Smiling harder than he could ever remember, Rayner whispered, "Good boy," more out of instinct than out of thought.

"Oh my god," Gab whispered, "Don't say that. That makes it sound so much worse."

"Well, one paw on your tail and the other on your knot," Rayner almost hummed, "I definitely know you're a boy. You definitely smell like a boy."

"Oh?" Gab asked as he grabbed his muzzle again. Rayner brought his back down to the base of Gab's knot and let himself pant. The scent was more than intoxicating. Rayner felt light as Gab Gab moaned, "RayNERR!"

Rayner dragged his tongue from between Gab's furry orbs to his knot. His fur was a neutral sort of tickle, but the condom was an offputting chemically flavour. It was Gab, however, and Rayner wasn't going to let his taste buds get in the way.

"Wait-wait-wait, hang on," Gab squealed as he squirmed. Rayner brought his head up to check but felt Gab off the bed before he even realised what happened. "I didn't wash that."

Gab rushed to the door, knot in his paw and tail bouncing all over the place as Rayner watched, still on the bed, now on his knees. The wolf listened and then moved. Door opening and closing in a flash before the sound of water running in the next room. Was he actually washing his fur?

Not really knowing what else to do, Rayner flipped over and took his shorts off. His own strong scent filled his nose as he wrapped himself up, hoping that Gab was okay. He seemed happy. Excited even. Thinking about it, Rayner didn't know if he was just imagining it or if Gab really did feel like he felt. He hadn't done anything since he had last been with Gab, and the three days were catching up to him.

The water shut off after he had laid down, and a wolf with a mischievous little grin snuck back into the room. Gab's face fell, though, when he saw Rayner. Getting up quickly, Rayner got to the door before either of them could say anything.

"You okay?" Rayner whispered as he got close.

"Yeah," Gab hesitantly whispered back, "I just... I've been a mess. Leaking. Probably reeked. You know?"

"Gab, I love your scent," Rayner heard himself say even before he registered Gab's words.

"Are you?" Gab whispered, now tense, "Did you want? I mean, I washed, you know, my fur. If you want to keep doing something new."

"Do you want to do something new?" Rayner asked sternly.

"Yes," Gab whispered just loud enough to be heard as close as they were, "I just, I don't. I didn't want you to stop because of something. That I'm-"

"You want to try something actually new?" Rayner asked again.

"Yes."

"Take the condom off," Rayner heard it in his head as an offer; however, the words that came out of his mouth weren't to be questioned.

And Gab didn't question them.

Kissing him gently as he did, Rayner felt a liquid fire rip through his body as the realisation and utter lust for what he was about to do hit him. There were no questions. There was no hesitation from either of them as Rayner knelt down and took a good sniff of his man.

He smelt like heat. The heavy earthen scent clung to every fiber of Rayners being as it raced down his nose and into his lungs. There was so much there. The spring, floral scent from his fur mixed with the unscented nonsense from the soap he had just used on his balls and sheath. Between his legs came an even deeper scent and one that Rayner would explore later.

Right now, the vibrant red rod that was bobbing his paw was his. The leaking tip to the glistening base looked like it had a gloss coating. Gab was panting. So was Rayner. The two looked at each other one last time, and only one word floated to the top of Rayner's consciousness.

"Mine."

Rayner wanted to feel Gab. Lifting his knot, Rayner didn't wait to feel the glistening flesh on his tongue as he leaned forward and dragged it all the way to the tip. It tasted a bit slimy and a little bitter, and there was still whatever that condom flavour was there. This was Gab. All of it was Gab.

"Rayner," Gab moaned, "You sure about this?"

"Let me taste you," Rayner whispered back as he felt his own paw massage his knot, "I want your... everything."

"Fuck," Gab moaned as Rayner extended a lick into a full embrace. A paw to guide him, a tongue to protect him as Gab seemed to settle into a rhythm. It was desperate. Rayner had him pinned up against the door, but the feeling of his knot getting harder was difficult to let go of.

Rayner's other paw moved forward as he ran a thumb along the top of his now achingly hard member. While the musk and fluid played with Rayner's senses, he added his own to the air. His tip felt like it was swimming in his lust.

"Rayner!" Gab hissed as he thrust into Rayner's eager maw.

A renewed and vibrant flavour was added back to Rayner's tongue as the two embraced each other. The paw Rayner had on Gab's knot started to mimic the same kneading he was teasing his own with. A small push toward the wall and then a firm pull toward his wanting muzzle. Rayner loved it. He loved the taste, the scent, and the feel. His eyes only saw the white of Gab's fur.

Fur he wanted to be Pinewood white.

Fur he wanted to make Pinewood white.

"Oh, Rayner!" Gab moaned as he continued to thrust, "I'm not... mmm, fuck. I'm sorry, but I'm close."

Rayner didn't stop, he didn't slow down, and he was ready. Gab's panting got desperate, his thrusts got unsynchronised, and he started moaning louder. At first, it was just an, "Ah", but it turned into a drawn-out whine until it stopped.

"Rayner!" Gab whimpered.

Rayner felt his mouth suddenly start to flood with a bitter and gooey glory that he couldn't quite believe. This was Gab. His boyfriend. His love. He was filling him, moaning his name and holding him as still as he could. Rayner was beyond himself as he swallowed and accepted what they had done.

"Oh!" Gab whimpered as Rayner's muzzle tightened around him, "Rayner, like that."

Rayner's paw on his own knot started to knead harder as another muzzle full of Gab was starting to build up for him. Gab wasn't panicking. He wanted this. Rayner was in a world of apart, but it was entirely Gab.

He wanted Gab.

Another muzzleful threatened to spill over his lips, and Rayner started sucking on what he wanted. He wanted more. Rayner licked and held Gab as the wolf yipped and moaned as Rayner played with his oversensitive flesh.

Gab's flow eventually slowed regardless of how Rayner desired it, and Gab's yipping started to grow increasingly uncomfortable. He knew he needed to change, but he couldn't move. Either his legs or his arms refused to listen as Gab provided for him.

"You want me to help?" Gab asked through panting as he watched Rayner hold himself.

That was all Rayner needed. Pulling back so that Gab's manhood was on the edge of Rayner's muzzle, he gave it one last lick and then let a sputter hit his chest. Gab watched, fascinated or stunned. Rayner wasn't sure, but it was hard to tell when he kept trying to catch Gab's offerings when they left him.

"Here, let's go to the bed," Gab panted as he pivoted around.

Without Gab's red flesh in front of him, Rayner's legs found their strength at that moment and in a rush, he was up. Gab may have twisted away from him, but he was still able to pull him into a hug. Possibly for support, however, it wasn't enough to keep Rayner vertical. The two slammed against the door harder than Rayner had expected, but he couldn't feel much of his legs at this point.

"You okay?" Gab gasped but tensed up as he held himself. Rayner's paw was back on Gab's tail as he tried to find a place for his own stretched and oversensitive flesh. Gab only tried to stabilise himself, whispering, "Rayner, I'm getting stuff on the carpet."

"I'm sure you aren't the first," Rayner whispered into the back of Gab's neck. It smelt so good, he felt himself wanting to taste it to suddenly feeling the tickle of fur and warmth in his maw. Gab whimpered as he stretched out onto the very tips of his toes and lifted his tail.

Rayner felt himself shift, the warmth between Gab's legs was calling him, even if the angle pushed him far lower than that beautiful hidden fire that was under Gab's tail. The two moaned together. Rayner settled, removed his paw from his knot and latched onto the outside of Gab's hip.

Thrusting deep into the legs, Rayner felt Gab still pushing out more of his seed as the wolf just let his member hang and bob in front of him. Rayner wasn't getting his scent, he wasn't going to feel the fullness of having his knot squeezed, but he felt like this was right.

Gab wanted to be his mate.

Something inside Rayner felt like it was loaded into place, and he knew where he wanted to put it. A rush of fluid left Rayner as he moaned through Gab's fur. Every joint seemed to seize as he held the wolf as close as he could. Desperate to mark him as his own. Wanting to claim him for life. Rayner wanted Gab at that moment like he was an extension of his soul. He felt that losing him would mean losing an arm or a leg.

The two panted.

Rayner's grip loosed as the fur in his muzzle started to taste like fur again. Had he just scruffed Gab? Rayner's insides twisted as he realised it was Gab's neck he was now looking at.

"Gab?" Rayner whispered, "You okay?"

"I'm still making a mess on your floor," Gab whispered between breaths.

"That's okay, I can clean it up later," Rayner quickly answered, "Sorry about biting you."

"That's why I'm still making a mess on your floor," Gab chuckled, squeezing his legs together made Rayner moan, but he whispered, "Oh fuck, I can feel you."

"I can feel you too," Rayner whimpered, tightening his grip on Gab's hips, "Skoll above, I wish that was behind my knot."

"Fuck," Gab whispered, shaking hard as he pressed himself into Rayner, "me too."

The two rocked back and forth together, leaning up against the door, panting and gasping for air as the room filled with their scent. Rayner felt dazed. His legs were aching, but he wasn't going to fall. It wasn't a true tie but he felt like this was a sign. Truth that he really wanted Gab to be his.

"Rayner," Gab gasped.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I think it's okay if you kiss me under my tail," Gab whispered, a bit shaky but holding Rayner's paws tight against him. Rayner noticed at the moment that Gab's tail couldn't have been raised higher than it was.

"Is it okay if it's not right now thing?" Rayner asked, it wasn't really what was on his mind, but it seemed to be the only thing he could get out.

"No, I meant, you know, next time we're," Gab tried his best to explain, "umm, together. And it isn't as," he had to take a moment to think of the word and then settled on, "aggressive."

"I really, really didn't mean to be," Rayner quickly tried to explain, "You know. Honestly. Like, I didn't want to be like your dream."

"Maybe? Could you just touch under my tail?" Gab asked quietly, glancing right but not enough to look back. Rayner's next thought was how warm Gab's flesh was and how cute his gasp sounded. If Gab wanted it, Rayner wasn't going to hesitate. After a couple of short breaths and a nod, Gab whispered, "Hmnnn, wow."

"Is that, wow, a good?" Rayner asked.

"Uhmm, I can feel my teeth," Gab whispered to himself before asking, "If we were in Pinewood, you'd. Would you tie me? Like, actually?"

"You have no idea how much I want to," Rayner whispered into Gab's neck, "We keep going, I might do it here."

"Even if it goes wrong with your pack?" Gab asked.

"You are my pack," Rayner heard himself answer in a whisper into Gab's neck fur. Correcting himself, he sputtered out, "I mean, I love you. I love you a lot."

"Rayner?" Gab whispered, "You know I can't bring you to my dad's garage, right? He can't know about me. About this."

"Me being between your legs or you finishing in my muzzle."

"No," Gab whispered, "that I want your knot in me. I wish you're knot was in me."

"That I want to smell you in heat," Rayner whispered.

"In Pinewood," Gab cooed.

"As a Pinewood," Rayner breathed out.

"Gabriel Pinewood."

It took a couple of minutes of silence before the two moved back to the bed. Gab was careful about moving but didn't hesitate to turn with Rayner and fall into the same position he always seemed to snuggle into when they were lying in bed together. Against the wall side, Gab rested himself on his side facing toward Rayner, but instead of draping his arm across Rayner's chest, he held onto Rayner's arm. Still erect, Rayner helped Gab rest his cock in the space next to Rayners.

Rayner felt his brain come back to him. The pressure that he hadn't felt had built up behind his nose or in his ears, repressurised as the two of them caught their breath. Not that hugging as tightly as they were was helping. Rayner wanted to smell everything Gab was made of.

"Rayner?" Gab whispered hesitantly, shaking a little.

"Yeah?" Rayner asked back, rubbing Gab's ears and holding him under his arm.

"Don't be mad," Gab whispered, "I think there's cum on your sheets."

"With how much you put in my muzzle," Rayner quietly laughed, "there's more than some on my pillow, your neck, and on the pawboard."

"Oh," Gab whispered, "right."

"But you make a tasty mess," Rayner leaned in and whispered.

Leaning back, Gab looked at Rayner's muzzle and lips and, without a moment, started licking them clean. Rayner licked him back. It made Gab's mission harder, but Rayner enjoyed it more.

"Rayner," Gab panted after he finished, "Humm. I'm not actually sure if I'm ready to be tied yet."

"That's okay," Rayner said quietly, "It's like buying the condoms. You know? When we know, we know, and we'll know when we aren't in a horny mess."

"Buying that scared the shit out of me," Gab whispered, "I'm really glad I did."

"And honestly, you didn't have to give it to me that night," Rayner whispered back, rubbing Gab's ear, "I didn't know and wouldn't have known. Even if we are both ready though, it doesn't mean it has to happen right then."

"I can't really believe you put your dick under your tail," Gab whispered and laughed nervously.

"You mean Gabriel's," Rayner whispered back and murmured to himself, "I liked that. I like that side of you."

"Oh god, you heard that?" Gab whispered, Rayner only nodded, smilling like a fiend but quietly. "Look, I'm... I'm not thinking," Gab admitted, "Last time I got off was Friday morning and what we talked about when I was alone... it took me a while to get up."

"Well, we have all the time in the world," Rayner whispered as he leaned up and kissed Gab.

Gab stretched himself out so that he could kiss Rayner back, only to have his cock slid into the little bit of mess that he had made on Rayner's stomach. Whimpering and pulling back at the cool wetness on his still-sensitive flesh, he looked down at it uncertainly. Rayner watched with interest as his wolf tried to figure out what he felt. Gab looked back up at Rayner slowly and anxiously.

"You okay?" Rayner asked.

"Sorry, I'm just being stupid," Gab muttered.

"Are you being mean to my Gab?" Rayer asked softly and nuzzled Gab's muzzle, "No calling him stupid."

"Even if it was yours, you can't get me pregnant," Gab muttered, "and you keep telling me you won't make me sick. So why am I scared?."

"It'll take a while to unlearn your fears," Rayner whispered, "be patient."

"It's getting in the way of cuddles," Gab grumbled, taking a deep breath as he lifted his cock back up and pushed himself closer to Rayner. Watching himself, Gab let his cock drop into the mess on Rayner's belly with a loud splat. After shuddering briefly, Gab stated, "There. Your bed, my mess," and then pressed his muzzle into Rayner's neck.

"You okay?" Rayner asked softly after Gab calmed down a bit.

"Would it be wrong to do that test thing again?" Gab asked very quietly.

"If it'll help," Rayner whispered into Gab's ear, "we can go tomorrow."

"I mean, we don't but," Gab whispered, pulling his ears back.

"Having your seed on and in me doesn't scare me," Rayner whispered before Gab could continue, "Testing whether it's done anything to me doesn't scare me either. If I can help you feel that, I will."

"Thank you," Gab whispered and hugged Rayner hard.

The two wolves held each other silently, sometimes kissing, sometimes nuzzling, but all the while holding each other tightly. Gab remained relatively clean, all things considered. The scent Rayner brought back from Pinewood was probably on Gab now, but depending on how bad it was, Rayner would help him wash it out after he was done. Gab didn't seem to notice anymore. Pressed right into Rayner's neck, the wolf took slow long breaths as they held each other. The only real pain was the paw that Rayner had put under Gab's tail, then soaked in seed to play with himself went numb as he held it up behind Gab so that he didn't get anything on anything else.

When their knots were small enough to slip back into their sheaths, they tried to get up. Rayner had to wait a bit for the pins and needles sensation in his paw to stop after letting it drop. Gab looked himself over a couple of times but seemed satisfied with whatever he found. Smiling, Rayner just watched.

"What?" Gab asked with a laugh when he saw Rayner.

"You're my boyfriend," Rayner said with a smile.

"Oh my god Rayner," Gab whispered as he shook his head and rolled his eyes. Lifting a paw to gesture at him, Gab added, "You're in bed, in the fur, covered in cum, and that's what you say?"

"What?" Rayner asked with a smile before looking down at himself and asking, "This doesn't make me look gay, does it?"

"Fuck off," Gab scoffed, trying his best not to laugh but he was far from successful. It took a couple of seconds but Gab managed to answer, "Nah, I'm sure straight wolves would be good with that."

"Guess I'm gay then," Rayner chuckled, "You okay with that?"

"Yeah, I think, you know," Gab whispered as he looked Rayner over, "I just wish this was simpler."

"I don't know," Rayner said quietly and tilted his head, "do you like being with me?"

"Yeah," Gab whispered and nodded.

"And I like being with you," Rayner said, "that's pretty simple."

"Still us enjoying our unflavored ice cream," Gab muttered, "I just wish I could give you more than that."

"Gab, three women have tried and failed to give me what you are able to with a smile," Rayner explained as he put a paw on Gab's knee, "and I definitely failed to give them anything. This. This is more than I have ever had to be leagues."

"I feel like any other wolf could give you more, though," Gab whispered.

"It's your seed on me, though," Rayner whispered, "Your scent. Your mark. I don't know how to say it any other way, Gab, but I want you."

"Why, though?" Gab whispered.

"I've told you," Rayner whispered, "Everything you are is what I want. I don't know, maybe it was searching for you for the three months after we first met or like pining for you through heat. Maybe both? Then getting to know the wolf you are."

"No one has ever liked the wolf I am, though," Gab complained, "Rayner, you're actually hot."

"Gab, look at my sheath and tell me that I don't think you're hot," Rayner said as he glanced down to see himself peaking out the top. Looking back up, he saw Gab staring down at it as well with a hesitant look. Whispering, Rayner added, "I love you, but I also really want you. I just also want our time together to be, I don't know. Comfortable?

"Trying not to say safe?" Gab asked.

"No, it's just ferally fucking each other in the woods until our tails are leaking and we have bite marks all over our necks doesn't seem as appealing when it's real life," Rayner explained, "I mean, stories about it are fun but, you know seeing the aftermath, it seems like that would be very painful."

"That actually seems dangerous," Gab muttered to himself before asking, "does the Pack?"

"Some do," Rayner admitted with a nod and had an image of the couple times a wolf has walked through the Hall with actual bite marks on his neck and not just getting scruffed. Darkly he added, "Some are very loud about it." Looking but up he continued more lightly, "I mean, it's a little weird to know when some counsins were conceived but that's life. Being feral though is very niche and you sort of have to schedule for consent reasons."

"How do you schedule ferally fucking each other in the woods?" Gab asked in shock.

"I made a sheet for it," Rayner explained, catching what that sounded like he added, "I mean I was told to make sheet for it and share it out. There's a couple for standard spots."

"I guess that also indicates areas to avoid," Gab muttered.

"Only if it's requested," Rayner explained, "I think Carl said there's special times if the couple wants the area to be avoided."

"So wolves can just watch?" Gab almost gasped, "Have you watched?"

"You mean watch my cousins and elders having sex in the woods?" Rayner asked plainly, "It's not like porn Gab. I know them."

"Oh, yeah," Gab muttered, "I guess that makes sense. Did? Do you want to have sex in the woods?"

"Maybe," Rayner admitted, "but not like a feral. Could bring a blanket and a picnic lunch and make a date out of it. Mate at the base of an oak tree and not have to care about making anything messy. Watch the clouds as we are tied. Or we could go out at night and look at the stars."

"That actually sounds nice," Gab whispered. Rayner saw a faint hint of a smile appear on Gab's face after he spoke.

"It's different at night out there as well," Rayner explained, "Here, you can't see anything, but if the moon isn't even out, it's darker than pitch. You lose colour on the ground, but the sky is just covered in stars. Out there, you can see why wolves made stories about them."

"Okay, but maybe cuddling at night looking at the stars," Gab muttered, "Sex outside is pretty extreme."

"I'd be good with cuddling in the woods at night," Rayner agreed.

"Maybe when I'm like forty, we can have feral sex," Gab grumbled.

"When we find that unflavoured ice cream isn't as interesting as it used to be, we can try other flavours," Rayner tried to put it differently, "it's not like we have to though if we are enjoying it. And we definitely don't have to jump to spicy maple directly afterwards."

"Spicy maple ice cream?" Gab chuckled.

"Yeah, it was different," Rayner admitted, "it wasn't as spicy as I thought it would be, and the maple wasn't that great."

"That's sad," Gab said quietly and pointed to Rayner's chest, "We have to be on vanilla with this, though, right?"

"Me licking you?" Rayner asked as he looked down at his wet fur, "pretty sure if it was like our second date, yes. Honestly, marking each other is probably like a mint and the rest of what we've done is unflavoured."

"I finished, though," Gab pointed out and quietly added, "and, like you swallowed it."

"Didn't taste minty," Rayner chuckled but then asked, as Gab looked lost in thought, "You okay?"

"Rayner, just can't really believe I did that," Gab explained quietly

"Well do you want to add more of your mess to my fur?" Rayner asked tentatively before adding, "Or would you like to have a shower?"

"If this has been okay enough, I'd just like to shower," Gab said quietly and looked away.

"Gab, this morning has been amazing," Rayner almost laughed, "I mean it was a lot, but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat."

"Really?" Gab asked and looked back at Rayner.

"I can still taste you," Rayner whispered, "I'm all glowy, wet, and happy. I don't know, you said Gabriel Pinewood, and you seemed really happy about it."

"I really liked that," Gab said softly and looked down, "I really liked thinking about that future."

"Well, if you are able to handle my family," Rayner said as he lifted Gab's muzzle back up with a paw, "and the farm, the Pack in general, and me for a long period of time," Rayner thought of more things wrong, his tone got darker, "Well and Carl. Then there's the shitty internet and the lack of restaurants or bars. Also, literally everyone knows who you are and what you're up to. The work. The lack of work. The scents. The fucking vulgarity," Rayner chuckled before realising he was rambling and ended with, "Not really a brochure tagline but that's what I want."

"If you are willing to put up with my scared tail," Gab muttered as he looked at Rayner, "I'll follow you really away where."

"Don't say anything mean about your tail," Rayner leaned forward and gave Gab a light kiss on the muzzle, "it's my favourite tail in the whole world. Plus, he seems to be less scared of me."

"He is," Gab whispered.

"I'm really glad," Rayner whispered before leaning back and saying, "Well, let's go wash. I'm starting to smell cow again."

"Thank you," Gab whispered after he reached out and grabbed Rayner's wrist before Rayner got up. Freezing in place, Rayner watched Gab for a second before bringing the paw Gab had grabbed to Gab's muzzle while leaning in and kissing him again.

"You're my boyfriend, Gab," Rayner whispered just after he parted, "Tell what I can do, and I'll try my best to make it happen."

"You do so much," Gab whimpered, "You love me, you give me hope... and you don't hurt me even when I deserve it. You even go out of your way to make things less scary."

"Gab I need you to promise me something," Rayner said sternly, coming closer to Gab.

"What?" Gab whimpered, "Anything."

"I want you to promise me that if I ever do hurt you," Rayner said, lifting Gab's muzzle so that he could look him in the eyes, "I want you to leave me."

"What?" Gab whimpered.

"You deserve better than a mate that hurts you," Rayner whispered, "I promise I won't ever hurt you but if I ever do, I don't deserve to be with you, and I want you to find someone better. Please promise me."

"Rayner," Gab whimpered hard and fought himself for a couple of long seconds before saying, "I promise, but please don't... Please don't leave."

"Thank you," Rayner whispered and rubbed Gab's ear softly, "and I never want to."

"I'm sorry," Gab whispered and nodded.

"No, Gab, I'm your boyfriend," Rayner said, rubbing Gab's ear harder, "I want to protect you the best I can."

"Thank you," Gab whispered and nodded.

"What do you need?" Rayner whispered.

"Just to shower," Gab muttered, and he looked up.

"Getting tired of the cow smell too?" Rayner asked as the two got up off the floor and opened the door.

"No, I want a hug but I keep feeling wet spots," Gab explained.

Rayner chuckled as he turned on the water and then switched it over to the shower head. A mild amount of steam rose from the tub as he stepped in and took a long glump of water. Gab watched, trying to figure out if he should close the door or not. If Rayner didn't seem concerned, he guessed that his roommates were away for a while.

A paw wiping down is chest found a lot of now tacky seed deep in Rayner's fur. Smiling to himself as he felt it, he tried his best to wash it off rather than just play with it. His sheath tightened regardless. Gab's and his scent on his paw and the memories sent a warm sensation through his core. Looking over at Gab standing in the doorway only in his fur, Rayner smiled at him.

"There a lot?" Gab asked quietly.

"A bit, yeah," Rayner chuckled, grabbing his standard shampoo off the counter. He looked at it for a second, then turned to Gab and asked, "Could you get the bottle out of my bag? Bright red bottle."

"Yeah," Gab said with a nod before turning around and rummaging through the bedroom. A zipper being undone and a couple of small noises later, Gab came back reading to the front of the bottle, "This it?"

"Yup," Rayner said as Gab handed it to him.

"It's almost empty," Gab muttered.

"Yeah, but it's expensive," Rayner explained as he started to lather up, "My sister swears by it, though, to get her own scent off."

"That must really be annoying," Gab said after a second, he took a couple of steps back so that he wasn't in direct line of the steam.

"Yeah, most of the year, it's harder to be sexual but it's like one month of just nothing but hormones," Rayner agreed as he worked on himself. Eventually, he was to the point where he had gotten everywhere he could reach, that he wanted to get, and looked around for the long handle brush he usually used for his back. Turning to Gab, he asked, "Is the big brush over there?"

"What?" Gab muttered as he looked before saying, "No?"

"Do you mind helping with my back then?" Rayner asked sheepishly, "If you grab my brush out of my bag, you don't have to get your paws wet."

"Okay," Gab said and turned back into the bedroom for the brush.

Rayner turned the water off as Gab searched and got the bottle ready for when he came back. Gab found it quickly and, with a new set of shampoo on the brush, managed to get through Rayner's back fur in quick order. A quick rinse and wash, and Rayner picked up his normal shampoo for a once over on a different spot.

A quick wash and rinse between his legs and Gab's scent was, in theory, entirely gone. Rayner looked over at Gab after he was done, and the wolf was looking rather forlorn in the entranceway. Sighing, Rayner turned off the water and started to dry off.

The two spent a better part of half an hour getting Rayner's fur completely dry with two different fur dryers. Neither was his, but the cats said so long as he didn't wreck them, he could borrow one. Jack kept his in his room out of searching paws. A bit of brushing and wiping his paws heavily on one of the towels later, Rayner hoped the smell of the farm had left him.

"Here," Rayner whispered as he set down the drying and went up to Gab and tentatively hugged him. Gab tucked his head into Rayner's neck and hugged back hard. Whispering, Rayner added, "I'm sorry. This was a lot to come back to."

"No, Rayner, I can do better," Gab whispered almost aggressively and tried to part a bit, "I don't mean to make this shit complicated."

"Gab," Rayner whispered as Gab stepped back. As Gab initially was looking out the hallway, Rayner softly moved Gab's muzzle back to him so that they were looking at each other. Rayner smiled when their eyes eventually met.

"I can be a good mate," Gab whispered sadly.

"I don't want a good mate, Gab," Rayner whispered back, "I want you."

"Okay?" Gab whispered.

"Sorry," Rayner choked out, suddenly processing what he said and the shocked look on Gab's face, he quickly added, "That absolutely did not come out like I intended. We'll be good. It's just awkward at the start."

"Yeah, I just worry," Gab whispered, breaking eye contact and trying to look out the hallway again, "shouldn't sex be easy?"

"Bad sex is the easiest thing in the world," Rayner offered, "I have only ever enjoyed being with you, though, and that's probably a lot harder than beings assume. We know what we like, and we aren't reckless in trying new things."

"What do we like?" Gab asked, looking back at Rayner.

"Being wrapped up," Rayner said, moving closer to Gab, "playing with our paws and kissing until we can't. It's calm, simple, and safe. If you want, I can show you."

"I don't know," Gab whispered.

"You don't have to be certain," Rayner whispered back, "you just have to kiss me if you want to start."

Gab took a deep breath, nodded slightly, and, to Rayner's delight, reached up and softly kissed Rayner. Just over a half hour later, the two wolves were fast asleep, snuggling on Rayner's bed, as they let their knots soften. Rayner lay on his back with an arm around Gab and Gab on his side with his knot next to Rayner's. No extra scents were added, to the room, or to each other's fur.