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Welcome back, my lovely reader~

Did you know I wrote this over a week ago?

That's right, being a writer is my dream job but it has full-time hours and doesn't pay the bills. I want to keep writing these stories for everyone to enjoy and your support on Patreon or Ko-Fi helps make that happen. Supporters even get to see stories a week early to avoid all that pesky waiting. I also appreciate non-financial support like faving, voting, and following me here or on Twitter. Thank you so much for your continued support! Please enjoy the episode.

And with that out of the way...

Episode 2:

You never forget your first.

Sen stepped alongside the other canine in quiet frustration. It was humbling to be back in the restless plex so soon; back to the streets, the corridors, and the neon halo cascading across everything. How much had been sacrificed, no, scorned, to reach just that first ledge he'd already fallen off? What would the family who looked down their snouts at those without tradition think of their wayward son, now?

A world of questions weighed on his mind with his future up in the air, now up to the whims of a doe that could literally remake or break his whole life. The kitsune felt torn; he'd fled a life of little choice and being told what to believe or make of himself, just to end up on a new path dictated for him. Yet, Sen had met a pack of misfits that went above and beyond the pay, and were kind to him without even truly knowing who he was.

"Mhm, you need a big tall re-kaff, maybe a double shot with a sour look like that." Angel broke the quiet, hiking a thumb at the embedded shop in the wall, just like so many units of the hub. All of them with shutters, doors, or thru-slots open for the sights and smells to bombard the senses, and that was before the flashing trideos for just about any vice desirable.

"I don't really drink stimulants, can mess up the-"

"Honey you're gonna need to loosen up, and when Angel is buying you don't get to say no, you dig?" The retriever waved a paw to dismiss any further rebuttal, cutting off Sen's declination before turning to the waiting bay window, "Two soy-kaffs, both double, and gimme two spritzes of sunset in em, thanks sugar. Oh, one of those needs real rocks!"

A tired nod and smile came from the older siamese cat, then she cocked a brow at the following words, giving the retriever an expectant look to pay first. Once Angel slid his credstick, the feline turned to swiftly work on the two beverages. "You're gonna like this, bet you've never had anything like it before!" The retriever gave a confident lift of a brow and nod.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Sen chuckled, then looked about as other groups and the occasional solo wanderer walked along the rockrete street in the cool night air, but all were possibles to him; threats, faces, unknowns that caused his training to come to the fore. The kitsune felt naked without so much as a handgun at his hip, the heckling of his fur rising at the further paranoia some Inari goon was out there, watching him.

"Here you go, sip and savor sugar, it'll pick you right up." Angel presented Sen a cup, breaking him from his train of thought, "Enjoy!" He tapped cup-lids before taking a sample of the strong beverage, licking his chops with a swift tail-wagging, "Mm-mm! That's what I'm talking about, this smile don't run on hopes and dreams alone, ha ha!"

Sen snorted with a roll of his eyes before sipping the mug, instantly blinking at the sweet then savory flavors that flowed over his tongue, "Woah, how'd it do that?"

"Heh, that's the sunset honey. It gives you a sweet kiss then takes you to bed. Also that's the real stuff, gotta know the lingo to get it and pay upfront." Angel winked with a cheeky smile before nodding his head onward, "Let's get on, you've had quite a day, sugar."

The idea of following someone to their home was new and odd to Sen, who hadn't visited or been allowed friends, having grown up in a strict family. Even that upbringing aside was the training he'd gone through: to observe then follow a target through a crowded plex without them ever being aware; but, it was altogether alien for Sen to walk alongside someone, weaving through living traffic to visit their home by invitation instead of stalking them.

Sen tried to focus on the other dog at his side as they passed the archways to clubs, the thumping beat reminding him of entering the domain of Jane. She was like a black widow, with the looks and wit to get anything she wanted, and the power to take it or snuff out those opposing her goals. The kitsune admired all those things enough that the idea of being her lapdog now only mildly pissed him off, but did nothing for the unease of stepping into Jane's world.

"Well, here we are sugar, ain't no pearly gates but this is where Angel resides." The retriever offered that by now trademark grin that was cute and sweet at once, something that both offered comfort and put Sen off-guard. Angel swiftly tapped in his key code to get the door hissing to the side. "Make yourself comfortable, heh."

Sen stepped inside after his host, peering about the nicely kept space with a quiet pan as if taking in another simulation. His twin tails idly shifted while taking in the small, humble living quarters. Various little sculptures or rescued bits of art decorated the otherwise sparse walls and slab shelves.

"Whatcha think, not too bad right? It ain't much to some but all I need when alone." Angel shrugged, taking another sip of his soy-kaff before setting it on the small kitchen counter at his back, an L-shaped space with a few small appliances and a sink. With no space for a dining table, the slender one before the two-person couch had to do.

"It's nice." Sen gave a light smile, setting down his cup on the small table before him, then taking off the jacket given to him by the same kind host. The kitsune placed it lightly on one of the armrests of the couch, then rubbed the back of his neck in thought.

"Nice huh? That a 'nice' way of saying it's a tiny, broke-ass place?" Angel laughed with a flash of his tongue, "Only kidding, but you gotta speak your mind, sugar. Don't clam up or you'll become a shell, just saying."

Sen regarded the other canine with a grateful nod, "I hate to ask but uh, this place got a shower?"

"Mmhm, only room enough for one though, it's a real shame." Angel grinned with a wave toward the door in the middle of the dual-purpose room, letting the kitsune into his bedroom with a smaller side door for the bathroom. "No hot water, sorry sugar, but towels on the right. I'll get us some chow together, take your time."

"Heh, thank you Angel...you've ah, been real nice." Sen smiled more warmly for once, tails lifting as he saw that same bright grin from his newfound friend.

"Mhm, I know. It's what I do baby, Angel's gotta look out for others." The retriever grinned with a wink before slipping out of the room.

Sen took off the clothes that hadn't even been his at the start of this insane day, setting them aside to turn enough to stare at the small mirror on the wall. There was a slight blur in his vision as the other eye took a few nanoseconds to catch up to the movement and feed the information to his nerves. He'd actually been turning it off during the crazy moments like the freefall and running, at least he did after the freefall where he almost threw up in the alley over it trying to process everything.

Angel clearly didn't get company over, the whole place smelled of nothing but him as Sen pulled the handle of the shower. The head sputtered and stalled with groaning in the old pipes before it finally started spitting out a stream of water. He waved his paw through it a few seconds with the handle turned to the 'hot' setting, before recalling the retriever told him there was only cold water.

In times like this, Sen wished he'd sprung for that neural network link they offered back at Inari that could temporarily disable your sensation of pain. It was handy for combat in the field as you could just keep pushing without the body screaming at you about how you were bleeding out from all the bullet holes in you, but handy for situations like this too.

With a controlled breath, he sent a signal to his arm to at least disable the nerves there and stepped into the icy shower. Angel couldn't help but bite his tongue with an amused grin from the sofa outside, hearing the loudly barked swearing from the bathroom.

While his guest was showering, the retriever lounged back on the couch, his wireless headware sorting through places to call up for delivery. He had promised the fox burgers and he didn't seem objective to the idea. He thought about spending up for real stuff instead of soy, but that drek was pricey and he'd already have trouble making rent at this rate.

"Man... I'm too nice for my own good, aren't I?" Angel barked out to himself with a laugh as he set up the order while grinning and looking over at the small window. "I'll see if Ms. Jane has some extra work I can do, maybe hang out with the other two sour-faced boys as muscle or something?" He did this occasionally, talked to himself when he was nervous, and always told himself it was fine so long as he didn't answer back.

"Guh!" Sen made his shower as quick as possible, but he hated the cold and had a lot of the day to wash out, what with all the blood, sweat, and filth of the streets he'd been thrown into. With a shiver, he turned the water off and grabbed the towel, hesitating as he clearly could smell the retriever on it, familiar and frankly comforting at this point - that scent had been in his nose every time the drek was hitting the fan today. Sen frowned as he looked at the towel, hardly believing where he was, but at least he was alive.

"Oh, that was quick!" Angel said as Sen came out into the small living room with the towel wrapped around his head, his outfit back on but some of his fur still looking a little damp.

"No drek it was quick, I don't do cold showers," The kitsune said with a frown as the retriever hopped right up and trotted over to him.

"Must be nice, hot water is one of many luxuries in the sprawl, sugar, but I hope you feel better. Tag you're it!" Angel plucked the towel off his head to saunter into the bathroom. "Oh hey, I got slop on the way, so if you hear the buzzer, don't think it's the Big-I here for you!"

Sen frowned at that, his messy black bangs scattered over his forehead, blocking some of his vision as he saw the other dog bump the bathroom door closed and heard the groaning pipes from here knock a few times before the water arrived.

There were a few loud pounds on the front door, making the kitsune instinctively shift into a fighting stance, his teeth bared as that blade in his arm shot forth. Sen frowned as he just heard the footsteps fading, and with a cautious snort opened the door, blade still drawn just to be safe as he looked up and down the hall, hearing a loud bang from the stairwell door slamming, the flickering lights above illuminating the greasy-looking paper sack left behind.

A few more minutes passed before the retriever came out of the bathroom with the towel thrown over his shoulders. "Is that soy-burgs I smell? I can feel my arteries hardening already!" He called out with a laugh as he grinned at the fox who was giving him a curious look.

He'd put his jeans back on but was shirtless, his dirty-blonde hair looking browner from still being damp, curling around his slightly round face and tickling back near his shoulder blades. It was odd for Sen to see another boy with long hair, given the academy and security division had strict regulations on hair as well as fur length.

Angel showed him that cute grin as both his paws held the towel, seeing the fox looking at him curiously, the first time he'd been shirtless. There were a few streaks of pink flesh showing through the golden fur, scars from who knows what the retriever had experienced in his life. He had a stronger frame than Sen did, but then again he was a bigger dog. It's not like the fox wasn't secure enough in his manhood to know when another guy looked good - especially with those abs.

"Oh hey, since you're checking me out, take a look at this too!" Angel showed that gapped grin once more then whipped his towel off before pulling his wet hair to the side and turning around. There were a few scars along the other dog's broad shoulders and back, but more to the point, there was a large articulate display of black ink that formed into large wings that spanned over shoulder blades, teasing at the back of his shoulders.

Sen looked surprised to be sure. "Woah... that's actually pretty wiz! But... how is it-"

Those sharp green eyes looked back at him over his shoulder, tail wagging as if happy the fox approved. "It's a special tattoo infused with nanites and biotech, it basically not only does the skin, but tells my fur, hey buddy, you're growing in black right here!" The retriever gave him a lazy smile before Sen heard him hesitate before speaking again, "... do you like it?"

"I do, yeah. You're a pretty chill guy, so it suits you. I've never seen tattoos like that, the corp was big on clean fur and short hair," Sen almost sounded remorseful as he explained.

"Wanna know a secret?" Angel turned and trotted over to him, that cute grin showing and his eyes looking softer, more relaxed than Sen had seen them.

"Uh... what?" He took a small step back, half wondering if the other dog was about to pounce him.

"I only got these about a month ago, you're the first one that's seen them!" The retriever declared playfully, putting a paw to his scarred chest.

"Is that right?" Sen offered a small grin. The other dog's tail wagged faster, his scent stronger now that he was closer, not that Sen didn't already smell heavily of him from using that towel.

"Maybe... I can give you a first, sugar," The retriever offered him a playful wink.

"Yeah, you already did, like skydiving out of a fragging window, or getting tech ripped out of my arm while my old boss tried to murder me, so I think I'm good on firsts!" Sen barked with a laugh as he put his paws on his hips.

Angel almost looked like he was pouting at that retort, but then showed another grin as he grabbed up the bag on the counter. "C'mon sugar, grab a few beers out of the fridge, and let's eat. I'm ready to eat my arm, and I don't have a fancy replacement one like you do!" The retriever barked out with a laugh as he trotted into the bedroom.

"Wait- Why in..." Sen frowned but went to the small micro-fridge that didn't seem to hold anything but synth-hol, mostly beers but a few bottles of harder stuff too. He gathered a few up and with some hesitation, walked back into the bedroom.

Angel had already thrown the towel over the mattress of the small bed, slipped on a t-shirt, and set out a soy-burg and some fries. The shirt he slipped on was form-fitting, showing off the definition the larger dog sported, a simple no-frills white one that looked like you could buy in packs. Sen frowned awkwardly before he took a seat on the bed, hearing it give a small groaning squeak from the old springs, even as the mattress looked fairly clean and new.

"That rickety old coffee table would probably fall over with a stiff breeze, that's why." Angel gave a bark to the question that wasn't asked before snatching up his burger and taking a bite.

"Uh-huh..." Sen cracked open a can of the synth-hol and took a small sip before taking a bite of the burger. It was surprisingly good, cheesy, and soy-filled; greasy for sure, but after the day he'd had, it was amazing.

Angel grinned as he saw the kitsune start to really dig into the slop he'd ordered. "Heh... hadn't had any food in a while, sugar?"

"Mmph..." Sen took down a bite and chased it with a swig of beer before speaking, "Why bother feeding a dead dog much? One meal a day, and you busted my tail out right before dinner."

"Oooh, maybe I should have given you a little time?" He hummed and took another bite of his own burger.

"Oh yeah, I was raring to go for that nutri-paste. Small mercy I hadn't eaten actually, probably really would have tossed it in the alley." The fox growled and got back to work finishing off his burger, the other boy having not even gotten halfway done.

"I like watching you relaxed and eating. If I can get a hold of a proper kitchen, I'll cook you something, sugar," The retriever offered a childish grin before getting back to work on his own food.

"You can cook? Your fridge was full of nothing but booze though," Sen asked curiously, frowning as he realized his burger was finished but picked up his small sleeve of fries.

"I can, would you believe I was actually educated to be a professional cook before the drek went south?" The retriever smiled wistfully at him as if recalling another time.

"Huh... how did you go from cook to runner, if I may ask?" Sen perked his ears, his head tilting as he started nibbling on his fries.

"Got you an extra, knew you'd be ravenous." Angel fished into the paper bag, tossing another soy-burger to the fox, his blue eye widening as if he'd just been handed a credstick with a million credits on it.

"Anyway, I was a corp-brat like you, trained up in a military academy, but you know armies don't march on their bellies, and I love cooking, so naturally I started specializing in that. You keep the chaplains safe for your soul, you keep the docs safe for your health, and you keep the cooks safe so you don't choke on MRE's, ya know," Angel barked a laugh.

"So what went south?" Sen asked between bites of his new burger.

--*--

The dark hull of the T-bird streaked with the volume of anti-air flack filling the sky around it, forcing the nimble craft to jink endlessly even as the pilot frantically shouted into his headset over the din of glancing hits across the hull.

"Commander, we cannot sustain this course, we'll be shredded in seconds!" The young retriever reported to his commanding officer who shook his head, keeping a paw covering the earpiece since this was a live operation and they were blacked out to radio only, no wireless.

"That's suicide, they knew our vector already! We can't-" The pilot felt his throat dry out as the CO pushed a handgun to the side of his head.

"Take us in, soldier. Better to die at enemy paws than get shot down by our own for treason, so follow your damn orders!" The older calico hissed the words, his eyes looking hardened even as a hail of fire raked across the underside of the aircraft.

"F- Fine, get that fucking thing out of my face!" The pilot snarled as he licked his chops and focused, but the pistol stayed trained on him for that first crack in willpower, doing nothing to ease the rattling anxiety of the situation.

"C-Commander, I can't fucking do this! I know I went through basic, but I'm a fucking cook, not a strike squad member! I'm only here for time served, damn it!" The young dog barked out, glaring at the older cat who simply gave a hard jab of the pistol against his helmet.

"We all serve Raijin absolutely, soldier. Don't make me put you or anyone else down for insubordination. If we die, then we die with our fucking muzzles up, not with tails tucked and whimpering!" He shouted to the other four members of the squad, all just as terrified and grasping at the shuddering hull by harness or framework as the craft lurched to and fro.

There wasn't much time for further questioning as a stream of anti-air rounds tore through the left turbine of the T-bird, the engine making a loud whining groan as it blew out and sent the dropship into a dying tailspin.

"Fuck fuck fuck! I don't wanna fucking die, this is bullshit!" The retriever barked out while clinging to the side of the drop door that he needed to parachute from.

"Pilot what are-" The Calico snarled as he saw the cockpit covered in blood and bits from the other soldier. He hissed out seeing the others still buckled in with the retriever the only one that had been ready to drop.

Through the whirling maelstrom of the spiraling vehicle, the young dog gave a shrill bark as he felt himself tackled right out of the opening. "Sir!" He screamed out as the CO hissed out and grabbed the pull cord on the chute he wore, offering him a salute before yanking it.

"Commander!" He screamed as the older cat plummeted past his paws as the chute snatched and caught him. The dog winced from the jerk, then offered a gasp as the t-bird spiraled past him into the distance.

"Fuck! Fuck... why?!" He cried out, his vision blurring, then screamed out as he clutched the straps of his parachute harness as he saw tracer rounds coming straight for him. "Shit shit what do I-" Blinding pain then unconsciousness.

"Damn, you just couldn't resist could you?"

"The auto-targeting program was tracking the T-bird, he just happened to be in the path."

"Huh... took his whole fucking hip nearly off on that, he still got a pulse?"

"Barely, you want me to put a bullet in his brain and put him out of his misery?"

"What's that, ma'am? His SIN? Let's see... yeah, ha ha, poor little bastard was just some cook. Guess he should have stayed in the Raijin mess halls, eh?"

"Come again?"

"Stabilize his tail and bring him back, that's what she says."

"Seriously? Fuck it, fine, I'm not going to be on that rabbit's drek list, give me the blood-coagulant agent before this mother fucker bleeds out."

--*--

"Damn..." Sen blinked over at the retriever who was just offering that silly cute grin after the harrowing tale. "So... rabbit?"

"Uh-huh... The Big-F, Fujin, got word of the mission, hired out some extra security from Ms. Jane. The location didn't have any anti-air guns according to intel, because they literally outsourced them at the last minute."

"Doesn't that mean it was kind of her fault you ended up that way?" Sen cocked a brow.

"Soldiers are soldiers, Sen. You should know that. We do what we do, it's rarely personal, but it sure as drek was made personal when she pulled my tail out of a one-way trip to the nine hells!" Angel huffed out matter-of-factly with a nod.

"I guess so. Why did she do it anyway?" He asked.

"Thought I was cute!" Angel barked with a grin.

"T-there has to be more than that!" Sen didn't look convinced.

"Mmm... she occasionally has me cook for her?" The retriever grinned and shrugged.

"Let me get this straight... she saved you, put chrome in your meat, and made you one of her personal runners, all because she thought you were cute, and could cook for her occasionally?" Sen asked skeptically.

"That's what she says. It's a little more involved now, but yeah, that's the gist of it. Me having some training and background in the Big-R didn't hurt I'm sure, I think I might be her only operative from them." Angel chomped down the last bite of his soy-burg and shrugged, "I dunno, Sen, maybe she was just doing her once-a-year good deed like she did with your ass, or maybe she's got a thing for hot doggies?"

"You sounded really scared in the story." Sen sipped his beer before getting back to what was left of his burger.

"I was like twenty and had no live combat experience, just some basic training. I was terrified." Angel leaned back on his paws with a smile. "Fear isn't a bad thing, sugar. It can help you a lot in the moment, can help you run away or fight hard enough to survive, ya know?"

"Still get scared these days?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

"Every time, sugar! I get that little twisty ache in my belly, then my one knee gets a little weak, I swear my new one does too, but then that rush comes along. Woo baby... That adrenaline hits, my heart pounds and I get sprung!" Angel clenched his paws with a grin, his tail wagging behind him.

Sen gave a laugh and then awkwardly grinned. "Thanks for the visual, you really are a little horn dog, huh, fetch?"

Angel offered him a surprisingly sultry smile, his green eyes looking a little more relaxed as he huffed out. "Adrenaline isn't the only thing that gets me sprung though, sugar."

The kitsune felt his heart pitter-patter rather hard at that and his stomach twist a little as he swallowed a lump in his throat and stammered out, "Uh... Y-yeah? Shouldn't we be finishing our food, An-"

The retriever growled and pushed the towel and fries that were left off the bed onto the floor. "I'll clean it up later!" He gave a lazy grin, showing that little gap of tooth before dropping onto his paws and slowly moving towards the other dog.

"Uh..." Sen huffed, looking at the intent boy padding towards him, the bed shifting under him, then glanced back to see his own tails wagging a little. Was this actually exciting him? He'd not had much experience but-

His thoughts scattered as Angel gently gripped his collar and pulled him closer, nose to nose again like they had been in the van. "You remember what I said last time, yeah, sugar?"

Sen's blue eye widened but he shivered at the confident touch and the smell of this dog, the comfort he'd provided, the reassurance, and even the protection. "Y-yeah, I do..."

"Mhm... gonna make a liar of me, then? Because if you don't ask, I'm gonna just do it, sugar." He shifted a paw to cup the other boy's jaw, feeling how warm his cheeks were through that thin orange fur, knowing he was blushing under it.

"You're incorrigible, fetch!" He barked out but then shifted his paws to the other dog's t-shirt, gripping it as he pulled closer. "F-fine, if it'll make you-" His eyes widened as the other boy just took the invitation and pushed his muzzle hard up to his.

Sen's eyes widened as Angel tilted his own muzzle to make the kiss nice and deep, feeling his paws tangle into his still faintly damp locks of hair, then a small muffled bark came from the fox as the retriever made good on his promise and brought that tongue forward to meet his.

He'd never kissed with tongue before, so his movements were awkward. He tasted the synth-hol and soy on Angel's breath, no doubt his own taste similar as they held one another, in the kiss he'd let the retriever give him in earnest without shoving him off.

The kiss lasted several heated moments before Angel finally pulled away with a huff, his tongue lolled, his green eyes looking like they were sparkling in the cheap lights of the room. "First kiss, sugar?"

Sen perked his ears, shaking off the moment before barking out, "W-what? Uh... I've kissed before!"

"Yeah, kissing your mom or sibling on the cheek doesn't count, sugar!" Angel barked out a laugh before the kitsune glared at him and gave him a good shove, pushing him off.

"You drek-for-brains! Geeze I-" He bit his tongue and just glared at the other dog, his heart still pounding. Life in the shrine was heavily restrictive, then the military was equally constraining. It wasn't that he couldn't find attention, he'd just never sought it out. No one gave him those looks like Angel had, and even Jane had been eying him like a piece of meat earlier- at least, he thought she was. Then again, with that rabbit, she could have literally been doing that, as if looking for a spot to sink her teeth in and rip out.

"I am honored to be your first kiss, then!" Angel barked out playfully and put a paw to his chest.

"I didn't say you were my first," Sen growled and looked away.

"You didn't say I wasn't either." Angel lifted a padded-finger offering a grin as he leaned back in.

"So?" The kitsune glared slightly at the larger dog then frowned with folded ears as Angel pulled nice and close again, already licking his chops.

"So, want another?" he growled. Sen barked out as he didn't wait for an answer, feeling him lock muzzles with him again, the fox offering a fussy growl but this time his own tongue coming forth to meet the other dog's.

Angel's deeper growls rolled down his throat and Sen felt the world roll on him before he smacked back into the bed, the larger body atop him now, their tongues rolling as the fox shifted his paws to push against Angel's chest, not to shove him away but curiously feeling it up.

With a small playful grin, the retriever broke the kiss and hummed as he felt the fox curiously pushing against his chest. "I'd like to say I work out, but it's mostly me running, climbing, and fighting for my life multiple times a week!"

"Really? I mean, they're pretty impressive..." Sen pushed a paw against one of his abs, feeling the small ridges through the shirt Angel had put on.

"Okay, okay, you got me, maybe I do a few pull ups, planks, and run a tiny bit, but I'd not call myself a fitness buff." He hummed and smiled down at the fox, nose to nose again, looking hard into his eyes. "You've got really pretty eyes, Sen... well that one is anyway, that other one looks like cheap drek!" He barked out in a laugh.

The fox felt his heart start to beat hard, then narrowed his eyes with a snarl. "You're an ass, you know that, right?"

"Mhm... I can tell you enjoy it though." Angel moved in and Sen barked out softly as the retriever started offering small nips and love bites along his throat. Now this wasn't just a kiss, every dog knew, bites like that were like cheek licks, they were-

The retriever huffed and leaned close, dragging his tongue right up against Sen's muzzle in a slow kiss, the fox offering a small shiver and huffing before blinking up into the green eyes, looking shocked.

"Too much?" Angel showed that cute grin, looking down at him with sparkling eyes.

"I don't... No, it wasn't... I think?" Sen rubbed his jaw, his heart pounding before he darted his eyes away, then shifted them back to see that cute grinning retriever that'd saved his life a few times today. "So uh... what happens now? I mean... with us?"

"Now? Well, that was your goodnight kiss, sugar!" Angel hummed as he rolled right off the fox, sitting up with a tail wag.

"Wait-" Sen jerked up and shook his head. "That's... but you- I mean... weren't you wanting to uh..."

"Roll around in the sheets with you, make you scream my name, work that tension of the day out?" Angel hummed and wagged his tail faster before grinning. "Oh yes, sugar... I want that very very much but..."

He gave the fox a surprisingly cute whimper as his green eyes looked away. "You've had a tough day, you're still reeling, and I like you a lot so far, like you enough, I'm not gonna do that to you, capiche?"

"Seriously? Wait, are you just ... teasing me?" Sen cocked a brow, looking as confused as he felt, his heart was pounding, part of him was curious, kind of wanted to keep going, he thought Angel did too, but now he was getting shut down?

"I'm not teasing you, I'm just wanting you to not regret things, sugar. I like you a lot so far, I don't... wanna ruin that, okay?" The retriever leaned in and huffed, kissing his muzzle again quickly, then offering the other side of his jaw a small lap, Sen's tails fluffing out as a shiver rolled up his spine.

"Get some sleep, you've got a million things on your mind, sugar. See how you feel in the morning, okay?" The retriever hopped right up, gathering the discarded towel, wrappers and fries before giving him a wink.

"Wait a sec, Angel. This is your bed, shouldn't I crash on the sofa?" Sen started to stand.

"I'm not going to be a poor host, I'm used to sleeping in the floor of vans, or in old warehouses with a jacket wrapped around a bottle for a pillow, you don't worry about me napping on a couch, sugar, that's like a luxury bed compared to some of the drek I've had to sleep in!"

He wanted to argue but the older dog just smiled and stepped out of the room, the door closing behind him. The kitsune just sat there in bed, his mind racing. He'd never been sexual, never really craved it, but there was no denying what all this had done in the fatigues he wore, and his heart wouldn't stop pounding.

"The drek is this all about..." Sen flopped over into the pillows, huffing out and shivering a little at how strongly they smelled of Angel, his heart just beating harder before he calmed his mind and told his synapsis system to cue up something relaxing to listen to. It didn't take long to fade, the day was grueling and he'd not slept well in his waiting for his execution either, because who would? Sleep took him, and it took him hard like a bitch in heat - no dreams, no thoughts, just the void of absolute slumber.

--*--

He slept as if he were dead. Angel had slipped in to put a blanket over him, but a C4 charge going off in the next room wouldn't have woken him. Down for over half a day, Sen finally woke with a growling snort and a wide yawn, the first thing to his senses was the scent of the other dog in the bedding.

Biting his lower lip, the memories of yesterday rushed back in; the near-death experiences, meeting Jane, but mostly, that retriever. They actually made out last night, it wasn't a dream, was it? Sitting up from the bed, the smell of food caught his nose, making his mind stray from the worries as his stomach groaned. He'd not been eating much over the last few days, with last night's meal the biggest one he'd had in easily a week.

Angel was already showing off that cute grin as his guest came out of the bedroom after freshening up in the small bathroom adjoining it. "G'morning, sugar! Shoulda known the smell of home cookin' would wake your tails up!"

Sen rubbed the side of his head, growling slightly as he looked around the small dwelling, then settled his gaze back on Angel who offered him a surprisingly gentle smile, standing there before the hotplate working on some sort of egg dish.

"I was out almost fourteen hours, why didn't you wake me up? Any later, we'd miss the meeting with Ms. Jane." He yawned again and padded towards the small kitchen, looking in curiously from the bar near the stove.

"What do you think I'm doing, sugar? I knew this would wake you up faster than trying to shake you, not to mention if I put paws on you, I might have just ripped you out of those pants and bent you over!" The retriever gave the other boy a playful grin before gathering up two plates, one with a small stack of pancakes, the other with some scrambled eggs and sausage. Not real sausage or eggs, of course, he didn't expect Angel to have those kinds of ingredients.

Sen frowned down at the spread, lost in thought, trying to remember the last time he'd had anyone cook for him. A brief memory flashed in his mind of when he was a puppy back at the shrine, before his parents and him hated one another. A steaming mug of soykaf smacked down on the counter, bringing him back from his flashback.

"Eat up, sugar! Don't go letting it get cold!" Angel showed him a grin before turning to the tiny sink to start washing out the pan and various other cooking utensils. Sen nodded and took his fork to the eggs first, his ears perking right up as the food hit his tongue. He knew it wasn't real, but the seasoning used, the skill in cooking them, it seriously tasted like real scrambled eggs, not the mushy pasty ones they used to serve to them back in the mess halls.

"Damn... this is pretty wiz, Angel!" He barked out and started eating with more intent, the retriever beaming at the words.

"You don't know how happy I am to hear that, sweetie! I wanted to make you something nice after the rough day you had yesterday." He wagged his tail while standing at the sink, already dressed as if ready to hit the road, blue jeans on with his t-shirt, the bomber jacket he'd worn hooked on a rack near the door along with those goggles.

Sen gulped down the bite, his mind processing the newest pet name before finally speaking, "I promise to pay you back for all this when I get back on my footpaws, fetch. How much was that coffee last night anyway?"

The retriever wagged a padded-finger at him. "Now now, you don't worry about that. You can pay me back by getting yourself squared away, that'll keep me from stressing about your ass, and that's worth more than any credits you could transfer me."

The fox looked down at the food, processing that before returning to his eating, occasionally sipping on his soykaf. Angel hopped right up on the counter in the kitchen across from Sen, holding his own plate of food he started working on.

They settled into a comfortable silence of eating, but Sen noticed the retriever smiling and looking at him quite often through the whole thing, the fox finally taking down a gulp of food, feeling his cheeks burn before he spoke, "Why... are you staring so hard?"

"I just really like seeing you enjoying the food, sugar," He called out casually as he set his plate on his lap to grab up his own mug of soykaf, taking a long pull from it with a contented sigh.

"Hey uh... about last night?" Sen prodded.

Angel smiled against the rim of his mug before setting it down. "What about it, sugar?"

"Were you okay with how that went?" Sen asked.

"Were you?" Angel curled the side of his muzzle into a smirk.

Sen huffed out and fluffed his tails behind him. "Hey, jerk-face, I asked first!"

"Yeah yeah..." Angel laughed and hefted his plate up, stabbing into his eggs and snapping them up, taking his time before swallowing and answering, "I don't regret giving you some space, if that's your question."

Sen frowned and nodded before taking another bite, then almost choked at the follow-up question from the retriever, "Regret I didn't push for more?" Angel showed him a sparkling gapped grin as he watched the fox clearly struggle to not cough and spit his bite out.

He fumbled for his soykaf, taking a gulp to get the food down that had threatened to come up. He then took a deep sigh of air before glaring at the other dog over the rim of the mug. "Asshole, you waited until I was about to swallow to do that on purpose!"

Angel hummed as he flicked his tail. "Speaking of swallowing..."

"Don't you fucking dare!" Sen barked out, feeling his cheeks burning.

"Anyway, I didn't regret it, we can talk about it in detail later once things are sorted with you and Ms. Jane." Angel finished off his eggs and hopped up, moving over to the sink to wash the plate. It was evident the retriever was a bit of a neat freak who liked to tidy up as he went along.

Sen felt his heart thump at the whole idea of them 'talking' about it later, but at the reminder of that black widow wanting to see him, his thoughts shifted back into focus on the more pressing matters instead of the way the retriever was making him feel in his heart or pants.

--*--

The dalmatian at the door recognized him and upon showing the card, he was allowed to pass through with Angel at his side. Climbing the stairs, his stomach was in a knot, and upon moving towards the booth, his fur was up on the back of his neck, seeing those piercing green eyes shining in the dark before the rest of Jane came into view.

She had her paws folded under her chin, in that position that had made him take notice of her the first time, those plump bunny breasts pushing through the buttons of the suit. Her eyes seemed to shift to a softer green - and he realized she'd quite literally been making them glow upon his approach.

"You came back. I suppose this means you're considering my offer, my fox?" She showed her teeth, giving him eyes that almost looked like dreamy bedroom ones as if she were wistfully in love with him.

Sen gulped down hard, already feeling himself drawn into the web, his mind going blank at the look of an older experienced doe playing him like a puppy. Angel slapped his shoulder with a grin to break him out of the headlights he was caught in. "Wakey wakey, you keep staring at Ms. Jane like that, I might start to feel jealous and neglected, sugar!"

She offered an approving grin as she slowly sat back, the dull thrum of thrash metal banging out beneath them, the two guards behind her keeping unamused neutral gazes. Jane's eyes sparkled as she opened an elegant dainty paw, large crimson claws spread like a deadly flower that would be toxic to touch, but with beauty that compelled you to do so all the same. "Sen Matsuma, if you are prepared, then we'll talk business."

Even with Angel leaning on him for support, his spine felt icy cold as that chill rolled up it, as if he were bargaining with a demon at the gates of one of the nine hells. Lifting his muzzle he finally spoke out, "What do you have for me?"

The bunny smirked and shifted a paw through her bangs, her right eye glittering to purple before Sen saw the details feed straight into his synaptic network. A hacker by the call sign simply as 'Merlin', with a picture of a middle-aged possum staring back at him.

"This possum has been a very troublesome thorn in my paw, not just mine but many others. Sic em' doggy," Jane showed a wicked little grin as her eye shifted back to green.

"What?! You want me to fucking geek this guy?! Lady, I'm not some fucking hitman, I didn't think you were going to ask me to do fucking wetwork here!" Sen snarled out and clenched his titanium paw into a fist Jane just smirking at his reaction, as if she expected it.

"Heh..." The rabbit looked infinitely amused by that, then let out a surprisingly cute giggle that sent a chill up his spine, as if he had ice cracking under his footpaws. The cold look shifted back into her eyes and that wicked grin returned as she cooly asked, "You were trained as a soldier, to kill, to end life, yet you're going to perch on some moral high ground now?"

He barked out with heat in his voice, "That's different, it's-"

"It's the same, but I won't humor your ego, doggy." She pushed her paws to the table and slowly rose from the seat. It was the first time he'd seen her out from behind that table in the booth. The business suit she wore had a hip-hugging skirt that just came down enough to keep any of the good bits out of sight. She had thick soft-looking thighs and snug leggings pushed against the cream-colored fur, leading down into a small set of crimson heels that matched her claws.

"You're going to turn your tail and you're going to go do this because you know you have to, doggy. You're already a killer, you just don't know it yet." She casually moved to him, almost seeming to glide with the stroke of the lasers that danced in the club, and just like that, she was before him, her paws gripping his collar and pulling him down to her.

"You want to die, Matsuma? You want me to kill you and revive you anew? A life for a life, nothing is free in this world, doggy." She shifted a paw to his muzzle, leaning close, his nostrils flaring at the scent of her as she took a little huff of him as well, then shifted her green eyes to Angel, a knowing smile playing on her muzzle before she disengaged.

Sen's mind raced like a t-bird, his heart pounding at the scent and touch of her, then he swallowed hard as she pulled away, feeling like a junkie that'd had his syringe snatched out of his paws. A shiver rolled up his spine before he composed himself and glanced over to the retriever who showed that cute grin with his missing tooth. That look seemed to ground him again as he sighed and ran his paw through his own dark hair. "Can I at least know what this guy did to get on your drek-list?"

"Poor form to ask questions of the employer, my doggy, but since it's puppy's first run, I'll oblige." She smirked and folded her arms, pushing them under her breast as she leaned forward; showing her figure to both the dogs as her eye shifted to purple and he saw a rap sheet a mile-long scan through his network.

Angel whistled and folded his arms as he spoke, "This boy's been busy... everything from hits to slave trafficking, no wonder you want him on ice, Ms. Jane."

She shifted her eyes to the retriever and grinned. "Would you kill him for me if I asked you to, my good boy? Even without pay?" The retriever's ears perked up and he met her gaze, then gave a decisive nod in answer. Sen looked a little shocked, but Jane's point was made clearly.

"I'm no paragon, Matsuma, chasing a sense of justice is a fool's game in this world. However, I've purposefully picked you out something to test your mettle for me. I just made sure your target was a real piece of work to make it less of such a tough pill to swallow, understand?" She shifted her paw through her hair, raking down the blonde locks that stopped just short of her shoulders.

"Guess he has it coming, and if not me, it'd just be another, eh?" He whispered out the words, unsure if she'd hear them through the thrum of music but Jane simply nodded with a satisfied smile.

He saw her breasts bounce ever so slightly as she turned and paced back to the booth, settling down once more. "Good dog...You and Angel will take a taxi to the locale. Sen, you will gain entry to the apartment, use the scrambler I'll provide to bypass the door."

Jane shifted her eyes up to the kitsune's, another grin showing on her small muzzle. "Make sure he sees it coming, make sure he knows it's from me. Do this for me, Matsuma, and I will kill you as promised."

He swallowed hard and rubbed the back of his head, his heart pounding as he nodded before asking, "To be clear, you don't actually mean kill, kill... right?"

She showed an approving grin and saw the worried look on her other dog's face before huffing out, "I mean metaphorically as in, I'll have you a new SIN lined up and we'll make sure your old one is so buried, it'll never see the light of day, understand?"

Sen took a deep composing breath then gave a nod, knowing at this point it was this guy or him. "Alright, you have a deal, Ms. Jane."

Jane cocked her muzzle up with a smirk, her eye shifting to indigo again, a few seconds of pause hanging in the air before it shifted once more. "Excellent. I've already reached out to my connection about getting you a new SIN crafted. Do this for me, my doggy, and I'll be very grateful." She gave him a bat of her green eyes, a look in them like she'd ride him into unconsciousness for it.

"So I'm to hang back and just assist if needed, ma'am?" Angel spoke up.

"Yes, my Angel. This is his mission, you will just be there in case things take an unfortunate turn I didn't foresee happening. I'll have Wheels contracted to bring you two back to my loving embrace once things are finished." Jane shifted to rest her cheek in her paw, giving the retriever a surprisingly gentle look.

"Alright! You heard the missus, sugar! Let's get this over with so you'll be one step closer to having some freedom!" He barked out encouragingly to the kitsune who offered a smile at the comfort his friend was offering.

Jane tapped her paws together as she grinned. "Matsuma, this isn't just for a new life. Do this and you will be one of my dogs, like Angel. I'd not let the street have such a promising samurai like you."

"Well, wouldn't that make me a ronin then since I wouldn't be part of a corp?" Sen tilted his head with a cocked brow.

"Like drek it would, you're not going to be some street samurai, you're going to be mine, just like your boyfriend over there." Jane showed him a smug smirk at the fluff of tails, the retriever offering a silly grin. She saw the kitsune start to part his maw to rebuttal and huffed out, "Zip it, doggy, and get going, learn to take a joke."

Sen frowned but offered a small nod as the two dogs turned to leave, but Jane called out, "My Angel, can I speak to you about some intel on another job before you head out?"

His tail wagged as he spun right on his heels. "Of course ma'am! I was going to ask if you had some extra work anyway."

She offered a smug grin to the retriever then shifted her eyes to the nervous-looking kitsune. "Rest assured, it's nothing to do with you, doggy. Go have a drink on my tab." She shifted her gaze back to her guards. "You two, watch the first-floor stairwell."

The two personal guards nodded and stepped forward, each of them looking the kitsune over as if not willing to move until he did. Sen frowned as Angel waved his paw at him. "It'll be fine, Sugar! Go have a drink!" He offered the retriever another nod and turned to make his way down the stairs to the bar.

--*--

"So... was he fun? Did you... have a good time?" She huffed out while pushing a paw to his head, rubbing at one of the brown ears, lazily fingering the titanium hoop with an emerald stud in it.

Angel blinked up at her with his sparkling green eyes from between her soft warm thighs, pulling back from her rabbit petals to puff out, "He was, such a cutie... but I didn't huff... fuck him..." He whined as he tried to get the words out, then gave a growl and shoved his maw back down hard against her from her paw pushing on his head to continue.

"Ha! No wonder you're so eager... ngh... good boy..." She panted the praise as the golden retriever wagged his tail, whining gently as his tongue flicked and skillfully teased her pearl that sported an identical piercing to the one in his ear, but smaller. She had both curvy legs draped over his shoulder, her skimpy red panties hanging from the left ankle as he held her hips.

"Right there Angel... no... side to side... Ha... good boy, that's perfect..." She panted out, stroking her paw through those dirty blonde locks, the retriever following her directions, flicking his tongue side to side while he suckled.

"Uh... huh... good... boy..." Her crimson nails dug into his scalp as she shuddered, her tongue peaking out slightly but even in this, looking in control and composed, even as he drew her body to a much-needed release. "Huff... huff... why didn't you have sex with your new toy, Angel?"

He lapped at her rabbit honey a few times before blinking up at her with a small grin. "I really like him so far, didn't want to make things awkward, ya know? I want him to be- Urf..." He shuddered as the rabbit shifted her paw to shove his maw back over her petals.

"Huff... I get it... do it again..." She panted the orders, one never being enough with him as the retriever eagerly nodded, working his tongue and even suckling on that pierced pearl she sported, all the while listening to her soft panting praises, but always sounding in control, always sounding like she was in charge of everything.

His paws pushed up along her outer thighs, shifting through that soft cream-colored fur, her skirt all the way up to just below her navel, seeing more of her than any other boy did. He looked up at her with those green eyes full of adoration, suckling, lapping, and teasing that pearl constantly.

Jane showed him that same wicked little grin, her lips crimson like her claws as she rubbed his ear again. "That's my boy... my good boy... c'mon, my Angel... almost there... you want me to... yes?"

He nodded fervently, whimpering as he lapped harder and faster. The rabbit clenched her teeth, rolling her eyes up as he eagerly pushed her body more and more. Finally, a few heartbeats later, she let out a shuddering soft squeak of a moan, only loud enough for his ears.

That tail of his blurred as she panted in relief, unable to help but grin at it while feeling him lapping dutifully to clean her up before rising with his tongue lolled, licking his chops. "Huff... I love when you call me a good boy and yours..." He growled and shifted over her, the smaller rabbit quickly being dwarfed by the larger dog, his nose moving to hers.

"What do you think you're doing, Angel?" She pushed a paw under his muzzle, rubbing and scratching into his fur with her crimson claws.

"Going crazy... especially after having to behave last night... can we uh... you know?" He asked with a cute grin.

"Hgn... no one's fault you didn't get any last night but your own, my Angel..." She leaned in and gently kissed his lips before shifting back with a haughty huff. "I'm not sending you out on a run spent of energy, the answer is no."

He offered her a small whimper but knew better than to argue as he pulled back from her even as the rabbit calmly ringed her panties back on her other ankle and pulled them up. She looked over at the young dog that was pouting a little but not arguing, offering him that smug grin before rubbing his ears as she asked, "Who's my good boy?"

"I- I am!" He barked out with a small grin.

"Uh-huh... Take care of this run and sort your new playmate out, I'll set some time aside later for just you and me, understand?" She leaned in and kissed him right on the nose, watching his green eyes cross a little as she drew close, being cuter than he had any right to be as she leaned back with a grin at seeing his tail blurring in a wag.

"If nothing else, I'm doing Sen a favor by telling you no. We'll see if your horniness overrides your chivalry, my good boy." Jane offered another grin as she shifted her dress back down to cover her damp thigh fur.

--*--

The kitsune had no idea what had transpired while he was at the bar, and Angel just came back with that same silly if not loving grin he always had for him. Though even he could pick up the retriever was pretty worked up and musky smelling. He just wrote it off to what happened last night and they left the club.

The cab ride to the southwestern side of the sprawl was a quick one, taking all of ten minutes before they were dropped off at the unassuming apartment complex. It had gone well past midnight by now with the streets sparse, mostly just the typical streetwalkers or occasional two-bit thugs that would patrol their turf looking for smaller weaker looking members of society to harass.

Sen had an advantage that lent to his courage of the situation: he'd been on the streets before, through his own choosing the kitsune had shirked a life of comforts, wealth, and safety for one of scavenging. Granted, the streets of a corp-cage arcology were vastly safer than the sprawl, but it was something. Sen hadn't been able to live with himself at the shrine. Sen's older brother soaked up the attention and every luxury thrown at him, having always been his father's favorite, while Sen had struggled growing up to never meet his approval despite how earnestly he had tried to earn it.

Sen descended an entry flight of rockrete stairs stained with chemicals, re-chew, and cig butts. The case turned three times, each wall marked up with go-gang signs or pointless signatures of no-namers that would never escape their food-chain. Not like he was trying now, becoming a pawn for a major player that would make or break him after a single mission.

Just like before it was down to one operation, the idea of a second chance making his pulse drum in both chest and ears. Sen placed his back to the wall at the mouth of the stairway, peering out past the wall to observe the area. It was a lower level hab-center, almost identical to the one Angel was housed in but that was no surprise, the corpo's loved the copy/paste manufacture that kept costs down and production high.

It was a single large room with four archways, the one he was hiding in but three others equidistant from another to begin the network of halls to the colony of units. Sen needed the one directly opposite him to the eighty to one hundred designations, spotting the small black placard across the way in the dim, humming green light above. Another sweep of the area confirmed the layout and pattern of old security cams, which would be knocked out with the signal provided to his PAN by his new benefactor.

No sight or scent for a solid beat, allowing the kitsune to swiftly close the distance to the far side in just a few bootfalls. It was almost automatic at this point, the training so engrained Sen could let his mind take a backseat to the muscle memory of pace, order of decision, and follow-through drilled in.

Door by door went by short order as Sen padded down the hallway with a muffled step of boots, rolling on the arches of his footpaws to maximize his stride without heavy impacts. Eighty-nine, ninety, ninety-one...the numbers rolled up to ninety-nine before the canine found his mark. Sen checked left to right again before dipping a paw into a zip-clasp at his belt, withdrawing a small breaker-box to place atop the pin panel.

A simple few presses and a series of dim lights signaled the scramble had started, letting Sen glance up and down the length of the green-hued hallway another time. He saw movement at the far end, someone passing the corner to head the opposite way, making the kitsune check his right side as if looking for something before entering his own unit.

He didn't need anyone else involved, this was a no-static operation, with only his mark to geek. When his ear flicked at the hiss-sliding sound of the far off door Sen checked to see no one again. A moment later and an easily missed chime notified the door was breached.

A swift detachment of the code-breaker let the sam press the door open, slipping into the lightless space to close it again. Even with its delay his aug-eye was invaluable as he shifted it to thermal vision with a single hard 'blink', letting Sen see the faint bloom of heat in the room beyond. Again, it was almost identical to Angel's room, giving the kitsune a tight feeling in his heart. The kitchen off the right, with a single door to the bedroom space closed ten paces ahead.

It made this far easier to know the layout of the space personally, even with a room-read given to him in the briefing. Angel had provided him with a first-paw understanding of the space, allowing Sen to step over the strewn about trash, scraps of torn apart decks used to repair or upgrade newer ones, as he made his way through the small front room.

Sen let the blade in his aug-arm slide free quietly as his other pawed the console to open the door. Harsh blue light flooded out of the space, causing Sen to close his natural eye as the cybernetic shifted after a delay to a filtered screen. Ten monitors of various sizes sat bolted into the far wall, each displaying sprawling bits of code or camera feed except for one.

That last top right screen was fixed straight onto him from a place somewhere in the kitchen, the feed mostly garbled by noise from his PAN but giving a minor silhouette regardless. Sen stepped inside, watching the back of the large port-chair closely as he nudged more food containers and second-paw chrome aside quietly, then froze as a raspy voice spoke up.

"Will it be quick, at least?" It was a small male voice, one that sounded haggard from lack of proper hydration or rest. "I knew she'd find me...took everyone else I knew out of the net, had to be me last, had to send that message."

"Yes, it will," Sen replied curtly, still easing himself about to come up on the left side of the chair to see the lithe figure of a possum male draped in his seat, breathing weakly. Two large, dark-circled eyes swiveled up to the tall kitsune that came into view, with a weak smile forming below to show small teeth.

"I suppose being geeked by one of her cleaners is an honor, of sorts. Pissed off Ms. Jane one too many times, had to be silenced, had to be eliminated," the possum spoke in a soft, hurried manner as his eyes flicked to one of the many bright screens before them.

Sen stood there for a long moment, part of him feeling sorry for the miserable-looking creature that was clearly exhausted and malnourished. His figure was frail, with countless jacks arranged about a collar for quick use, reminding the kitsune of why he was here. Even if this small, unkempt possum looked innocent and pathetic, he'd fragged a dozen or so others of various stations without a thought but for himself, or those exploiting his extensive skills.

The sam shifted his footing that allowed a single clean stroke of his aug-blade through the chest of his mark, a small pulse-shock sent along the weapon to dull both nerves and muscles in the kill. It wasn't intended as mercy, but a way to prevent any retaliation from a target in such close proximity. Maybe in this case it had been a small mercy for the sad creature that had eked out a life online at the cost of the minds of others.

Sen withdrew the blade in an effortless pull, reaching to his belt again to thumb out an incendiary charge that rolled into his palm. The kitsune turned and stepped out of the room while slapping the small package to the bedroom wall on the exit. His steps were careful but quick as the timer began upon deposit, counting down from thirty.

The sam stepped out into the dim corridor again with the door hissing shut behind him. Sen swiftly retreated as the charge went off inside the hab unit. It was a high-grade phosphor that would eat away all living traces within the room, developed to consume bioware but leave chrome untouched. Perfectly ideal for wiping a scene clean but leaving salvage for gangers, or in his case, no ties he'd ever been there for a corpse to identify.

Sen knew the fire would gasp itself out in the room once the detectors sealed it off without the presence of a person inside it would starve the flames of oxygen, leaving the complex safe. His steps were more hurried now, his mind racing enough that his vision swam slightly as the adrenaline caused his heart to hammer rapidly.

He should have been walking along casually like he lived there or was seeing a friend, but the training wasn't enough to override the sensation in his gut. He'd killed someone, taken a life forever. Sen felt sick, stumbling along the wall to plant and slide his aug-arm along the smooth rockcrete as he managed to clamber up the stairs toward the surface archway. Once outside the relatively fresh air caused the kitsune to clasp, swing about the open doorway and half collapse as his body evacuated his stomach.

Sen coughed a few times with a quick panting afterward, vision returning with a few hard blinks as his mind raced to get his thoughts under control. He'd succeeded, with no witnesses or evidence left aside from the street art he'd just made, but the drizzle of rain would muddy even that as it came down on the shaking canine.

"Merlin is resting," Sen spoke into his comm with a paw at his ear, letting it fall away as he pushed off with his aug-arm to make himself walk along the open street. Only a few stragglers out at this graveyard hour and only one of them had noticed him, assuming the kitsune had just hurled from overindulging a fix, they kept walking with a laugh.

"Proceed to the hen house," came a voice over his comm, Angel confirming the message to return to the awaiting vehicle. With a frown at the encroaching headache and unsettled feeling in his core, the kitsune trudged along with a closer clutch of his faded jacket.

To anyone else he just had worn black pants, a jet-bikers coat, and some fingerless gloves to look like some rough around-the-edges fox, even both of his tails had been clipped together between themselves to hide any hint of more than that. His boots made slightly muffled, wet impacts along the walkway, lit only by the spaced lamps of various colored bulbs.

Sen felt his mind turning over the scene again and again, replaying his approach, then the kill. He'd hesitated a whole ten seconds after the last exchange before geeking the mark, but it had felt like forever at the time. Would she notice that? Would each second weigh against him somehow? With a huff from his snout Sen shrugged it off, it wouldn't do any good tormenting himself until he got the verdict from Jane herself.

The kitsune at least felt this was somewhat a success over the total disaster of his Inari posting, at least this time he'd followed orders, used his training and gotten the damn assignment done. That was something he could take pride in, the first real victory after fleeing the shrine and the chastising voices of his family.

Stepping around the corner he saw the retriever waiting near the beat up looking van, the scene nostalgic to last night. Angel didn't offer him that silly grin this time, just a sad knowing smile as the door swung open with a loud hiss and they both piled in.

Sen just sat on the floor of the van, saying nothing. Angel just sat next to him, staying in contact, hips touching his, but otherwise keeping his own maw shut. There was just the whir of the vector engines and the occasional whizzing sound of a vehicle being passed.

"They say, you never forget your first, ya know?" Wheels broke the silence as the two dogs looked up to see the rat leaning against the wall, his arms folded.

"Is that right?" Sen whispered, his throat still feeling tight and dry.

The driver moved over to a fridge tucked in the corner, pulling out a can of water to toss to the fox. "I was sixteen, just getting my paws dirty for the first time with my drones, hadn't even learned to drive really, just pilot the hovering ones."

The can opened with a hiss before Sen gulped down the fizzy water, a light hint of lime to it. He looked over the label seeing it was for nausea. Wheels offered him a knowing grin as he continued, "Anyway, probably like my third run, I was sitting nice and safe in the getaway vehicle, running recon with my toys. Drek hit the fan, the team got pinned down, there were about five corp-suits firing on their location, I had to get them out of there."

Sen looked into the rat's eyes as Wheels hissed out and clicked his tongue. "I tried spraying low suppression fire, take out knees and feet, not kill any of the suits. Soon as the bullets started scattering, one instinctively dove to the side, right in the stream of bullets. I still remember seeing the fuckers eyes as a shot got him right between them."

"Sticks with you even today, huh? How old are you, Wheels?" Sen asked.

"Twenty-six, and yeah, it's been about a decade now, but I still occasionally wake up in a cold sweat. Being a killer ain't natural to most people Sen, soldier training or not." He shrugged and walked over, patting the fox on the shoulder before moving back into the cabin of the van.

Sen looked over to Angel who tilted his head curiously. "You remember yours?" The fox asked point-blank.

The retriever grinned a little and shook his head. "Sugar, let's save that story for another day, you've got enough on your noggin' right now, suffice to say, yeah I do."

He nodded to the other dog, then gave a small quiet bark as Angel threw his arm around his shoulder and pulled him close. "It's okay, Sugar... You're going through something every runner, hell, every soldier has to go through eventually. It'll get easier, I'll be here for you."

Sen tensed at the gesture as the retriever sighed and just reinforced his grip gently. "Relax... I got you, okay? You trust me, yeah?" Sen perked his ears, then relaxed, slumping into the other dog, taking in his odor, feeling the comfort that came with it, faintly smelling Jane on him as well.

"Back to the Rhinestone?" Wheels asked through the system in the van.

"Nah, just drop us off at my place, Wheels. We'll check in with Ms. Jane tomorrow night." Angel felt the fox's ears perk under his chin at that, but the smaller dog didn't argue, seeing that black widow fresh off the heels of this would be too much, and Angel knew it.

--*--

Next Episode:

A scent of comfort, a desperate ache to feel more of that touch. When was it these feelings bloomed, and is it okay? The blood of a friend spilled in the defense of love, regrets eased with a carnal embrace that further reinforced her position. A shot rang out, and a contract was forever written, in that moment, I knew I loved her.

Episode Three: I'm her fallen angel

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