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Brewed Love

"Hey, cheer up buddy. It's not the end of the world."

"I just don't understand what happened. What made her do this?" Allan sat with his head in his hands. He had just gone through what every guy didn't want to go through; discovering that his girlfriend had just cheated on him. Moreover, she had done this five times while they were dating. But not just with any human guy. It was with an Equinine, a human-like horse part of the vast collective of animal-like beings that were animals with human anatomy. Not that Allan had a problem living in the present time where Earth now has humans and animal sapiens coexisting together. It was more because his now ex just went and got herself mounted by someone other than him.

He felt like he didn't do anything wrong. Sure, it was his first relationship, and he truly loved her, but Allan brought it upon himself to not mess it up. He made sure he was a complete gentleman. Pulling the chair out for her, offering to pick up the check, opening the door for her, the works. And yet, despite all that, she did this to him. "I thought I was doing a good job, and yet she says I was too nice," Allan continued in disbelief. "I don't get it. How is being too nice a bad thing?"

"You got me, buddy," said his friend Talon. He was one of the first Animians he made friends with. Allan and his Leonin buddy bounded together while playing paintball together while starting his first year in college. And now here at a coffee shop that's become one of their popular hangouts along with two more of Talon's buddies, one human, and the other a Komodian (Komodo dragon). "I only know so much about the females of your species but they seem to be fine to me."

"Easy for you to say, Tallie. You seem to have it easy with the ladies without breaking a sweat. All it takes for you to do is flip your mane, and they start swooning over you."

Talon presented his human friend with a goofy grin. "When you got it, you got it," he replied. His usual attire was a black T-shirt and jeans made to accommodate Animian tails.

"It's funny when women complain about us not appreciating them and yet they pull shit like this," said his human friend Taye. The dark-skinned brother had a baby afro haircut and wore a multi-colored t-shirt made of thin cotton and jeans that someone had the idea of being styled as ripped. "We want to understand them, but they make it like we should already know."

The Komodian sitting with them grunted in agreement. He wore all sweats of matching red as he was a cold-blooded reptile. "I'm rather surprised so few females of your species would even show interest in us. More human males seem to go after Animian women more."

"Hey, who's to argue if they're attractive enough?"

Talon interjected himself back into the conversation. "Getting back to the conversation, you got to get back into the game eventually, Allan. Get knocked down, get right back up. However long it may take, eventually, someone will find their better half."

"Yeah, but who though?" Allan whined. "I never thought that after four months of dating, I would have to start looking for love again. I mean, I know I look pretty good but not hot-looking. Like...the Chris Evans kind of hot-looking."

"'Chris Evans hot-looking?" asked Taye. He looked quizzically at his slightly pale, red-haired pal. "What kind of description is that?"

"You know what I mean." Allan sighed as he rubbed his brow in frustration. It was true that Allan had the average build of most healthy-looking human beings who did take care of their bodies, only he still had some muscle on him from exercising during his high school years. It could have been worse though. He could have been like the rest of America, being overweight. When college life started, Allan put working out on hold to focus more on his brain muscles. Occasionally, he would remember to squeeze in a few reps before work or go for a little run. "Even if looks ain't all that important, people are still going to be vain as fuck. Why do you think this country still focuses on body image rather than personality?"

"Let's just worry about that when it matters," said Talon. "Let's just help you get back on the wagon train."

Allan gave Talon the side-eye and sighed. "You sure about that? Seems a bit soon to start looking for someone new, don'tcha think?"

"No time like the present. What kind of woman are you into?"

Allan sighed once more as he leaned back into his plastic chair while rubbing his chin in thought. "Well,...I've always liked a girl who's a bit of a free spirit,...not afraid of her looks. You know, being confident and everything. Um,...isn't afraid to take a chance with a guy like me. Uh,...in terms of physical attributes, well-rounded. You know, like somewhere in the middle."

"You mean like not so fat or so skinny?"

"Yeah. Like skinny enough but with just the right amount of meat on her bones."

"So you want a woman who's a bit thicc, right?" Taye asked.

"Well no, not exactly that. Just...," Allan paused when he realized what Taye meant and frowned. " No. No, no, no. Honestly," he said with a sigh. "Must we use that pop culture term?"

"How else would you describe her as then, "grandpa"?"

"Well, not as "thick as a bowl of oatmeal", Taye said. Certainly not something like that. Simply put, someone with enough meat on her bones. Aside from being a pretty face, I'm hoping for a woman who likes to have her career like me. Not like as a writer but has the same entrepreneurial spirit as I do." Allan paused as he thought hard about something meaningful as a trait. "But most importantly, someone who will always have my back whatever the circumstance. To love me on the same level as I would love her. Who appreciates the amount of romance I want to bestow upon her. Because she is the one thing in my life. My North Star that guides me through the night."

"Wow, you're strangely arousing me, homeboy." Taye teased him.

The buddies playfully laughed while Allan rolled his eyes in annoyed amusement. "Oh, whatever. You couldn't possibly understand a romantic like me," he said with his hands folded.

"What I want to know is what sort of woman are you wanting?" The Komodian asked Allan. "By that I mean, Animian or human?" Talon and Taye looked quizzically at the reptile, then at Allan. Allan thought about it, his thumbs twiddling with uneasiness.

"To be honest,...I have been rather curious about it," Allan admitted. "I mean, it can't be all that different from what humanity is used to, right?"

"Unless you consider the number of humans against interspecies relations," said the Komodian.

"Oh, that's just the prudes," said Talon. "But you got a point though, Gasper. Loving something different is never that easy. Lucky for us, we have a friend who isn't so picky. Right, Allan?"

"I mean, only when it comes to how women view me, yeah, I'm a little picky. Other than that, I've got no problem with women who might be Animian. Just so long as they don't have a problem with me."

"Any, in particular, you fancy?" Talon asked Allan.

Allan twiddled his thumb in thought. "I don't know. To tell you the truth, I'm not always so picky about that. Although, -no offense, Gasper- I feel best with female Mammalian to start with. But which one, I don't know."

"I might have an idea who you'd be interested in."

Allan perked up curiously. "Oh, and who's that?"

The Leonin jerked his thumb over at the register. "See the girl working the cash register?"

The single human male leaned a little to look and saw a female Bernese Mountain dog handling the cash. Like all dogs of her breed, she had triangular drop ears, a broad head with a well-defined stop that sported a white blaze. Her fur coat was long, silky, and wavy with the main tricolor of jet black, reddish brown, and snow white. While mostly covered in black, the Dogonan had small patches of reddish brown on parts of her face like where her brows would be and her wrists while her cushiony chest was splotched with solid white. However, he wasn't sure if it was all fluff or if it was how big her ample breasts were.

The lady wore a maroon-purple apron over her gray bolero jacket over her black cropped tube top that covered her midsection. Below the waist was a short denim skirt of medium-light blue that nearly reached her knees. Allan could sense a little bit of a warm nature in her amber-brown eyes, making him feel less nervous. "Yeah. What about her?"

"Well, I've been noticing how she looks at you every time we come in here. She, to me, seems to have taken a liking to you."

"You think so?" Allan studied the human-like dog, thinking to himself that maybe it wouldn't hurt to try. The cloud of doubt glowered over him, making him want to change his mind. "I...I don't know, man. What if she doesn't have any interest in me?"

"You'll never unless you ask, buddy."

"Talons' got a point, Al," said Taye in agreement. "She ain't that bad looking either." Especially her jiggly puffs if you know what I mean."

"Her jiggly pu-oh, Jesus. Really?!" Allan exclaimed in disbelief but made sure it wasn't loud enough for everyone in the coffee place to hear.

Taye shrugged nonchalantly. "I like 'em as I see 'em, dude."

"How do you know if it's her breasts and not...really her fur?"

Once more, his friend shrugged in the same manner. "I don't know. I'm going by what I'm seeing."

" Anyway -," Talon interrupted, "-jubblies aside, you should ask her out. She might be a good match for you, Allan. I mean, what have you got to lose?"

"I know, but what if she-?"

"Just ask her, man! You can't always play it safe. Girls don't care for guys who do that. You got to take a chance eventually." Talon placed a reassuring hand on Allan's shoulder. "Now c'mon, you can do this."

Allan glanced at Talon, then at his buddies across from him who nodded positively. Clenching his hands with unease, the human took a deep breath to ease his nerves. "All right. You have a point. Just...just gimme a minute, okay?" Folding his hands, Allan went over what he was going to say to the coffee girl. A few minutes later, he started to get up from the table to get in the small line. "All right, I'm ready. Wish me luck, guys," he said to his cohorts.

"Go get 'er, tiger," said Taye who gave him a thumbs up.

"Good luck," said Gasper. An 'okay' sign from Talon was all Allan got. Allan slid behind the Leonin as he scooched his chair in. Being the fourth person in line, he looked for whatever coffee he wanted to get. He already had a macchiato earlier, so it was either the caramel latte or the cortado. Given the choice, he made up his mind to go with the cortado. Allan sensed he was getting closer. With the customers still making up their minds, he had enough time to mentally rehearse what he was going to say to the Bernese Mountain dog girl. He stole an occasional glance at her working both the register and helping the two girls pump the shots of espresso, milk, and what other flavors go into whatever coffee or tea was for the patrons. He caught a glimpse of her nametag that may have said 'Leia' on it.

Two more people left to go. Allan mentally went back to his thoughts, re-reading the script he mentally prepared on the spot. Making changes to make it sound how he wanted it to be; smart, short, simple, and, of course, honest. He was feeling that old confidence he had before, his hands fidgeting with nervous readiness.

One person was now ahead of him, and the nerves started up again. Allan mentally screamed to his brain to stop making him panic, not when he was just getting so close. His heart started racing, pounding rapidly fast and pounding in his ears. His anxiety also rose with it. "Just do it, you idiot!" his conscience barked at him. "Just rip it off, the ol' band-aid, and get it over with! You've done it once, and you can do it again just as your friend Talon said. Just get through it." With a small, sharp exhale, Allan pushed back his sense of panic, reminding himself that he was still a man. A real man. And a real man never fears anything. Nor does he panic and run from a possible love. One more exhale hopefully did the trick. He kept the one golden rule in his head. Just stay calm, use your head, and make sure to mind his p's and q's. That was the important rule for him to know and to hold.

The customer in front of him moved down the line. This was it; the moment he mentally prepared for. It was now or never. Do or die. Allan stepped up to the counter, his mental script in hand. There was no turning back now. He readied himself as the girl finally looked up at him. "Here we go."

"Hello again. Can I help you with anything?" he heard the woman say. Her tone was polite, and yet a bit plucky. A bit down-to-earth, he also sensed. He cleared his throat as he spoke.

"Uh, yeah. Can I get an uh, cortado this time? Please?" So far, so good. His heart was still at a nervous pace, but not as bad once his confidence kicked in.

The girl ran up his order onto her register as it blinked to life upon the order screen facing him. This was it; the moment where he'd be asked if he wanted anything added to his order and he'd politely ask for her number after a good explanation, honest and true, about why he would want it. Whether she'd say yes or no would determine his next response. He readied himself as he patiently waited for her.

"Is it all right if there's whole milk in it?" Ms. 'Layla' asked him.

"Oh, it's no problem at all. I don't mind if it has breast milk in it." Allan froze as he felt his heart stop in panic. His eyes widened at what he had just said.

"Oh shit," his mind said weakly.

Allan felt a sudden urge of dread upon him, his awareness of those present to his sudden choice of words, especially with 'Layla' within his vicinity. His eyes locked onto her expression changing from pleasant to flabbergasted shock and near speechlessness. "Excuse me?"

Panic mode took the driver's seat of Allan's mind. Unbeknownst to him, all but one of his buddies heard him and were doing their best to stifle their guffaws, leaking out slowly as restrained snickering. Only the Komodian had a scaly hand over his face in embarrassed shame, his head slowly shaking back and forth in minor disappointment.

"I mean uh-breast-I mean no milk-I mean uh no breast. I mean uh no! No breast! I mean...oh dammit!" He moaned into his hands, his face hidden while the shroud of embarrassment and shame covered him. The human could slowly make out the choking bit of hidden laughter from his friends not too far behind him. Groaning in shame, Allan decided to abort in humiliation as he gestured with a finger saying, "Can I just get it to go, please?" He dared not to look at her, fearing that the Dogonan was not so happy with the chosen words from said mouth now with metaphorical foot inserted.

Allan shifted zombie-like over to the end of the counter, still not wanting to look up for fear of being greeted with looks of demeaning judgment not just from 'Layla' but from her cohorts and her customers as well. He side-eyed over at his friends, his shame making room for minor disdain at his amigos observing his failure with humor. He just wanted his drink and make like the ostrich, burying his head into the earth in hopes of forgetting his moment of shame. The embarrassed didn't even bother looking up at whoever brought him his coffee, only mustering the will to mutter 'thank you' before shambling back to his friends as he felt eyes pressed upon him. It was only then that his friends finally cut loose their mirth as it broke through the dam of restraint with great force.

"Did you make sure you got the 'breast milk', Allan?" Taye asked him cheekily.

"Oh, shut up, asshole!" Allan exclaimed. He sat next to his grinning lion buddy who gave him a playful shake of the shoulder.

"It's okay, Allan," Talon reassured him. "I'm sure she didn't take it the wrong way."

"What on Earth possessed to say that?" Gasper asked his embarrassed friend. He could see Allan's face turning the shade of red of said emotion nearly covering both sides of his face only when the Caucasian looked up from his huddle of shame.

"I don't know, okay?! It just popped in there!" Allan hissed. "And I blame you! He stabbed an accusatory finger at his black friend who was snickering.

"How is it my fault?"

"I have no idea! You were the one who was talking about her breasts, not me!" Allan glowered at Taye, still feeling hurt about being embarrassed. He sighed, letting his small moment of anger subside. "Like it even matters now. I messed up. I had the ball and I fumbled at the 10-yard line in the last few seconds of the game."

"There's always a last-minute miracle." Talon offered optimistically. "You never know, man. Anyway, Imma 'bout to drain the ol' water skin. Then we'll head over to 'The Hovel'. Hopefully, you can still "score" a victory for yourself, hm?" He offered Allan a cheerful smile, only getting a small smirk out of him. As Talon left to relieve himself, Allan went back into his shell of shame, contemplating his mistake with his head in his hands. He would have to get over it eventually, but Allan wasn't sure when he might try again with such confidence. In a few moments, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder and a familiar voice.

"Chin up there, champ. You're heading into overtime now." Allan looked up to see a grinning Talon holding another cup of coffee and a piece of paper between two fingers of the same hand. " This is for you." Hesitantly, Allan took the small bit of torn parchment from his feline friend and looked. It was written with a feminine touch and contained the name, Layla. The number looked legit; it certainly didn't feel like a 555 number. The kind of fake number handed to some guy by a woman who has no interest in him whatsoever. Allan raised a questionable brow at Talon.

"Is this some kind of trick?"

"Uh-uh. No joke. She wanted me to give it to you, honest." Talon said truthfully. Seeing Allan still doubtful, he unleashed an exasperated sigh and just gave it to him straight. "She felt bad about what happened after I told her your side of the story. And don't worry, she didn't think of you as some kind of pervert or anything bad."

"You sure?"

"Yes, yes. I promise you; it is the truth. Just promise me you'll give her a call?"

Staring at the phone number, Allan knew the Leonin was right. If this was truly a sign, then it was time for the human to move on. "Maybe this might turn out well after all," he convinced himself. "After all, how often does one get to date an Animian?"

It's been a day since Allan got Layla's phone number. He thought it best to be courteous to give it a day before giving her a call. Then again, who knows when the best time to call is anyway? Cell phone in hand, Allan tried to ease his nerves if he was to make a great first impression. "It's okay. You can do this, Allan," he said to himself. "It's just like any other call to a girl you'd make. Only it's an Animian girl. A dog girl for that matter. Someone of a different species, just with human features. You can do it. Just plain and simple."

An awkward pause later.

"I can do it. Just get it done and over with." Allan stared at his phone, his reflection looking back at him on its now blank, dark surface. "Oh, I hope she likes me. Or at least is a nice person." With a small exhale, he brought his phone to life with a quick poke at the touchscreen and a quick scan of his face. He went to the phone icon and pulled up the dial-number feature. He took a gander at the semi-crinkled scrap of paper with contemplation. Damn nerves! Always getting in the way of a good thing. No! Not now. Not this time. It was time to make shit happen.

He punched in the number, and with one last bit of hesitation, pressed the green call icon and waited anxiously for the inevitable. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Allan felt his nerves tense, part of him wanting it to go to voicemail. Four rings. He paused for a fifth. Five times the phone rang.

"Hi, this is Layla," he heard a feminine voice say. And, indeed, it sounded like the same coffee girl from before. Slightly distorted as it usually is hearing it through the phone, it was still the same voice. Moreso, Allan was grateful that there was a voicemail. He continued to listen to the rest of the voicemail greeting.

"Sorry, I missed your call. Please leave a message and I'll get right back to ya." After that, he waited for the beep. Once he heard it, Allan went to it.

"Hi. You may not remember me, but um...I was the human that...made a fool of himself yesterday." A small, nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "Sorry about that, by the way. Anyway, uh just wanted to say hello and hope you were having a good day. If you ever get the chance, just give me a callback, or just shoot me a text." He left her his number before continuing. "Hope to hear from you. Bye."

Allan hung up after that and sighed with relief. He just made his first phone call to an Animian female. He just hoped it didn't sound weird to her. God, he hoped she didn't get creeped out by him. Making first impressions always made him nervous. He wanted to be everyone's friend, even if most of everybody was not always as open as him. He was nervous the first time he tried to make friends with Talon and Gasper when they first met at a paintball outing. It improved after a few more hangouts, and he felt less nervous. Surely, this would be the same with the Dogonian. How long it would take him to get over being nervous with her was uncertain. Whatever or whomever it may be, God or even Fate, it was in their hands now.

It was about 5 o'clock according to his digital clock. Since he had no work today, he decided to lie down on his comfy bed and read a chapter or two from one of the books he bought that was comprised of short stories involving detective stories. About two or three stories in, Allan felt the slow, creeping sleepiness that came from reading on his back. His eyelids starting to droop, he made sure to mark his spot before allowing the Sandman to drift off to dreamland.

A loud pinging from Allan's phone roused him suddenly from his deep slumber. Searching for his phone, he found it within the folds of his blue comforter and brought the screen to life. And indeed it was a text message. From Layla, no doubt! Checking the clock on his phone, he was out for three hours as it was now 8:17 p.m. "Maybe she had to work today," he thought to himself.

Regardless, he was relieved that he got a response back from her. "I just hope it wasn't out of pity," he mumbled. With a small exhale, Allan pulled up the text message.

Layla: Hey, there. Sorry, I just got your voicemail. Couldn't call you back as I was still working, even though it was near closing time. If you're still up by nine, I'd love to call ya back. ????Hope to hear from you then.

Allan beamed with glee. If he had a tail, it'd be wagging with zealous joy. Almost half an hour until he gets a phone call from her. It felt like the first time he started dating. He thought of things to discuss in conversation but more importantly, he made sure to keep it natural and not like asking so many questions. He knew that women loved to talk about themselves but not like it was a questionnaire.

It was now 8:55 p.m. It was getting ever so closer to 9 o'clock. Allan was looking forward to hearing from Layla. He had been passing the time playing a puzzle game on his phone. One thing he was uncertain about was whether she meant that she was going to call him or he should. He'll just have to wait for 9 o'clock and hope for the Dogonian to call him. He'll wait for about five to ten minutes, then try to call her. The human sat in his modern computer chair in anticipation, the hour drawing near. It was now nine o'clock, time for the moment of truth.

-Three minutes later-

Layla's name flashed on his phone's screen, accosted by the now generic ringtone on his brand of cellphone. "Here we go." Allan pressed the green call button and thus the conversation began.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hello, Allan?" he heard Layla on the other end. "This is Layla from the other day."

"Hi, Layla. I'm glad you called." Allan tried to stay polite to hide the nervousness that lingered within him.

"Hope you didn't wait too long for me," she jested.

"Oh no, not at all. I just woke up from a nap not too long ago. I take you probably had a busy day today?"

"I guess you can say that. It's just another day of grinding coffee beans. How eventful was your day?"

"Eh, it was a quiet day. A day to relax and do some reading."

"Sounds like an eventful evening. Is it any good?"

"So far, it is. It's an anthology of detective stories. Each one is different but still the same in a way. There always seems to be a murder involved in these stories, but it still sharpens my deductive skills."

"Oh, how mysterious," he heard her say playfully.

Allan smirked in amusement. "Yeah, probably not as grand as the world of coffee. How long have you been working at 'Cold Brew'?"

"About a year and three months. It's only just a temporary job until I have enough experience to find work at an actual coffee place."

"Oh yeah. Big-name food chains aren't the ideal place for actual food, especially for coffee."

"Tell me about it. I'll say this much, 'Cold Brew' doesn't allow us to experiment with new flavors. Only sell the promotional items that they come up with and expect customers to enjoy them."

"I feel ya. It's like 'Taco Hut' with their shrimp tacos. Ever since we started promoting them, absolutely no one's been ordering them. I've been working for them for two years and I don't see it lasting long. I once tried offering small samples of our newest slushie but was told to forget it."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know. I thought of a good way to get customers curious about the flavor. But apparently, the managers don't see it as something beneficial for business. Just focus on making the food and getting it out to the customers." Allan felt irritated just thinking about it. "I only hope that I make a living out of something I want people to enjoy rather than just giving people what's popular in the mainstream, much less what the corporate fat cats think people want."

"Oh, I know trust me. It's more of the reason why I want to have my own coffee house. I've been wanting to try some new latte art whenever we have a slow day. And as good as it may be, my boss just doesn't care for it."

"What's next, they use our minds and not give us credit?"

Layla sounded confused when she heard him ask that. "When they what?"

Allan chuckled nervously as Layla probably didn't get it. "Sorry, it's a joke on a Dolly Parton song. '9 to 5' is the name of it. Eh heh. Sorry, I'll shut up now."

Layla guffawed when she realized what the human was trying to do. "Oh, no. You're okay. I didn't get it at first, is all."

"Sorry. My fault for being a cultured person," Allan said ribbingly.

The conversation carried on for almost two hours. But it went so swimmingly that Allan didn't want it to end. He knew he was working the morning shift tomorrow, and after that, it was his online class in Species Theology. He hoped to find a career that would bring cultural balance between humans and Animians. Fortunately, Layla started to end the conversation. "Hey, listen. I'd love to chat more. But I'm starting to get a bit drowsy from how crazy today has been. Mind if I let you go?"

"Oh, no. It's totally fine." Allan assured her. "I got work tomorrow morning anyway. I hope this doesn't sound weird to you, but I do feel comfortable talking to you."

"It's not weird at all," Layla said warmly. "I'm glad you called me. It's been a rough day and talking to you helped get me out of my funk a little. But hey, you're more than happy to call me or text me given whatever circumstance there be. We can exchange work schedules if you'd like. Less chance of bad timing and all."

Allan beamed at the idea. "Yeah, that would be great." He then added slightly slyly. "It's like you knew what was on my mind."

Allan sensed the eye-rolling in her amused snigger. "Whatever." They exchanged the current schedules they had and bid each other good night before hanging up. Allan stretched himself out on the bed and smiled with a sigh of relief and contentment. That went a lot better than he imagined. He can allow himself to sleep happily tonight without a hint of worry for now.

"So, how are things with the coffee girl?" Talon asked his furless friend as they were playing miniature golf one Saturday afternoon. They were on the fifth hole and the lion man led ahead by two strokes. Allan wasn't particularly that good at golf in general, nor was a fan of it. But he could find some enjoyment in putting the ball through inventive obstacles. Or the one time when he was younger went to the golf range near his old neighborhood and enjoyed whacking the hell out of the ball. It became irritating not getting the form right. Miniature golf was simpler and more fun than the doldrum feeling he'd get with regular golf. Taye and Gasper were trying to break the high score on their favorite twin shooter-up "Time-Glock" that replaced theirs. For them, it was a matter of personal honor to have the top score on this arcade game.

"Layla? Oh, great so far." Allan replied as he teed up next. "Despite being nervous, I'm glad I called her. She's with a friend right now experimenting with new coffee flavors."

"Oh, sounds serious," Talon joked.

Allan rolled his eyes amused. "At least it's a passion she's serious about exploring. She wants to be a barista in her own right and I respect entrepreneurship." He lined himself up at a hole with five small logs set randomly along the path. Allan continued as he carefully gauged the tapping power of his stroke. "A little ingenuity never hurt anyone, as long as it keeps the customers coming." He took his shot, and much to his chagrin, the ball bounced off one of the logs he was trying to go in between. Grumbling, Allan allowed his friend to go next. Hoping it would bounce his ball a little further up.

"Well, I'm happy for you," Talon said as he lined up for his shot. "Have you figured out when you're gonna ask her out?"

A perturbed expression molded itself on Allan's face. "I...I don't know. It's been over six weeks since we've been talking over the phone. I feel like I want to, but I'm not sure if it's the right time."

Talon stopped mid-swing and looked up. "You better be sure, man. Some women don't want to wait for an answer for long. I've come to know a few women who were fickle about what they wanted." He gestured to Allan with his putter. "If you're concerned about feeling rejected, don't. Be confident, and you should be just fine. Whether she says yes or no, you'll regret not taking a risk."

"I know- I know! I'm only worried about if she says no. I am prepared however it turns out."

"But don't want to be told no?"

Allan squirmed a little as he reluctantly gave a small nod. Talon went over to his buddy and clasped a friendly hand on the shoulder. "It'll be all right, Al. Don't worry about it, okay?" Seeing the lion-man's comforting smile, Allan reciprocated with a little nod. Satisfied, Talon gave Allan a hearty pat on the back. "All right. Now let's get back to me kicking your ass," he chuckled.

"Oh, whatever! Just take your shot, fuzz bucket." Allan scoffed amusingly. Talon flashed a grin and resumed his turn. His ball nicked Allan's just enough to move it away from the logs, making the human grin with some satisfaction. There might be some hope after all.

Pulling into the parking lot, Allan put his car into park in front of his favorite coffee place Coffee Hut. He just got done with one of his classes for the day with another class two hours away. Making up his mind, he decided today he'd ask Layla out on a date. With a slow exhale, Allan turned off his car and made his way inside past the glass doors. It looked moderately busy with almost all the tables being filled up. Sure enough, there she was working at the register wearing the usual maroon apron, handling a group of teenagers mostly human with two of them being Animian.

It wasn't long until he was up next. As soon she looked up, Layla saw that it was him and presented him with a cute smile. "Well, fancy seeing you here," she said.

"I had some time to kill so I thought I get a lil' something to hold me over."

Layla raised a brown brow. "Is that the only reason?" she asked being slightly sassy.

Allan couldn't prevent the goofy grin spawning on his face as he chuckled nervously. "Maybe..." He ordered a honey vanilla latte along with a turkey pesto sandwich and a chipotle chicken melt.

"Will that be everything then?" Layla asked after tallying everything up.

Allan cleared his throat as he made his proposition. "Well,...I also wanted to ask if you would like to go out with me this weekend." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I completely understand if you're interested or if you're not looking for anyone at the moment," he added.

"Yeah, okay."

"I understand. Can't blame a guy for try-wait. What did you say?" Allan looked at her, stunned that this Bernese Mountain Dogonian responded without any hesitation.

"I would love to. How does this Saturday sound?"

Allan struggled to get his bearings before responding. "Uh, sure, sure." He thought of a place within the area that he was familiar with. "How does Harpers at seven sound?"

"Sounds good to me." Layla flashed him a grin. "I'll see you Saturday then."

"See you Saturday." Allan beamed with joy. He picked up his order after bidding Layla adieu and walked past onlookers with various looks. He enjoyed his next class a little more than usual after that.

Saturday night. Allan made his way to Harpers and had fifteen minutes until it was 7:30 p.m. The time he and Layla agreed to meet at this semi-fancy restaurant in the nicer part of town. It wasn't to say the rest of the city was horrible, it was more because it was still a bit worn down. A few buildings were still of brick and masonry, some being mom-and-pop shops. The kind of shops built on the foundation of big dreamers and independent thinkers, shadowed by the big-name chains of corporate food-makers. Each one competing against the other for bigger quantity instead of quality while small businesses struggle to survive before slowly coming to the threat of closing like the local pie factory did recently, according to the random newsfeed on Allan's phone. It was a shame because he rather liked some of their pies like their apple cinnamon pies, a particular favorite of his.

Looking down at his phone, Allan could see he was nearing his place of arrival. Slowing down on the main street, he kept his eyes alert to the left side of the road as he used his turn signal to pull into the shared turn lane. Soon enough, he came upon the one-story eatery with gray walls and brownish-red roof shingles with the restaurant name on top written in three-dimensional orange letters. Took him a while until he finally found a parking spot in the back end of the medium-large parking lot. Checking his phone, the time read 7:26 p.m. Allan arrived precisely a few minutes early and, following common courtesy, sent Layla a message that he made it.

Allan: Hey, Layla. Just letting you know that I'm here.

He gave it a couple of minutes until his phone flashed a text back.

Layla: I'm just about to pull in now.

Smiling, Allan sent her a reply.

Allan: I'll be waiting outside of my car. It's a black Chevy Equinox.

In doing so, Allan unbuckled his seat belt and stepped out of the car. He dressed semi-casually in a nice dress shirt of maroon with the top button undone and black jeans with his nice, black tennis shoes. The kind of attire he'd usually wear when attending Sunday mass. Locking the doors, he walked around to the back of his car and leaned on it with his eyes scanning for signs of the Dogonian. A minute before the half-hour he saw an old Ford Explorer pulling up in a separate spot ten feet away from him. From where he stood, Allan saw a small outline of a canine head of black, brown, and a little bit of white. He felt a mix of nervousness and excitement hoping it was her.

Sure enough, it was Layla who stepped out of the car. She wore a purple faux top and navy-blue jeans with brown loafers. She looked around a bit until she saw him and the two waved at each other. Smiling, she walked up to him, her tail slightly wagging. "Well, hello handsome."

"Hello, lovely lady," Allan responded happily. "Glad you made it."

"Hope you weren't waiting too long."

"Oh no, not at all. I won't deny I felt nervous about meeting you on a date. But now, I don't feel so much anymore."

The dog equivalent of a toothy grin spawned on Layla. "Me neither. Shall we head on in?"

"Absolutely."

Allan offered her his arm. Layla gladly accepted, her white-furred, human-like hands clinging to it. Allan felt a small ping of joy in his heart, happy that she accepted. They made their way to the entrance of Harpers, each looking forward to a fun night. Despite the joint being almost crowded with customers, Layla and Allan only had to wait for about fifteen minutes until they were seated near the back. Like all the others, it was set up to look fancy with a candelabra, two sets of silverware, menus, and the works. Allan pulled out the chair for his date, who graciously accepted. "Why thank you, kind sir," Layla replied graciously in a playful manner. Once in her seat, Allan took his opposite of her.

"You're welcome. To be honest, I never thought I'd be back here again," he said. "I've not been here since the last time I went out on a first date. I only picked this place because I love the breaded pork chops they have. Nice with just the right kind of crispy and the right amount of juiciness. The best part, it doesn't slide off the meat."

"Careful, you wouldn't like the site of me drooling now would you?" Layla said teasingly. She rested her arms on the table with her hands folded. "You probably take all your first dates here, don'tcha?"

"Only one to be honest." Allan pursed his lips slightly just at the thought of it. "Fortunately, that person is no longer part of my life."

Layla sensed some resentment, so she chose her words carefully with the subject. "I'm rather surprised you asked someone outside of your species. Got a little curious, eh?"

Her question snapped Allan out of his small moment of regret and back to reality. "I...guess you can say that. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit curious about it. But not the reason that you might be thinking about. "

"And what's the reason exactly?"

Allan felt like he was led into a trap. Carefully, he weaved the right words to explain his feelings about the interspecies situation. "Well,...I believe that people are to be seen by the nature of their actions or nature alone, not by just appearances. I want to be done with petty shit and try something different from the usual doldrum of what everyone claims as "normal". When you guys came around, I felt that things might turn around for the better. Even if it was for a short while, it's just a shame that negativity and hate keep getting in the way. I know nothing's perfect; nothing ever will be. The only thing that can be perfect is one's own life."

Allan sighed as he told the truth. "That's what I first thought when I met my ex. She came off as a loving woman at first. And indeed, it did go off well. But, to come right to the point, she started to be unsatisfied. It wasn't much of the romance, far from it. For some reason, - "

"There was trouble in the bedroom?" Layla interjected when Allan paused. "Sorry if I interrupted you."

"It's okay, and...yeah. I don't know what her deal was. She kept feeling like she wasn't physically satisfied. She said she was getting tired of the romance. I mean, what woman says that? And so, I put my time and energy into finding new means of satisfying her carnal appetite. And just when I think she's happy, we're back to square one. And it wasn't until I suddenly got a text from her saying things weren't working out for us and she broke up with me. I came by her place wanting to know what she meant and why she broke up with me. Next thing I knew,..." Allan paused to fight his emotions back, not wanting to let what happened next get to him. "-I caught her sleeping with another guy. An Equinine for that matter." He allowed a moment to pass for absorption. It started to hurt him again, having to relive it in his mind. But he knew the only way to get past it was to talk about it, even if it was painful. "After that, that was the end of it. And now, here I am on a date with you."

Layla digested every detail of her date's story, feeling empathy for him. "I don't know what I would do if it were me. I'm sorry for what she did to you."

"It's not your fault. To this day, I couldn't understand what I did wrong. But more importantly, why she would do that to me? I felt like I did everything to make her happy and it was all for naught. I just..." Allan didn't know what else to say..." He began to worry that Layla didn't want to hear this. "I'm sorry, I feel like I've ruined the evening talking about this.

The Bernese Dogonian held up a hand to stop him. "Hey, relax," she said with a calm and warm demeanor, a reassuring smile upon her maws. "It's not over yet. You haven't ruined anything."

"But...I thought I was being too honest. Isn't that...I don't know, something that puts women off?"

Layla gestured for her human date to sit down and so he did with nervous hesitation. "I can probably guess what kind of guy you are. Mind if I do?" Allan wasn't sure if he could handle brutal honesty but he hoped it wasn't too brutal. He nodded and allowed Miss Layla to proceed. "You're kind of like an old house. Average. Plain looking. Not given much of a second look. But inside, it's warm and comforting. Something worth the wait. You just previously had a bad owner and you're worried about having another bad owner."

"That's kind of how I would put it, yeah. What does that mean for me and you?"

"All you need is someone that's a better owner. Someone with patience who respects the home and makes some minor touch-ups when needed. To work with it in every aspect."

"So you think I'm that kind of house who needs better love and care?"

"Uh-huh." Layla gave him a sweet smile, folding her hands as she rested her elbows on the table.

"And you want to be that new resident that just wants a happy home?"

"Lucky for you, I like a project."

"That is oddly the nicest thing anyone's said about me so far." The happy smile on Allan's face gave away his glimmer of possible hope, making Layla's smile even bigger. Before he could say anything else, their waiter came up for their order. For drinks, they settled with some regular chardonnay. Allan allowed Layla to go first and she decided to try his selection of choice, the breaded pork chops. Smiling, he too ordered pork chops but asked for steamed broccoli as a side dish in contrast to Layla ordering mashed red potatoes as hers.

Orders complete, both human and Animian Dogonan made good of their time engaging in conversation. Allan learned the important lessons in verbal exchange; do your best to avoid short answers, provide the right amount of honesty, and always think of different topics other than "the weather". So far, Layla seemed okay with it. Allan got a few chuckles from her as she did vice versa with him. It mostly focused on basic stuff like family life, high school, hobbies, etc. Their chardonnay soon arrived and Allan poured a fair amount for each of them. He made the proposition for a toast as he lifted his glass. "Here's to new beginnings," he said. "Let's hope they're better than the old ones."

Layla, taking note of his cue, lifted her glass as well. "To new beginnings." With a clink of the wine glasses, they each took a sip. Another small step to hopefully something better.

-A few hours later-

"Oh, man. You were right about pork chops, Allan. They were so good." A satisfied Layla licked her jowls.

"I told you they cook it just right." Allan smiled. He felt the evening went very well, as far as he was concerned. Dinner finished, both he and his date walked out of the joint as Allan opened the door for her. He now proceeded to escort Layla to her car as a perfect gentleman would. "Not to be that kind of guy, but I could've paid for the both of us. It felt like the courteous thing to do."

"Don't be so worried about it. Besides, I'm not one to take advantage of someone's kindness. That's how the assholes always get ya." Her smile waned a little when the dog-woman saw Allan's happy expression falter a bit. "I'm sorry. If that's what your ex did to you,...I didn't mean to bring it up."

"No, no. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just a bad memory from the past. I'll learn to put it behind me." Allan managed a small, sweet smirk. "Right now, I hope to make some new ones."

"Is that a request for a second date?" Layla swiveled around playfully to face Allan as they reached her car. Her flews pulled back into a flirtatious grin.

Allan suddenly felt bashful from her sudden change in expression. He felt his cheeks grow warm, giving away the shame he felt. "Well uh, that depends. Is there a second date?"

The she-dog leaned against the car, poised in mock thought. She glared at him rascally, impish smile included. "Oh, there's a next time. She lightly bopped him on the nose. Layla unlocked the door to her vehicle and said she'll let him know when she's home whilst he does the same. They both said farewell to each other and Allan watched her take off down the street. Smiling, Allan took a cue from her and made his way home on a happier note.

"Hey, Layla! Ready for another round of Hell?" Layla just came to work on her usual schedule and a co-worker of hers, also an Animian but a Dobermian, greeted her as she walked in.

"Always, Mala. Always." Layla came in through the double doors and around the cashier's desk to get her work apron with her nametag attached. "How's it looking today?"

"Decent. Save for a rowdy group of human boys who came in earlier and tried to get a rise out of me. I wanted to give them a good snarl, but thankfully Carl shooed them out before I could." Mala scoffed as she twitched an ear in annoyance. "I swear I'm gonna lose if the next creep, human or otherwise, tries that shit with me again I'm quitting. But not before I give said rat bastard a good bite on the hand." She turned to a male Ratian, a male Animian rat, standing at the register ready to order. "No offense, Leroy."

"None taken," he said.

Layla chuckled. "Just hope you still have a job afterward. Carl would understand but the customer probably wouldn't. You'll be put out to the dog house of unemployment if HR hears of it."

"I know. Those damn idiots are probably too comfortable sitting their asses on plush pillows to understand the real shit happening with their little empire." Mala sighed as she rang up Leroy's order before taking his card. "But, anyway, how're things with your little boy toy?" she asked with slight coy.

The Dogonian rolled her eyes with slight mirth while prepping the espresso equipment. "He's doing great. And he's certainly not a boy toy." She unleashed a small chuckle. "He's more like... an adorable Golden Retriever Dogonian."

"Mm, a sweet cuddly boy, huh? Careful he doesn't spoil you too rotten."

"Oh, I don't have a problem with being a little spoiled. He just wants to be loved as much as the next guy wants to be well-beloved. Only in a tame sense and not, like, the desperate or obsessed kind. He may be a little lovesick, but he's not an idiot. He really wants to make this relationship work, I can tell." It made her a little warm inside just thinking about it. She felt no regrets so far dating a human. She only hoped he'd turn out better than Vick did. The less she remembered him, the better she could move on.

An hour and a half into her shift, Layla practically went through the motions she always did every day coming into this doldrum of a job. The only three perks going for her were the pay, her friendly coworkers, and the time she could put in to experiment with different flavors and coffee art. With how things were going with her and Allan, she hoped to add that to the list as well. After three months of dating, they were making progress to the point they might take things to another level. That is, of course, when he feels ready like she will be.

No sooner did she have thoughts about Allan than he walked into the Coffee Hut while Layla was making drinks. Seeing him come in perked up her spirits and made her tail wag a little. "Hey there, handsome."

"Hey, beautiful," said he. "I hope I didn't come in at a bad time." Allan walked up next in line behind the few customers ahead of him.

"Naw, don't worry about it." Layla leaned on the counter, greeting him with a smile. "How're things in the lame world of academia?"

"Eh, the same old usual. Luckily, today involved my world culture class. Always a good day when it involves a class I enjoy. Plus, I thought I'd give you a little something to help you get through the day. Even if it is just a little bit." From behind his back, Allan presented his new girlfriend with three red roses. "Three roses for three wonderful months of dating. Eh-heh. Sorry, kind of sounds corny doesn't it?"

"Aww, thank you hon," Layla said as she took the roses from him. Mala, being observant, tried to hold back a simper at this cute display. "You honestly didn't have to do that."

"Yeah, but I wanted to though. And there's one other reason why I came in today. Are you free this weekend?"

"Maybe," said a playfully intrigued Layla. "What did ya have in mind?"

"Oh, uh, a romantic date is what I had in mind." Allan rubbed the back of his neck with a slight nervousness. "I thought I'd do something special if you're up for it."

Layla smiled sweetly. "Aww, how sweet." She tapped on the counter in thought. "Alright. It's a date."

Allan beamed with joy. "Great! I'll pick you up at seven. Is Friday okay this weekend?"

"Definitely. You want a coffee before you go? My treat and I'll even give you a free cherry scone if you're hungry."

"You can have it with breast milk if you want." Mala jested, leaning against the cash register. She bore a shit-eating grin, flashing her canine teeth at him. Allan rolled his eyes, scoffing sarcastically.

"Man, never ceases to be funny, does it?" Ever since that day, people have often teased Allan about his moment of embarrassment. While Allan did evolve to the point of developing "thicker skin" he still felt annoyed whenever people brought it up. "Anyway, I got to get back to the campus. There's some reading I need to catch up on and my public-speaking teacher is being tough as usual. Got to make the grades for this one."

"Ahh nuts. Well, do what you have to do. But even so, -" Layla reached down into the glass below and pulled out two fresh cherry scones laced with sprinkled sugar. "-take these as a little something for later."

"Oh, that's okay, babe. You don't have to do that."

"Don't worry about it. They're only scones. Besides, I want you to have them." She charmingly batted her eyes at him. Allan smiled with resignation.

"Oh okay. If you insist." Bagged up in a small paper bag, Layla started to hand her man his little treat but stopped and pulled back a little. Allan's face shifted into one of puzzlement until the Dogonian explained it to him.

"Before you do take this,..." Layla presented her cheek to Allan, pointing at it. It didn't take long for him to figure out what she wanted. His eyes widened as if a spotlight glared down on him, lips pursed with slight anxiety. He glanced at Mala watching them. She was leaning back against the prep table enjoying the show. Sucking it up, Allan bent forward and placed a little smooch on Layla's furry cheek. Satisfied, the dog woman handed the scones over. But not before giving him a little lick on his cheek. Layla snickered seeing Allan's cheeks flush, shooting him a flirtatious smile.

With a sheepish smile, Allan waved goodbye and was off to his next class. Layla grinned the moment he left, amused by his reaction. Her friend chuckled at the whole scene. "Okay, I take it back," Mala said. "He's just plain sweet and adorable."

"Yeah. And it's grown on me."

Allan breathed into his hand, checking for any signs of a foul scent. He was already on his way to pick up his date, feeling nervous in a slightly excited sort of way. Despite feeling like his old romantic self again, the human couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. Sure, this wasn't the first romantic date he's set up. But the anxious part of it was of someone of a different species. He wasn't a hundred percent sure about how he'd handle the so-called "norms" of society judging his relationship with someone seen as "non-human". Allan did know one thing for certain. Layla treated him much better than his ex, and that was all that mattered. He was not going to have a good thing ruined this time.

After a couple of stoplights, Allan finally pulled into the lot near Layla's apartment and put the car in park. Checking for last-minute touches, the human stepped out. Dressed well in a dress shirt and tie with clean, smooth dress pants he went up to the door and pressed the buzzer to Layla's room. It wasn't long until the door opened and there she was. Layla was dressed in a lovely buckle-trim georgette cap-sleeve dress. Colored in vintage burgundy, a leather buckle held the neckline of her dress together against an A-line silhouette except for the hole made for all Animians with tails. "Well, ain't you getting more handsome every day?" Layla said with coquetry. She smiled at his stunned expression. "You like what 'cha see?"

Allan nodded, still speechless at how lovely his girlfriend looked. He snapped himself back to his senses and presented a white carnation to her. "It may sound cheesy, but I got this for you because I heard it's to be a symbol of pure love. So I got this to you as a symbol of my pure love for you."

Layla's heart melted at the sentiment, her sweet smile evidence of her happiness. She awarded her man with a smooch as she took it from him. "And yet you still never stop being amazing and sweet. Lemme take care of this real quick and we can get going okay?"

Allan hummed weakly in agreement. One moment later, they set off to their destination. Allan had something special in mind for their romantic date. They arrived at the local park a few hours before sunset and walked to the garden pavilion surrounded by rosebushes. Sitting on the bench, Layla waited patiently while Allan brought over a small round table, a few candles, some containers of food, and all the necessary dining utensils. Allan had prepared a pot roast dinner for them both with some champagne to wash it down. Layla was most impressed. A romantic dinner against a beautiful sunset. Nothing spoiled so far. Or so they thought.

The young interspecies couple was wrapping up dinner, chatting as they sipped on a half-finished bottle. As they did, though, Allan suddenly thought he heard a voice that he'd never hear again. Looking in its direction, he saw that it did indeed belong to his ex-girlfriend. the one that left a scar on his heart. "What's the matter?" Layla asked him, noticing the small bit of gloom on his face. Following his line of sight, she saw the human female walking down with some human schmuck that looked like one of those "Chad" kind of losers. For those not knowing of the useless term, it's given to someone who looks like an upper-class, urban male trying to act like an alpha. Or in simpler terms, a douche.

"Just a bad memory I hoped never to see again," Allan grumbled unpleasantly. "Ignore her and pray she doesn't notice us."

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?" said Allan's ex. The duo began walking up to them, much to Allan's dismay. "Allan Arthur, is that you?"

"Hello, Carrie," Allan replied, not pleased to see her again.

"Seems that when I threw you into the dog house, you'd make it good with the dog." Carrie sneered at the couple while holding onto the arm of her new beau. "Careful you don't get fleas."

"Don't worry. If I did, it'd be from you. Now if you don't mind, we'd like to return to our date."

The ex-girlfriend's sneer soured a little. "How rich. Strange how you went from being so romantic to being a dick."

"I guess that's what an ex like you does to a guy. You break his heart, and it changes a guy. Glad I have Layla for that."

Carrie turned to give Layla a look over and her sneer returned. "You might be right about that. It's quite fitting how you were always begging for me. You always were so eager to please. Maybe you can get her begging on her knees too just like you did."

Layla was starting to get fed up with this and wanted to speak her mind, but it seemed that Allan wasn't through yet. He wasn't having any more of this nonsense, and his cross expression was proof of it. "You know what, Carrie? You think what you want, but I'm not afraid to admit how happy I am being with her more than I was with you," he spoke sternly. He's standing his ground this time and he was going to let her have it. "I've been nothing but attentive if not caring being with you. And you go and cheat on me because you were getting bored?! I did practically everything to make you happy and it wasn't enough for you!" Allan's anger started to boil, his anger and hurt pouring out of him. "Do you have any idea how hurt you made me feel?! I felt like a Class A-1 fool for thinking that I'd been fucking up when the problem was you. Well, I'm starting over. And this time, I'm doing it with someone who gives as much of a shit about a relationship as I do. Regardless of what her species is. C'mon Layla, let's go. This is one part of my past I'm ready to put behind for good. And I'm tired of listening to it."

With everything gathered, Allan took Layla's hand and they made their way to the car. Carrie was left speechless and humiliated. She turned to her new man and asked him, "Well? Say something! Are you just gonna let him do that?"

The guy just shrugged, uncertain about doing so. "I don't know him that well. He seemed pretty hurt after what you guys went through."

Carrie scoffed in frustration. All she could do now was watch as the interspecies couple drove away. Meanwhile, in the car, Allan sat in the driver's seat with some satisfaction. He finally faced a moment of his past, confronted it, and came out of it with some newfound dignity.

"Hey, you okay, Allan?" he heard his girlfriend ask him. He turned his head to see a concerned-looking Layla looking at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. The human gave her a reassuring smile and placed his hand on hers.

"Yeah. Better than okay." Allan leaned over to the Dogonian when they stopped at a stop sign and gave her a small snog. "It's perfect."

-Two Days Later-

It's near closing time at the Coffee Hut. Mala clocked out a couple of hours as Layla stayed behind to clean up the place. Allan was on his way to pick her up. He offered to do it as he got out of work early. What he didn't know was that she had something special in mind once Allan got here. The dog woman smirked just imagining the look of surprise on his face once she revealed it to him.

Her ears picked up the sound of a car pulling into the parking lot. She looked to see that it was Allan's car and smiled. She went over to the door and signaled him inside. She greeted him with a kiss as she allowed him inside. "Hey, babe. Have a seat. I've only a few more things to do before we can go." Allan took a seat at one of the booths while Layla went to work closing the blinds and putting away all the equipment. A few moments later, she was all finished.

"All ready to go, sweetheart?" Allan asked his spunky girlfriend.

"Mm-hm. Just one more thing before we go." Layla said from behind the counter. She reached into the microwave and pulled out a cup of coffee. "I made a special kind of latte for you, and I want you to try it." She smirked as she handed it to him. Allan took it from her and investigated it. The microfoam was styled into a heart with a dog's paw in the middle of it.

"Oh wow. It looks great, babe. You did a great job with it." Allan complimented her. He always appreciated latte art and the time and effort baristas put into it.

"Just wait until you taste it. I made it a delight for both the eyes and the taste buds."

Allan blew on the slightly hot coffee to cool it down and took a sip. Smacking his lips, he put his taste buds into detective mode. "Hmm. Do I detect a hint of banana and...something nutty?"

"You got it. It's my first attempt at a banana nut bread-flavored latte. What do you think? Be honest. I'm always looking for improvement."

Allan took another sip for better analysis. "Well, I definitely taste the banana. It's a little hard to taste the nutbread part. But overall, I still love it. I do, Layla. I really do."

"As long as you're honest with me, that's all that matters." Shifting Allan's legs out from under the table, Layla sat down on her man's lap and cozied up to him. She gave him a little smooch on his warm, stubbled cheek. Allan responded by snuggling her back, his smile beaming back at her. " And that's not the only surprise I had in mind."

"Oh?" Allan glanced quizzically at his fluffy love. "What else is there?"

Layla traced a clawed finger along the side of his neck. "I kept thinking about how you stood up for me three days ago and wondered what I could do to repay you for such heroics," she said playfully. "And I thought that maybe we could..." Layla's canine whiskers tickled Allan's ear as she whispered into it.

Allan listened to her request and became speechless upon hearing it. He looked at her stunned. "Right here? Right now?"

"I thought you'd be happy. You're not mad, are you?" Layla teased him with a puppy pout. Allan stammered as he tried to figure out what to say. Seeing him baffled, she hushed him with the same finger. "It's okay. I'm only teasing you. If you're not ready for this yet, I can still wait. It's not like we've been dating for more than a year anyway," she reassured him. "I thought it'd be a little adventurous doing it in a coffee shop. But we can do it in a more romantic setting if you rather, -" She stopped talking as she felt Allan clutching her furry hand.

"No, I want to do it. It is a little weird doing it in a somewhat public place. But...I want to take a risk. Besides, -" Allan grinned at her. "-how often do you get to say you got it on in a coffee shop?"

Layla grinned back at him, cradling Allan's chin in her hand. Without hesitation, she gently kissed him on the lips and stared deeply into his eyes. "Then let's not waste any time then."

"Uh, before we do, I just realized something. What about the security cameras in this place?"

"Way ahead of ya. I temporarily turned off the cameras so we don't have to worry about getting caught."

"What if you eventually get in trouble for it? I'd hate for you to lose your job if they find a momentary pause in the camera recording."

"Ahh, I've been hoping to leave this place anyway. If it happens, it'll happen. Besides, it's like you said." Layla leaned forward and gave him a flirtatious smile. "How often do you get the chance for something like this?"

Allan resumed smiling at her. Convinced, he kissed Layla back. Both Dogonian and human locked lips, engaged in a loving embrace. Both soon began to shed their clothes off starting with their shirts. Using his hands, Allan became familiar with the feel of Layla's firm yet soft-furred breasts. It seemed weird to Allan, being used to breasts without fur. Regardless, he did the best he could with what he was given and simply did what he'd normally do with human female breasts. Every caress and every squeeze determined how much moaning he could get out of Layla.

Layla, meanwhile, was enjoying having her breasts fondled by human hands this time. She couldn't remember the last time it felt so good. Her hands rested on Allan's as she felt them reach her small black nipples. Feeling them, Allan rubbed the flat of his fingers along Layla's tits, causing her to arch her back a little. Taking a risk, he parted the fur around her areolas and put his tongue to work on the tips. The Dogonian moaned from the sensation of Allan's tongue against her nipples. She leaned down and held up his head to kiss him fiercely. Her canine tongue clashed against his human tongue.

After three minutes of tongue wrestling, Layla slid off his lap and began pulling down his pants. Grinning from ear to ear, she took his meat whistle in hand and went to work playing it. Her long muzzle clamped itself around Allan's meat stick, her warm tongue sliding against it as she bobbed up and down. Allan clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. The smooth slickness of Layla's tongue was so good against his member, it took great amounts of willpower to not cum too soon. With a pleased smile, Layla cradled his fleshy bannocks and gently stroked them. The human lightly moaned through pursed lips, enjoying her work. Until she stopped and looked up at him.

"Didn't want you to enjoy everything ," she said wiping the saliva from her jowls with the back of her arm. "Need you to be put to work too." Layla helped Allan up from the booth seat and switched places with him. Stripping herself of her pants, the Dogonian spread out her legs to reveal her muff. Using one of her hands, Layla traced a few fingers along her black slit and split it open. She warmed herself up until she signaled for him to come forth. "Chow time, little man."

Allan's heart skipped a little, getting the point. Summing up his courage, he kneeled and placed his head between her open legs. Wetting his lips, Allan set to work performing cunnilingus on his girlfriend. He first ran the tip of his tongue along her clitoris in random patterns, gradually using his entire tongue. Layla arched back and moaned pleasantly as she felt her clit swell with building pressure. She encouraged him further by gently pressing his head more into her pussylips with her fingers sliding through his short hair. Allan's tongue slithered down into her honeypot to taste the steady flow of love nectar oozing from her vaginal walls. It caused an aching between Layla's thighs as heat pooled into her back and spread under her fur.

Allan kept fucking Layla's pussy with his tongue, the taste of her wetness on his tongue. The further he snaked his tongue into her cave, the more Layla began to whimper with pleasure and coiling tension. When she started to feel herself leaking, Layla ceased his progress by sitting up instantly to catch her breath. "Oh, you're good. Very good," Slightly panting, Layla tilted her boyfriend's head up to hers and locked lips against his. "Now that I'm all brewed up, I'm ready for some of that special cream you've got," she said coyly.

Catching on, a grinning Allan agreed. He first wanted to put on a condom, but he soon remembered from his Animian Anatomy I class that their genetics are about 60% animal and 40% human. Based on several studies, the chances of a pregnancy happening to an interspecies couple would rarely happen. Unless, by some random chance, their genetic makeup might have that one common link that would make pregnancy happen. Even so, Al went with his education and took a chance. He already learned from his courtship with Layla that she practiced safe sex in her last relationship up to this moment. Even when they talked about their sexual history, she convinced him that she responsibly tested herself before and after a night of carnal pleasure in the relationships she'd been in. Just as Allan reasonably did likewise.

Allan helped his love up from the booth bench and agreed to do it missionary style first on the booth table. After some slight adjustment, he took his schlong (being at half-mast) and rubbed it along her love bud. He noticed a small bit of precum at the tip and wiped it off before proceeding. Her small whimpers made Allan's manhood upgrade to full mast after two minutes of his pecker sliding across Layla's taco. "We ready to begin?"

"Oh, we are, sweetheart. We are indeed." Layla ran a hand up and down one of Allan's bare arms and gave him a confirming smirk. And so he did. Allan allowed his one-eyed trouser snake to slither with ease into Layla's lady garden, burrowing as deep as it could be allowed to. Reaching the far end of his girlfriend's lady cave, Allan saw Layla gasp and then purr with delight at how good it felt. To her, Allan's dick felt thick and could feel the curvature of it running against her upper vaginal wall. It caused her to groan with satisfaction. On Allan's end, he felt such a sensation going raw not having to use a rubber. In the back of his mind, he prayed he wasn't making a mistake doing otherwise.

Allan began his sensual, rhythmic pace as he rolled his hips steadily, Layla's coochie massaging his bald-headed hermit whilst doing so. Gradually, Layla arched her back and her groans soon evolved into whines of pleasure. She waited a little longer to wrap her canine legs around her man, wanting to enjoy it a little more. Allan pursed his lips trying to pace himself. He took the time to scrape the tip of his fingers along Layla's perked nipples, hoping to stimulate her further. At first, it didn't seem to work. Soon enough, however, whimpers changed into moans. Layla was about to plunge herself into the pool of ecstasy. And she wanted Allan to jump in with her.

Grasping both of Allan's arms, Layla pulled herself up and put a hand on his chest to stop him for a moment. "What's the matter?" he questioned her. "Something wrong?" His pecker was beginning to throb until she stopped him.

"Oh,...no. Not at all." Layla breathily explained. "I just want to take control this time." Gently pushing him off, Layla had Allan lay on his back this time on the freshly cleaned floor. Allan bundled his clothes up into an impromptu pillow before allowing Layla to get on top of him. She guided his flesh missile carefully into her vaginal silo, obtaining a fresh new sensation this time. She cooed as it penetrated through her cervix canal. It was now her turn to set the pace, undulating her pelvis steadily down on him and for Allan to moan and clench his fists.

"Oh, wow. This feels much better." Allan acknowledged. The human felt an early stirring of pleasance in this position, once more doing his best not to prematurely ejaculate as he breathed steadily.

"Then brace yourself, babe. Cause it's gonna get even better." Layla mischievously grinned, proceeding to shift up and down on his girth. She started to pant between moans trying to not explode early until Allan was ready to. Her luscious bouncing increased Allans's sexual buzz. He placed his hands on Layla's fluffy thighs, gripping them as he did his best to match his thrusting to her pace. This only made her growl with lust and increased her bouncing. She began whining louder as the couple dissolved into pure pleasure. "Oh yes! Oh god yes!" she started to exclaim over the sound of smacking flesh.

Allan still did his best to keep it together, but the chasing climax said otherwise. "Layla. I uh...I think uh...I think I'm about ready to cum, babe," he told her in between pauses.

"Good. 'Cuz I'm about ready for that cream myself," she admitted. Without further ado, the lovers made headway for the peak of a crescendo until finally: release! Layla gasped and clenched her vagina onto Allan's spicy pepperoni just as he clung to the sides of her hips and broke through her dam. His seed clashed against her essence. Their muscles tensed as he emptied every drop into her. Allan soon relaxed, his arms falling to his sides as he sighed with relief. Layla soon followed with breathy pants and steadied herself on her hands, still hovering over her furless lover. Her solid cum slowly flowed onto Allan's still pulsing cock.

"Oh wow. That...was...incredible," said a drained Allan. He sighed when he caught his breath. "That...was certainly worth the wait." The guy grinned weakly at his satisfied Layla. "What's the verdict for you?"

Layla leaned down to Allan and kissed his lips tenderly. "You definitely get an A+ for performance, Big Al." She brushed a hand through his hair, looking lovingly at him. "So, still have any regrets?"

Allan looked back at Layla with sweet love and affection. He reached up and tenderly stroked her cheek. "None whatsoever," he said without hesitation. And with pure honesty and endearment, Allan said what he looked forward to saying for so long. "I love you, Layla."

His confession warmed every segment of Layla's heart. She rested her naked body on top of Allans' and nuzzled against the side of his head. She looked him in the eyes and responded with "I love you too, Allan." The couple shared another tender kiss and fondly cozied up to each other on the floor, staying in this moment built up from months of brewed love.