{"sf1_id":212386,"sf2_id":"ynZQoKPm","title":"Love's Shadow Part 4","author":"Korrado-Xan","words":5982,"posted_at":"2011-01-12T08:10:00.000Z","tags":["Feline","Gay","M/M","Nudity","Romance","School","Skunk","slice of life"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/212386-love-s-shadow-part-4","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/ynZQoKPm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/7d/9e/7d9e6c38-4d24-44a5-b16f-e3537d7e868f","description":"#4 of Love's Shadow","content":"\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n- Love's Shadow part 4. c. Grey K. 1997\n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n- Love's Shadow part IV,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The feline morph's hair and fur were matted where the dirty\n\nwater from the asphalt had soaked him, which was pretty much all over.\n\nJace knew that Patrick couldn't be comfortable with his hair and coat\n\nlike that. The grey feline looked slightly self-conscious but nodded,\n\n\"If you don't mind., Thank-you.\" \"Not at all, come with me.\" Jace set\n\nthe Siamese that had been in his lap on the floor, standing up and\n\nhelping Patrick to his feet.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick picked up his cane and followed Jace deeper into the\n\napartment. Jace went into the narrow hallway, stopping at the first\n\ndoor on the right side. Patrick noticed that there were four doors in\n\ntotal, two on the right side of the hall, one on the left, and one\n\ndirectly off the end of the hall. The first door ended up being a\n\nstorage and linen closet. Jace reappeared holding a large, solid blue\n\ntowel.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He opened the second door on the right revealing a small, trim\n\nbathroom. It was done in a plain dark grey and white with a simple\n\nlay-out having just a sink, commode and large shower stall. The\n\nbathroom was lit by a small window in one corner and Jace flipped the\n\nlights over the mirror on, illuminating things better. Patrick gazed\n\naround, assuming from it's neat, sterile appearance that this was the\n\ncommon bath, kept orderly for visitors.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace caught Patrick's attention, \"Fairly straight forward., Sink,\n\nhead, shower., You don't have to worry about water pressure or\n\ntemperature shifts, or things like that., The plumbing in the building\n\nis kept in perfect condition., Shower is a might tricky though, I've\n\nbeen meaning to get a new mechanism for it for a while now, I'll show\n\nyou a few maneuvers.\" Jace showed Patrick how to work the shower then\n\nexcused himself politely and stepped out of the room.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He closed the door behind himself, with a 'Yell if you need\n\nanything' passed over his shoulder. Patrick eyed the locking mechanism\n\nthoughtfully then thought better of it. He felt oddly safe with Jace and\n\ntrusted his new friend not to just barge in unannounced. Setting his\n\ncane against the sink and draping the towel over the shower door,\n\nPatrick looked at the floor and bottom surface of the shower.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The bathroom floor was covered nearly corner to corner with a\n\nthick, fluffy charcoal grey mat that didn't slide when the feline\n\nnudged at it with his foot. The floor of the shower stall was done in\n\na non-slip substance that the feline couldn't identify but looked safe\n\nenough to not worry about slipping. There was also a thin but sturdy\n\nrail set into the wall of the shower. Patrick assumed that it was\n\nprobably meant for washcloths or something but it held his weight\n\neasily and would serve his purposes even if that wasn't exactly what\n\nit was intended for.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Groaning slightly, Patrick rubbed at his battered joint, feeling\n\ndull stabs of pain as he flexed it gingerly. The feline avoided looking\n\ninto the large vanity mirror as he pulled his shirt over his silver\n\nmaned head. Steadying himself on the sink and lowering into a sitting\n\nposition on the toilet seat Patrick proceeded to pull off his shoes and\n\nsocks. The weary feline flexed his toes and feet, feeling the silky\n\nsoftness of the thick bath-mat underfoot.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Standing with some effort Patrick proceeded with getting his\n\njeans off, unbuckling them and allowing them to drop to the mat, then\n\nstepping carefully out of them to avoid tangling himself up in them.\n\nHe was about to remove his under-shorts when there was a sharp rap at\n\nthe door. Patrick nearly fell against the shower as he grabbed for the\n\ntowel, throwing it around his waist. He relaxed a little when he heard\n\nJace's voice, \"Patrick?,\" a pause and another knock, \"Patrick??,\n\nPaaaatrick, you still alive in there?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick stumbled across his clothes, bumping against the door\n\nwith an audible thud, \"Jace?\" He heard amusement in the skunk's voice,\n\n\"Oh, there you are...I guess., Lemme have your clothes.\" \"What?!\" Jace\n\nlaughed on the other side of the door, \"Your clothes, they're wet and\n\ndirty., Let me have them and I'll put them in the wash.\" \"Oh, uh, OK,\n\nhang on.\" Patrick stumbled again as he gathered his jeans, shirt and\n\nsocks up then reached for the door-knob.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He hesitated as he remembered he was still naked to the waist,\n\n\"Shit, oh, uh, um, well...\" Patrick shrugged, gritting his teeth and\n\nthrowing the door open half-way. His new skunk friend was leaning\n\nagainst the far side of the hall grinning at him, \"Hi there., Come here\n\noften?\" Jace burst into laughter as the feline's damp clothes flew\n\nacross the hall, hitting him in the chest. He saw Patrick trying not\n\nto laugh as the bathroom door whispered shut again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The skunk looked at the bundle in his arms seeing jeans, socks,\n\nand a shirt and couldn't resist himself, \"Uh, Patrick, I seem to be\n\nmissing something(s) here., Unless of course you were missing them to\n\nbegin with.\" He heard Patrick's voice, muffled either by the wood of\n\nthe door or embarrassment, \"I think I'll keep those if it's all the\n\nsame to you...\" Jace grinned impishly at the door, \"Suit yourself.\"\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe moved off down the hall to the laundry alcove set next to the small\n\nkitchen.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The skunk heard the shower turn on as he tossed Patrick's clothes\n\ninto the ancient washing machine but didn't start the machine yet. He\n\nfigured there would be the towel to wash too after Patrick was done\n\ndrying off. Jace ambled into the living room humming idly as he waited\n\nfor his new friend to finish showering. The young skunk folded himself\n\nonto the couch, stroking Cherokee's back and tail with his ebon furred\n\nhands.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick smiled to himself at the skunk's bold disposition as he\n\nclosed the shower door and turned on the water. He sighed as the\n\nsteaming water coursed through his fur and down his body. The jets and\n\nheat of the liquid eased the throbbing in his head and knee, warming\n\nthe tense and cold stiffened muscles, allowing them to relax. The\n\nwarmth of the water was gradually erasing the stiffness and freezing\n\nnumbness from his body. He would have to remember to thank Jace for\n\nthe use of the shower.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick was puzzled at the skunk's openness but felt safe and\n\nunafraid around the morph. He had never felt such an immediate rapport\n\nwith anyone before and wasn't sure what to think about it. Patrick\n\nwasn't certain of himself at the best of times but he felt curiously\n\npositive that he liked the skunk and felt comfortable around him. He\n\nhoped that Jace would feel the same about him.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The young feline yawned and unconsciously moved a hand over\n\nthe scars that dominated his eye and cheek. He hoped that Jace hadn't\n\nnoticed the old wound that ran across his face and neck, extending\n\ndown to his chest. So many people were repulsed by the disfigurement\n\nthat marred his otherwise handsome features that Patrick had gradually\n\nstarted doing things to hide his damaged form. Avoiding things like\n\nloose shirts, button-downs and tank-tops, and wearing various hats\n\nand sunglasses to hide his face. Patrick liked winter most of all the\n\nseasons, he could wear large bulky clothes, hats and scarves.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The silver haired feline could move about in public most easily\n\nin winter. Summer was his worst season and the stigmatized feline\n\nusually hid indoors for most of it, never enjoying a trip to the beach\n\nor local pool, not wanting to risk the ridicule of others. After\n\nseveral years, Patrick's silver hair had grown long enough that he\n\ncould use it to conceal the marred part of his face from casual\n\ninspection.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick secretly hoped that the young skunk wouldn't be like\n\nthe others in his life, the ones that had forced him to hide his face\n\nand body in disgrace. He didn't have to many friends and Jace seemed\n\nso open, so warm and friendly and eager to get to know him. The feline\n\nwondered if the skunk would like him even if he knew about his past\n\nand how he had been injured. Patrick thought it was probably too much\n\nto ask for but it didn't hurt to try he supposed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He finished cleaning himself quickly, not wanting to take too\n\nlong in someone else's home, and shut off the water. Patrick just\n\nstood against the wall of the shower for a moment and allowed the\n\nwater to drip from his fur. The feline saw that the frosted enclosure\n\nof the shower went all the way to the ceiling and decided to relieve\n\nhis coat of the excess moisture the old-fashioned way before toweling\n\noff. Squinting his eyes, Patrick shook his body and head, watching the\n\nspray of water bounce off the walls of the shower before it swirled\n\ndown the drain.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He opened the door of the stall, taking the towel Jace had given\n\nhim and rubbing his fur dry. It took a few minutes for Patrick to dry\n\nhimself off, doing a delicate balancing act on his knee to reach the\n\nmore inaccessible areas of his body. He stood nude in front of the sink\n\nand mirror, using his hand to wipe the steam from the glass. The feline\n\ndidn't often do this, usually simply ignoring the mirror and avoiding\n\nit with his gaze or leaving it fogged until he exited.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick looked at his exposed form in the mirror, holding the\n\ntowel in one hand and the edge of the sink in the other to steady\n\nhimself. He wished he hadn't looked, Patrick was of the personal opinion\n\nthat he perpetually looked like shit. Bizarre fur, hair and eyes, the\n\nfeline didn't look anything like his parents or siblings, although\n\nhis grandmother had once mentioned he resembled one of her parents.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Rangy muscles stretched under his fur, Patrick felt disgusted\n\nas he realized his ribs showed more than slightly if he took a deep\n\nbreath. Admittedly he often had to force himself to eat after a\n\nstressful day, or sometimes he just forgot to eat entirely, repeatedly\n\ngoing for days on empty till he felt like dropping where he stood.\n\nPatrick thought he looked like a badly treated fur rug stretched\n\nacross a warped picket fence. The feline felt ashamed that he could\n\nlet himself degrade to such an extent.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Before the incident when he was wounded he was a very handsome\n\nand cheerful person, almost nothing like now. He saw the large flaws\n\non his skin that marred his fur, running down his face, onto the side\n\nof his neck and onto his chest. Patrick hated his body, frequently\n\nhated himself, a barely noticeable scar running across his left wrist\n\nattested to that. He had tried pills too but both attempts had been\n\nthwarted just barely in time. He loathed having to put up with the\n\nscars, the pain, his disgustingly twisted and swollen knee. They were\n\neverything that held him back, everything that had shattered his life\n\nand spirit, everything responsible for destroying the morph he was and\n\nleaving a nervous, paranoid phantom of his former self in his battered\n\nand twisted body. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick gazed down at the cane propped against the shower on\n\nreflex. His eldest brother had given him the cane he now carried after\n\nhe had gotten out of the hospital. Patrick had kept throwing his badly\n\nhealed joint out just trying to walk normally. He hated the walking\n\naide with every fiber of his being, it was as bad a disfigurement as his\n\nface or his knee. The young feline wanted to snap it in half with his\n\nbare hands every time he picked it up. But the damned thing had come to\n\nbe like another appendage for Patrick. He couldn't move about without it,\n\nsnapping it would be akin to snapping his own leg at this point.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick's knuckles creaked as he gripped the sink, tearing his\n\ngaze away from his abhorrent form in the mirror. He realized with a start\n\nthat Jace had taken his clothes and all he had to conceal himself was\n\nthe towel. It would be inevitable that the skunk would see his body.\n\nPatrick stood wondering how he could conceal the mars in his flesh from\n\nJace.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He finally gave up, calling the skunk's name through the door.\n\nJace got up from the sofa at hearing Patrick's voice, \"Yeah, I'm right\n\nhere., Do you need something Patrick?\" Patrick heard Jace stop outside\n\nthe door, \"Uh, yeah, the towel you gave me is kind of soaked from\n\ndrying off., If it's not too much trouble, do you think you could get\n\nme a fresh one?\" Jace looked at the door quizzically, thinking Patrick\n\nsounded upset for some reason, \"Oh, you know what?, My robe should be\n\nright there on the back of the door, just go ahead and use it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He heard the feline's voice move slightly, changing in pitch\n\nin a manner that the skunk couldn't quite identify, \"Mmm, OK, yeah,\n\nI've got it., It matches your eyes., You're sure you don't mind?\" Jace\n\nfelt a warm sensation, that was the exact reason that Thomas had\n\npurchased the robe for him. It matched his emerald eyes perfectly,\n\n\"No, I don't mind., While you finish up, do you want something to\n\ndrink?, I can put on some coffee or tea if you like.\" Patrick's voice\n\nsounded weird again, \"N-no coffee, thank-you, but some tea would be\n\nnice please.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace stepped back, \"All right.\" As he turned Jace remembered\n\nthat he had left his favorite mug in his room this morning and spun\n\nto retrieve it. Patrick bundled his shorts up into the damp towel,\n\ntaking Jace's robe from the hook on the back of the door and wrapping\n\nit around his body. Patrick's sensitive feline nose caught the skunk's\n\npleasant smell on the soft, fluffy fabric of the robe. He felt peculiar\n\nas he sniffed Jace's scent, there was a knot growing in his stomach and\n\nhe felt almost light-headed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Part of him wanted to wrap the robe tighter around himself and\n\njust enjoy the skunk morph's scent, the other half wanted to seek out\n\nthe skunk himself. Patrick felt torn and agitated suddenly as some\n\ndeeply hidden part of him panicked, triggering an almost primal need\n\nto flee in the young feline. Scared out of his wits, but not knowing\n\nquite why Patrick opened the bathroom door and rushed out into the\n\nhall where he collided hard with Jace, who was just coming out of the\n\nmain bedroom with his coffee mug in hand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The skunk gasped, winded, as he tripped backward and fell. He\n\nlanded on his rump hard, nearly bruising his tail. Jace gritted his\n\nteeth, sputtering slightly as once again cold liquid splashed across\n\nhis face, neck and this time chest, soaking his shirt. Patrick was\n\nstill on his feet, grasping the doorjamb and shaking slightly as he\n\nrecovered his senses. As he bolted from the bathroom, the feline\n\nhadn't noticed Jace coming down the hall.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick's mind seemed to be stuck in slow motion as he saw\n\nhis new friend get bowled backward, the half full mug flying up\n\nand emptying it's contents across the skunk's face and upper body\n\nbefore shattering against the wall.\u0026nbsp; Jace heard Patrick whimper\n\nloudly as he clutched at the door frame. The young feline was\n\nbattered agonizingly by long buried memories that came rushing\n\nunheeded from the depths of his mind like a banshee from an open\n\ngrave.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A vision of a flying coffee mug and a torturously painful\n\nsearing sensation across his neck, chest and face pounded the young\n\nfeline until he wanted to scream. Patrick's own cries had been\n\ndrowned out by his fathers shouts and curses. The feline had felt\n\nhimself beginning to bleed from several locations before the blinding\n\nnova of pain had erupted in his knee and everything had gone black.\n\nThe lucid part of Patrick's brain, the part that was still in the here\n\nand now, blessedly immune to the appalling remembrance relayed that\n\nthe sound of Jace's cup shattering against the wall had been identical\n\nto the sound of his father's mug splintering as it had hit the floor\n\nnearly five years prior. The instance Patrick's life as he had known\n\nit had ended.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace sat still, shaking his head and rubbing cold tea from his\n\neyes as he tried to figure out what had happened. He heard a shattering\n\nnoise then Patrick's voice erupt in a soul rending howl. It sounded\n\nmore like the tortured cry of some horribly wounded animal than the\n\nsoft, even voice of his new friend, \"JACE?!!, OH, GOD!!!, NO!!!\"\n\nPatrick stumbled toward the skunk's seated form. He cried out in pain\n\nas his leg skewed out from underneath him again and he went down to\n\nthe floor, struggling to get up.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace got to his feet as fast as he could, pulling Patrick\n\nupright and instinctively holding the feline tightly to his chest.\n\nPatrick was shaking uncontrollably, like the chill of death itself\n\nhad passed through his slender body. There were tears streaming down\n\nhis face as he clutched at Jace. He was speaking in a single\n\nunintelligible string, Jace could hardly make out what the feline was\n\nsaying till he leaned his ear closer. Patrick was nearly wailing, a\n\nfast stream of words only half of which made any sense at all to Jace,\n\n\"Oh God, oh God, Jace, I didn't mean to, it was an accident., Father,\n\nNO!, I'm sorry, I'm sorry., Please stop!, Don't shout!, Oh!, It\n\nhurts!, No, please stop, don't hit, no more!, I didn't mean to, it\n\nhurts, burning!, Oh God it hurts!, Help me please!!!, Jace??!!!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace tried to stop the trembling that washed through Patrick's\n\nslender form, holding the feline tightly, \"Patrick..., Patrick!, It's\n\nOK, it's all right., You didn't hurt me, I'm all right.\" Patrick's\n\neyes focused suddenly on his face, \"Jace!?, Oh, I'm so sorry.\" The\n\nfeline was weeping openly in Jace's arms, pressing his face against\n\nthe skunk's neck. Jace held him tightly trying to comfort the\n\ndistraught feline, rubbing at Patrick's neck and back gently, \"Shh,\n\nit's all right, it's OK., I'm fine., The tea wasn't even warm., I'm\n\njust wet..., You didn't hurt me., Look at me, you didn't hurt me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The sobbing slowly eased and Patrick lifted his head to look\n\ninto Jace's eyes, \"You're alright?, You're OK?\" Jace smiled at Patrick,\n\n\"I'm fine, the tea in the cup was stone cold., I think my favorite mug\n\nis way beyond help, but I'm fine, sticky but fine.\" Jace wriggled his\n\nnose experimentally feeling the fur on his face getting slightly stiff\n\nfrom the sugar that had been in the tea. Patrick looked so relieved at\n\nhis words Jace almost had to suppress a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The feline's heart skipped a beat and he gasped softly as he\n\nfelt the skunk's fingers run lightly across his scarred fur. Patrick\n\nhadn't realized that his hair had moved away from his face and his eye\n\nand cheek were now fully exposed to Jace. The feline suddenly felt\n\nsick to his stomach, as though someone had just punched him hard in the\n\ngut. He turned away, putting a hand up to mask his scarred face from\n\nJace, feeling still unshed tears welling up against his eyelids.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick couldn't breath properly, he was tense, expecting the\n\nskunk to express disgust at him or pull away. He was shocked to feel\n\nJace's feather light touch once again, moving up his cheek to gently\n\nbrush the disfigured skin around his eye. The tears spilled down\n\nPatrick's face as he opened his eyes again, finding himself looking\n\nsquarely into Jace's own emerald green gaze. The feline felt breath-\n\nless, bewildered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was no fear, no hatred, no malice, no loathing, disgust\n\nor disdain anywhere in the skunk's face or eyes. There was only warmth,\n\ntenderness and concern. Patrick felt dizzy, overwhelmed, almost faint\n\nas the skunk's gentle caress played across his face, and at the lack\n\nof malice or fear in Jace's face or body. He heard Jace's voice whisper,\n\n\"Is that what happened?\" Jace saw more tears well in Patrick's golden\n\neyes as the feline nodded, \"Yes, my father, he, he, he...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The feline sobbed, trembling again as he replayed the malicious\n\nattack over in his mind. Jace embraced Patrick in his arms, \"Shh, shh,\n\nit's alright..., You don't have to think about it, I know., He burned\n\nyou and then beat you while you were senseless from the scalding., I\n\nassume your knee is his handiwork as well.\" Jace felt Patrick nod,\n\nthe feline's voice was quaking as he shivered against Jace, \"He-he\n\nworked in a factory, wore steel capped boots.,\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Not the ch-cheap shit things you see all over the place\n\nnowadays., Industrial grade steel plate, nearly half inch thick.,\n\nThe kind where you can have your toes run over by a fork-lift and not\n\nflinch, they must have weighed a good seven pounds each. You could\n\nbust bricks with them and not stub your foot., After he threw the mug\n\nat me, he started kicking me, broke my arm, collar bone and then\n\nfragmented my knee., Ripped up the cartilage and tendons real bad., I\n\nnever really healed right, there was so much damage.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace led Patrick into his bedroom, sitting down with him on\n\nthe edge of the bed. The feline's grip around his chest hadn't\n\nfaltered as he had helped Patrick to walk and sit. The skunk shook\n\nhis head, his own father had only ever hit him once, the day things\n\nhad ended for his parents. Jace couldn't even imagine how someone\n\ncould hate their own child enough to nearly cripple them over God\n\nknows what., \"My God, how could someone be so cruel to their own flesh\n\nand blood?, What happened to make him haul off on you so badly, I\n\ncan't even imagine.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick dried his eyes with the end of the robe's belt, \"My\n\nfather wasn't always like that., Wasn't always so abusive and\n\nhurtful., Toward the end his health wasn't so good, he was drinking\n\nand smoking more and more and his job was getting to him, the stress.,\n\nOne day we started discussing something then we started fighting., I\n\ndon't know why or how but he just got this horrible, cold, dead look\n\nin his eyes and just..... snapped.\" Patrick popped his fingers for\n\nemphasis, hugging Jace tighter.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The skunk felt his ribs creak at the feline's renewed embrace,\n\n\"That doesn't make it right., What did they do to your father after he\n\ndid that to you?\" Patrick sniffled, then chuckled eerily. Jace couldn't\n\ntell if it was bitterness or sarcasm lacing the feline's laugh. Either\n\nway it made the fur on his neck stand up, \"nothing...\" The single word\n\nwas said flatly with no emotion to gauge it by.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The skunk bristled as he sat aghast, \"Nothing!!?\" Patrick\n\nsniffled again and Jace felt his tail tap agitatedly against the bed,\n\n\"Nothing..., They didn't need to., He-he died., He DIED., Oh God., I\n\ndon't remember anything after my father crushed my knee but evidently\n\nall the smoking and drinking and eating shit junk all day for years\n\ngave him a heart attack while he was beating me senseless.,\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Imagine!, The exertion of beating me nearly to death gave the\n\nbastard a massive coronary and, HE\\_DIED!!\" Patrick stifled a sob\n\nagainst Jace's shoulder. The skunk ran a hand over Patrick's neck,\n\nrubbing it in little circles to try to calm the feline, \"And some\n\npeople say there's no God., Bolt from the blue.\" Patrick's breath\n\nslowed at his shoulder, \"That's always how I've felt., If he had\n\ngotten any further or had kicked me in the head or neck I probably\n\nwould have died.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm glad you didn't..., Otherwise we wouldn't be sitting\n\nhere now.\" Patrick loosened his grip and dried his eyes again,\n\nlooking at Jace with his luminous,(though now slightly red), eyes,\n\n\"You say things to me that I've never heard from anyone else before.,\n\nI feel like I should be waking up any moment now, like this is just\n\nsome cruel dream to tease me.\" Jace still massaged the back of the\n\nfeline's neck soothingly, \"I say those things because I mean them and\n\nI'm very much real and here if you need me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick felt all the fear, apprehension and worry melt from\n\nhim. He only felt safe and content as he sank into the skunks arms\n\nagain, \"I think I do.\" The feline's nose twitched against the fur on\n\nJace's neck making the skunk giggle slightly, \"What was in that mug?,\n\nIt smells good.\" Patrick suppressed the statement that Jace smelled\n\ngood too. The skunk's scent permeated the robe he wore, and being in\n\nJace's bedroom and in his arms Patrick's nose was filled with it. It\n\nmight have just been his imagination but Patrick thought Jace's scent\n\nwas getting stronger by the minute.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Inexperienced with skunks or anyone in general the feline wasn't\n\nsure if that was good or bad. The skunk didn't show any signs of\n\nrelenting in his proximity to him so Patrick assumed it was a good\n\nthing. If he had been more familiar with Jace he might have guessed that\n\nthe stronger aroma he had detected was the beginnings of the skunk's\n\nmating scent. Jace fevently hoped Patrick hadn't picked up on his little\n\npheromonic faux pas. This was the first time the skunk had had another\n\nmale in his arms in a long while.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Not that Jace was some perverted sex maniac that got off on\n\ndistressed felines, he just couldn't help it. Between Patrick's\n\nphysical proximity, which was as close as the two could get without\n\nthe feline being in his lap, the fact that the only item of clothing\n\nPatrick had on was his own robe and the way in which Patrick had hugged\n\nhim that last time, it had just happened. All those things had just\n\nset the skunk's libido off instinctively, \"Blackberry tea., But you\n\nknow, you could have just told me I needed a shower too., And now I\n\nneed a new favorite mug.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace was smiling again trying to breach Patrick's somber mood.\n\nThe feline was coming around, \"I'm sorry for breaking your mug.\"\n\n\"That's OK., There is another one I like almost as much, but I may\n\nhave to hide it now., Tell you what, I'll only use mugs I don't really\n\nlike that much, you can throw those around all you like., OK?\" Patrick\n\nsmiled hesitantly at the gentle ribbing, knowing Jace was just playing\n\nwith him. The skunk's hand was settled on the collar of the green robe\n\nnear his throat, tugging absently at a loose thread.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace shifted next to the feline, adjusting the soft terry cloth\n\nof the dressing gown around Patrick's slim shoulders and chest where\n\nthe material had gathered and bunched slightly, \"Here, let's fix this a\n\nlittle, oh...\" As he adjusted the bathrobe the material pulled loose\n\nslightly, partially exposing Patrick's slim chest to the skunk. Jace\n\nhad seen the scarring on the feline's face and neck but was caught\n\ncold by the marring on the right side of Patrick's chest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The short, soft, uniform fur over Patrick's chest rippled\n\nslightly from the scalding he had received. Some of the deep pink\n\nscar tissue was very visible through the deep grey fur where the burns\n\nhad been worse. The scarred region on the feline's chest was the\n\nbiggest on his body, a rough oval shape about four inches in diameter.\n\nIt stretched up across his collar bone, almost meeting the scarring on\n\nhis neck. Jace could practically trace where the scalding liquid had\n\nimpacted Patrick's face, run down his cheek and neck to where some of\n\nit had pooled on his chest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The skunk looked as though he wanted to touch the scarred flesh\n\nas he had on the feline's neck and face but held back slightly, \"Does\n\nit hurt you?\" Patrick shook his head, \"It's a little sensitive but it\n\ndoesn't really hurt.\" As he spoke Patrick took Jace's outstretched\n\nhand and placed it gently on the marred fur on the side of his chest,\n\nallowing the skunk to do what he had wanted to. The feline was amazed\n\nat the gentleness and warmth of Jace's touch. The skunk never poked or\n\nprodded, always keeping his claws carefully retracted and not applying\n\ntoo much pressure or force as he caressed Patrick's fur and skin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The feline mrrr'ed softly as Jace touched the scarred area of\n\nhis chest so softly and tenderly. The sensation was unbelievable to\n\nPatrick. No one had ever wanted to actually touch the scars on his\n\nbody, even out of curiosity. Much less touch them with the kind of\n\nsoothing warmth and tenderness Jace was. The silent moment passed as\n\nJace moved his hand gently off of Patrick's collar, tugging the robe\n\nback into place over the feline's body.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick didn't want the striped morph to stop, almost voicing\n\nhis displeasure. Then he felt the skunk's hip against his own and\n\ncaught his tongue, smiling as he gazed over into Jace's emerald eyes.\n\nPatrick started as Jace's hand settled on his leg, about mid-thigh.\n\nThe skunk sat up suddenly, snapping his fingers, \"Be right back.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace remembered something that had been on his mind when he\n\nhad entered his room to get his mug earlier. Patrick watched the\n\nskunk rummage in several drawers about the room, finally fishing a\n\nstrange looking object from one of them. Jace brought it back to the\n\nbed, proffering it to the puzzled feline. It was a tube of thick\n\nlooking material about a half meter long and a little more than the\n\nwidth of Jace's hand wide.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It looked like a sleeve torn off a wet-suit, but curved in\n\nalmost a boomerang-like shape with a small hole at the junction. The\n\nmaterial was thick and spongy, almost rubbery, and coloured a dark\n\ncharcoal gray. Jace turned it so Patrick could have a better look,\n\n\"Here., It's a knee brace, the kind used by physical therapists., I\n\nused to run track, pulled muscles in my knees every so often., This\n\nhelped., It's self conforming, got a thermal lining, and it's water-\n\nproof but it breathes., Pretty high-tech, my mother got it from\n\nsomeone she knows.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick took the brace from Jace's sable furred hands\n\ntentatively, turning it over and looking at it. The pliable material\n\nwas strong and less giving than it looked, it moved and flexed but\n\nhardly had any give to it when Patrick tried to stretch it in his\n\nhands. Jace demonstrated how to wear the brace with his hands,\n\nindicating placement and orientation, \"There, like so., With this\n\nover here, and the seam here., That hole goes over the knee-cap for\n\nflexibility., Yeah, like that, oh wait, no, OK, yes, like so.\"\n\nPatrick nodded listening and watching the skunk, then offered the\n\nbrace back to Jace, pulling back the hem of the robe as he spoke,\n\n\"Would you mind?, This first time., Just so I can watch how you do\n\nit?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace swallowed hard and took the brace in slightly unsteady\n\nhands, trying not to let it show. He knelt on the floor next to\n\nPatrick's feet, brace in his hands, stoically not looking up toward\n\nwhere the feline had flipped back the lower hem of the robe,\n\nexposing 95% of a long, lissome, thigh. Not wanting to cast a long\n\nenough gaze, Jace wasn't sure if he caught a flash of paler fur\n\naround Patrick's lower belly and crotch through the swiftly degrading\n\nclosure of the robe as the feline shifted on the bed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Rolling the brace into a ring Jace stretched it between his\n\nhands, \"So it won't catch your fur.\" He explained hurriedly, slipping\n\nthe roll of material up over Patrick's foot and knee. The skunk settled\n\nit on the feline's leg about mid-thigh, where his hand had been moments\n\nbefore. The brace unrolled well, going with Patrick's fur down his leg\n\nto around mid-calf. The material contracted slightly as it unrolled,\n\nhugging the feline's limb, supporting his injured joint nicely.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"There.\" Jace pronounced getting up from the floor to stand.\n\nPatrick nodded, moving his leg experimentally and feeling the strong\n\nmaterial move smoothly with his leg and knee. Though it didn't catch\n\nin his fur, the sensation was interesting as the two moved against\n\none another and would take a little getting used to. Patrick wasn't\n\nworried, if there was one thing he was good at, getting used to things,\n\nespecially painful or uncomfortable things, was it, \"Thank-You, that\n\nfeels nice.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace smiled offering Patrick a hand up at standing. The feline\n\nwobbled a little bit, instinctively trying to lean on his absent cane\n\nfor support. It felt peculiar to have both feet on the floor and be\n\nstanding relatively surely without his walking stick in hand. Jace\n\nlet go, standing back, but still staying within safety range should\n\nPatrick have problems. The handsome young skunk clapped his hands\n\nsoftly, \"There you go!, Good!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick felt silly and wonderful at the same time, like some\n\nmassive child taking his first unaided steps. In the grey feline's\n\ncase it had been a long time, his right hand almost twitched for\n\nlack of anything else to do at the moment. Jace smiled as Patrick\n\ndoddered a little but kept his to feet and walked into the hall. The\n\nfeline reappeared with his cane gripped in hand. He was still limping\n\nslightly but Jace noticed he was hardly leaning on the aide at all,\n\nusing it more for balance than anything else.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick smiled, shrugging modestly at the skunk, \"No sense\n\ntempting fate., A little at a time.\" \"Sound words., You've still got a\n\nlittle bit of a hitch in your get-along, as they say, but you're doing\n\njust fine.\" Jace's tail flipped around his ankles as he watched\n\nPatrick. The white stripes running down it's length stood out in the\n\ngrey light coming through the window.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Almost as if on cue, Patrick stumbled slightly on the carpeting,\n\nfalling against Jace as the skunk moved to catch his friend, \"Whoa\n\nthere!, Careful.\" Patrick steadied himself on Jace's lean frame, coming\n\nup nearly nose to nose and at perfect eye level with the skunk. He\n\npulled back slightly, regarding Jace's emerald gaze. His silky, black\n\nfurred face and neck, blunt nose \u0026 muzzle, and soft lips. Jace\n\npractically felt Patrick's gaze. His luminous lemon coloured eyes were\n\nwide and bright. Their expressive depths were shining in a way Jace\n\nhadn't seen in Patrick before as the feline looked at him and into his\n\neyes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The skunk was started from his reverie as Patrick suddenly blurted,\n\n\"Jace., Please don't hate me for this.....!!!!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n-------------------------\\\u003eend part IV\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Love\\'s Shadow","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/212385-love-s-shadow-part-3.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/212389-love-s-shadow-part-5.json"}}