{"sf1_id":22936,"sf2_id":"17DR3aEe","title":"End of the World as We Know It","author":"Lightmane","words":3190,"posted_at":"2007-04-24T03:35:00.000Z","tags":["Character Development","Cheetah","Gay Relationships","Highschool","Lion","M/M","No-Yiff","Plot Development","Violence (Not In Yiff)"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/22936-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/17DR3aEe","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/11/f6/11f69ae4-2452-477e-a1a1-9465c9d7a340","description":"#10 of Love not Lost","content":" Leo knocked at the front door, and got an almost instant answer from his mate's mother, who ushered him in. \"Good morning, Mrs. MacReynolds,\" He said cheerfully.  \n  \n\"Good morning, Leo,\" she said with a hint of seriousness in her tone. \"You can get some cereal, but when you come back, we have something to talk about.\"  \n  \n\"Umm, okay,\" he responded nervously as he walked through the living room to the kitchen.  \n  \nWhen Leo walked back in, Aidan's mom was sitting on the couch, \"Have a seat, Leo.\"  \n  \nHe set down his bowl and flopped onto the sofa beside her. \"What did you want to talk about?\"  \n  \n\"Well, I don't know how to put this, so I'm going to be blunt, I know that you and Aidan are having sex.\" The last word was said with difficulty, quieter, trippingly.  \n  \n\"Umm, yeah we are.\"  \n  \n\"I want you to know that I'm okay with this, but that I want you to be careful. Don't hurt my boy, and be wary about the people around here, they wouldn't react too well to that.\"  \n  \nLeo thought to himself, \"I wish you'd said something earlier about that', but only nodded and said, \"Yes ma'am.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Good. And one more thing,\" she produced a small package and handed it to the lion, \"Use protection, okay?\"  \n  \nLeo took the package, blushing horribly, and stuffed it into his pocket.  \n  \nUp stairs, Aidan emerged from his room, singing softly to himself as he walked heavily down the stairs, smiling until he saw the two in the living room. \"Umm, is something wrong?\"  \n  \nAidan's mother looked up suddenly and smiled, \"No, everything's okay. We were just talking.\"  \n  \n\"If you're sure,\" Aidan said carefully, before walking slowly to the kitchen to get his breakfast.  \n  \nLeo nodded, \"Yeah, everything's okay.\"  \n  \nForty five minutes later, Leo pulled into his space and the two boys dismounted the motorbike.  \n  \nAidan turned to Leo, \"So, what did you two talk about?\"  \n  \nLeo sighed, \"She basically said that she knows about our relationship, and she warned me to be good to you. And to, uh,\" Leo leaned in close and whispered, \"Use protection.\" He took out the small packet of condoms and showed them to his mate, causing the couple to blush simultaneously.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Aidan nodded, \"Heh, yeah, protection. Forgot about that.\"  \n  \n\"Well ya know, heat of the moment.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, don't normally keep those things lying around. Not expecting to have my ass grabbed and then have hot sex when I should be studying,\" replied the smaller male as he rubbed his neck.  \n  \nAidan glanced around searching for a distraction, and soon found one, \"Hey look! Ryan's back!\" he shouted, pointing at a figure walking quickly toward the school building.  \n  \n\"Hey Ryan!\" Leo shouted and waved.  \n  \nThe fox reeled around almost defensively, then paused, and strolled over to the felines. \"Oh, hey you two.! How are y'all?\"  \n  \n\"I'm good.\" Aidan replied \"How are you, man?\" he asked cautiously.  \n  \n\"I'm good, ya know, back at school, see my friends.\" The fox said nonchalantly as the trio began to move toward the school building.  \n  \nAs they entered the school, Ryan's gait faltered, and he turned quickly, beginning to walk briskly in a completely new direction. The two cats took a second to recover, and then caught up with him.  \n  \n\"What was that all about?\" Leo asked, pacing just behind the fox.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, nothing. Just felt like going a different way is all.\"  \n  \nLeo felt a tug on his sleeve, and turned to see Aidan pointing back, \"Wha..? Oh.\" He said as he followed his kitty's finger to a group of moving furs, led by an aggressive looking hyena.  \n  \nThey tried to ignore the gaggle of other teens, but Sorto cut them off as they were turning a corner. \"Oh hey Ryan,\" he said in an oh-so-friendly way, smiling broadly so that his canines were well exposed, \"I see you're back in school.\"  \n  \nThe little fox suppressed a whimper and visibly shrunk in on himself, as if expecting to be hit any second, \"Yeah, Doc said I could come back. All better.\"  \n  \n\"Good! Glad to hear it!\" he said, giving a slug to the healing arm that caused Ryan to flinch and bite his lip, \"Shame about your accident, man. Too bad you didn't see who did it, huh?!\" he asked with menacing friendliness, baring a few more fangs with his smile.  \n  \n\"Uh, well, no, not really, no idea who it could be Sorto, man, nope.\" Ryan stammered back at the leering hyena face that was uncomfortably close to his.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Sorto pulled back and smiled more genuinely, \"Too bad, hope you feel better soon.\" He looked up at his victim's companions, \"Oh, hey you two! You were the first to find him! Ya'll didn't see anyone either, did you?\"  \n  \nLeo growled, \"No, but we have a sneaking suspicion.\"  \n  \nThe hyena gave a quick glance around, then leaned in close to the lion, \"You can't pin any of this on me, and you know it.\"  \n  \nLeo snarled again.  \n  \n\"Watch it, pussy, or I might go after your little fuck toy over there,\" he said with a head thrust in Aidan's direction. \"Now move!\" he commanded with a hard shove.  \n  \nFrom somewhere behind Sorto, a speckled paw landed on his shoulder, and a familiar voice said, \"Hey, lay off, they've had enough already.\"  \n  \nSorto snorted, and thrust his snout at the ceiling as he led his followers away, leaving Rabu standing alone for a second.  \n  \nFrom the retreating canine, the remark, \"Sometimes I swear you like these fags,\" came back at the cheetah.  \n  \nRabu smiled apologetically at Aidan, \"Sorry, he's a bit of an asshole.\"  \n  \nAidan rolled his eyes, \"Really? 'Cause he's one of the nicest folks I've ever encountered!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Heh, yeah. I honestly don't know why I even talk to him anymore.\" Rabu said, rubbing his neck nervously.  \n  \nJust then, a cheetah girl ran up behind him and glomped onto his neck, \"Hey Baby! Where were you last Saturday? I thought you were gonna wait in the food court!\"  \n  \n\"Oh, uh, hey Beth! Sorry, I guess I got distracted. Video games or something.\"  \n  \nShe slugged him playfully, \"You guys, sheesh. Can't keep a thought in your head, now can ya?\" she asked as she began to drag him away.  \n  \nHe shrugged to her, and then managed to turn around enough to wave goodbye to Aidan as he was drug away.  \n  \nLeo turned to Aidan, \"Something's really odd about that guy.\"  \n  \nAidan shrugged, \"I dunno. I think he's just trying to please everyone.\"  \n  \nRyan snickered and lay his chin on the cat's shoulder, \"I think he likes you.\"  \n  \nAidan shrugged the fox off and gave him a doubtful look, \"What on Earth would make you think that?\"  \n  \n\"Oh, just a little helpful skill I've picked up over the years.\" The fox said teasingly.  \n  \n\"I dunno if we're talking about the same guy, did you just see him getting dragged off by his girlfriend.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, he's really good at acting. He should join drama. I almost completely believe the illusion of straight.\"  \n  \nAidan blew a raspberry and shook his head, \"You're crazy, you know that?\"  \n  \nRyan smirked, \"Everyone hears that from someone.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, we're all a crazy bunch of freaks.\" Aidan sighed.  \n  \nAn awkward silence ensued as they went to their various lockers, finally broken when Leo said, \"Okay Ryan, lemme walk you to first period, I'll carry your books.\"  \n  \n\"Oh, no thank you, Leo, I'm fine. I got'em.\"  \n  \n\"Ryan, shut up, I know that you need the help.\" Leo took the fox's books from where they were awkwardly hanging from his uninjured arm, and handed his own to Aidan. \"Go ahead and meet me in class, Aidan.\"  \n  \nThe cat nodded, \"Alright, see you soon,\" and headed off in the opposite direction from the other two, wondering, among other things, if Leo feared the fox getting attacked.  \n  \nAidan got to class and sat down to wait for Leo, placing his books on a nearby desk while he waited.  \n  \nFinally, the lion dashed in just before the bell rang, flopping down just as the last toll ended.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; While the teacher was still out of the classroom, Aidan leaned in and whispered, \"So, you get there okay?\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, nothing big, although Ryan got a few looks.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, no surprise there. Anyway, are ya gonna walk him to every class?\"  \n  \n\"No, just wanted to make sure that Sorto didn't follow up on the whole thing this morning.\"  \n  \n\"Good idea, Hon,\" Aidan replied.  \n  \nThen in fluttered the teacher, and class began.  \n  \nClass passed uninterestingly, before the bell finally rang.  \n  \nAs they were walking to class, Aidan realized that he was lacking something, \"Hey Leo, I forgot my stat folder in my locker. You run ahead to class, I'll be there inna minute, okay?\"  \n  \n\"Okay, see you in Mrs. Wright's class.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, I'll be quick.\" Aidan said as he dashed off to his locker.  \n  \nThe folder was in there, somehow pushed behind other books, and Aidan grabbed it, and turned to run and get to class, when a friendly face blocked his path. \"Hey Aidan! What's goin' on?\"  \n  \n\"Not much, Rabu, just going to Statistics.\"  \n  \n\"Oh, that's good. Heh, sorry about having to leave so abruptly this morning.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, no, I understand, no need to apologize.\"  \n  \n\"Cool, hey, I was wondering if maybe we could hang out or something? Ya know, go to the mall, that sorta thing?\"  \n  \n\"I can't be sure, I have to run right now,\" for the two minute bell was ringing. \"Bye Rabu!\" Aidan yelled over his shoulder as he took off to get upstairs and to class before the tardy bell.  \n  \n\"Bye Aidan! See ya in Economics!\"  \n  \n\"Wait, are you in my class?\" Aidan turned and asked in surprise.  \n  \n\"Yeah, but I'm always surrounded by girls, so maybe you didn't notice me.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, I must not have. Anyway, gotta go.\" Aidan added hurriedly and took off before anything else could delay him.  \n  \nAidan arrived, huffing, in class with thirty seconds to spare, and collapsed in his seat, \"Hey hon.\"  \n  \n\"Did you run?\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, a little.\" Aidan breathed out, starting to catch his breath.  \n  \nStatistics that day, as with many, was incredibly boring, so much so that the two teens resorted to passing notes to kill the time.  \n  \n\"How likely do you think it is that Ryan'll get attacked again?\" Aidan's messy sprawl asked across the paper.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I don't know, and don't wanna find out.\" Came back Leo's reply.  \n  \nAnd so on, throughout the rest of the period.  \n  \nEnglish went by without incident. They had to do a reading and reaction to a poem. Aidan whizzed through and ended up covering his page in doodles, whilst Leo fiddled with his tail. Aidan glanced over to see what he was doing, but Leo hid it as soon as he did.  \n  \nHowever, a second later the tail reemerged, with a pencil and two triangular pieces of paper strategically placed on the tuft, \"Look! A cave fur!\" Leo proclaimed proudly.  \n  \nAidan groaned and buried his head in his paw, \"Nerd.\"  \n  \nIn Economics, Rabu came and sat in the desk next to Aidan, on the opposite side from Leo, and greeted the kitty, \"Hi there, Aidan, what's up?\"  \n  \n\"Oh, hey again. Not much has happened since we talked two periods ago. And you?\"  \n  \n\"Oh, just beating girls off with a stick,\" he said casually, \"Same old, same old.\"  \n  \nAidan nodded, \"I see, okay.\" Then turned his head to look at Leo, \"So, Leo, do you have the homework? I need to check a few answers.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Sure, one sec, lemme get it,\" the lion replied, beginning to dig through his bag.  \n  \n\"I have the homework right here, Aidan!\" Rabu volunteered, shoving his doodled on page of economics scrawls. \"Feel free to copy it.\"  \n  \n\"I was just checking my answers, Rabu, but thanks.\" Aidan said politely, taking the proffered sheet.  \n  \n\"No problem, kitty.\"  \n  \nThat 'kitty' caught Aidan off guard, and he didn't respond right away, let it soak in before deciding not to mention it, \"Glad you could help.\"  \n  \nAidan pretended to look over the sheet and then handed it back to Rabu. \"Thanks, man, that really helped.\" Aidan bs'ed, then turned to try and start a conversation with Leo, but then Mr. Podler walked in and began his monotonous drawl about the state of third world countries.  \n  \nAidan began to take down notes, when he felt something soft and long feeling up his left leg, he purred and glanced over to Leo, who seemed to be pretending to take down notes as well. Aidan smirked and reached down to catch the lion's tail, only to find it too thick and coming from the wrong direction to be Leo's. His eyes shot down and saw the tell tale spots, Rabu's!  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Carefully, he shifted his paw so that the tail slipped off, then glared over at the cheetah, who finally glanced up, \"Oh! I'm sorry, Aidan, was that your leg?\"  \n  \nAidan nodded curtly and tilted his head at the teacher.  \n  \nRabu brought his head closer and whispered, \"Sorry, I thought that that was a chair leg or something.\"  \n  \n\"Awful thick for a chair leg.\"  \n  \n\"Well, I wasn't really paying attention.\"  \n  \nWithout turning around, Mr. Podler's monotone declared from the front, \"No talking, please.\"  \n  \nThe boys sat back in their desks, and Leo slid Aidan a note, \"What was that about?\"  \n  \n\"His tail was on my leg\" wrote Aidan in reply.  \n  \nLeo read the note, then looked up at Aidan, his face showing confusion.  \n  \nAidan shrugged in return, shaking his head.  \n  \nLeo quickly scribbled down a note and handed it to Aidan, \"WTF?\"  \n  \nAidan shrugged and returned to his note taking, as did Leo.  \n  \nThe bell finally rang, and the students filed out slowly. Leo and Aidan stood outside and talked for a second when Rabu showed up, \"Hey guys! You enjoy class, Aidan?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Boring as usual, Rabu.\"  \n  \n\"Well, I hope that maybe I can make it a little more interesting for you eventually.\" The cheetah said playfully, with smiling eyes.  \n  \n\"Okay, Rabu, I'm sure.\" Aidan said with a laugh.  \n  \n\"See ya in gym, Kitty.\" Rabu said, running off, with a farewell butt smack for Aidan.  \n  \n\"What the hell was that?!\" Leo exclaimed.  \n  \nAidan was too shocked to reply at first, that word again, and a butt slap. He finally turned to Leo and shrugged, \"No idea what's gotten into him. Jocks must be crazy.\"  \n  \nThe couple began to walk to their lockers, when they encountered a crowd blocking their path, all seemed to be watching something.  \n  \n\"What's going on?\" Aidan asked, pushing a few furs aside.  \n  \n\"Some fox is about to get his ass kicked!\" Yelled some random bird to him as he got pushed back again.  \n  \nLeo immediately began to push through the crowd, but Aidan grabbed him, \"What are you doing?\"  \n  \n\"What does it look like I'm doing?\" Leo more asserted than asked before yanking his arm from Aidan's grasp and pushing forward until Aidan could no longer see him.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; In the center of the crowd, Sorto was using his forearm to hold Ryan up against the lockers.  \n  \n\"C'mon,\" Ryan coughed, \"lemme go, please,\" Ryan pleaded and kicked, trying to push himself off of the lockers.  \n  \n\"Ah, c'mon, li'l foxy, I thought that cock-suckers like you loved to be overpowered by stronger men,\" Sorto said sneeringly, applying more pressure to his arm. \"C'mon, you love this, dontcha? Don't you want me?\"  \n  \nRyan coughed again and shook his head. But Sorto persisted, and suddenly Ryan found something in him, and his knee shot out to the hyena's groin.  \n  \nSorto staggered backwards, fell to his knees, whimpered, coughed. But just before Ryan could make a break through the crowd, a paw shot out and gripped his ankle so that he tripped and fell, the rough school carpet burning the tip of his nose.  \n  \nSorto growled deeply and pulled the fox toward him, just as Leo burst through the crowd, bringing a couple of furs involuntarily with him who immediately ran back into the crowd.  \n  \nThree things happened at once, Sorto pulled Ryan closer, his claws pricking the soft fox's flesh, Ryan, panicking, kicked his attacker square on the nose, making him let go as his eyes teared up, and Leo grabbed Sorto's tail and pulled him away from the fox.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Sorto turned around to face the lion, his tail yanking free in the process, \"Why don't you mind your own business?\" he asked, accentuating the last word with a punch to Leo's mouth.  \n  \nLeo staggered back, holding his paw to his mouth. When he straightened back up and moved away his paw, claws extending, blood dripped over his lip. \"Because!\" he slapped the hyena across the face, leaving five parallel trails of blood across the spotted cheek, \"When you mess with my friends it becomes my business!\"  \n  \nSorto ducked the next blow and charged Leo's abdomen, hitting him hard in the stomach and biting at the golden fur as the lion stumbled back.  \n  \nAll the while, Ryan watched. He'd tried to get away and get help, but the crowd would just push him back to the center. And when he turned to try and help, something in the spectacle transfixed him, so that all he could do was stand and watch as his friend and foe fought and the surrounding crowd yelled and cheered.  \n  \nFinally, a principal broke in, followed by another, and they grabbed the two fighters and held them apart.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Aidan managed to break through the crowd as some students ran and the administrators called for order.  \n  \n\"What happened here?\" demanded Mr. Drapeau, one of the principals.  \n  \n\"This faggot lion attacked me!\" yelled Sorto, still struggling to get at Leo.  \n  \nLeo, too strained at his bonds, \"You were beating up Ryan again! I had to do something!\"  \n  \nFor seemingly the first time, the two administrators noticed the fox who still sat and watched. \"Is this true?\"  \n  \nRyan nodded, seeming a little distant.  \n  \nSorto struggled anew, \"Nuh-uh, they're just teaming up on me! Him!\" pointing at Leo, \"and him!\" Ryan, \"And that little bitch over there!\" he shouted as he indicated Aidan, who was standing at the fringes watching, \"They're all fuckin' faggots!\"  \n  \nAidan didn't know how to react, he was frozen, he'd just been outed, in front of all these furs.  \n  \nSorto saw the expression on the kitty's face and sneered, \"Yeah, that's right, now everyone knows you're a-\"  \n  \nMr. Drapeau elbowed the hyena's back, \"That's enough out of you. Now, I want you both off of my campus now! Or I'm going to get the police involved.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; The principals released their grasp, and the teens left, going opposite directions, Leo only stopping to hug Aidan and tell him, \"I'll be back to pick you up after school. I'm just gonna go home and clean up,\" he began to turn again, but paused and said, \"I love you,\" and then turned and headed toward the stairs.  \n  \nMr. Drapeau turned to face the crowd, \"Alright, all of you get to class this instant or else get detention!\"  \n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Love not Lost","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/22051-a-taste-of-honey.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/26784-dirty-little-secret.json"}}