FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Russ leant back in his chair, his notebook open before him. He surveyed the lecture room absentmindedly; the lecturer, a gentle old panda with grey in his fur, was fumbling with slides on an ancient-looking overhead projector. He couldn't help but notice a couple of cute guys in the rows in front: a Dalmatian with choppy black hair and a cocky expression; a cute ginger cat who was doodling in his notebook.

A yellow cheetah's paw appeared in front of his face, snapping its thumb and forefinger repeatedly. 'Russsss....Come back...Come baaack!' It was his best friend Sam, tormenting him as usual. He pushed the paw away. 'Aww, did I distract you from checking out guys?' said Sam mockingly.

'No, I was just thinking about how I could go about ditching you and finding new friends,' shot back Russ.

Sam laughed. 'Come on, you'll always be my main husky. We go waaay back.'

'God knows how I've put up with you all these years,' said Russ. Sam gave him a playful shove.

He turned back to the front. The lecturer had the first slide up now and was extolling the virtues of Sir Thomas Catt's love sonnets of the late 1600s. Russ started jotting down points, but he was distracted when the double doors at the front of the lecture theatre opened awkwardly so that a group of latecomers could file in, each casting around for a spare seat. He recognised a couple of them: Lucy, the tigress, dressed in a 1950s style pink dress (retro was her trademark) and Josh, a nerdy but hilarious otter he'd met at a party last week. At the back of the group was a collie he'd not seen before, dressed in slim-fit jeans and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal muscled but not exactly bulky arms. His black hair was shaggy, with a fringe that swept across his face; it was the kind of thing that would never have suited Russ with his less-is-more semi-quiff of blonde, but that he found really attractive on some guys. He sighed unconsciously. No doubt he's straight, he thought, watching him tentatively take a seat next to Bowser, a hulking bulldog who had a reputation as a bruiser.

'Nice where you are, is it?' whispered Sam sharply in his ear. Russ returned his earlier shove.

Packing up his stuff after the lecture, Russ caught sight of two cinema tickets in the bottom of his bag. They were for The Black Leopard, a superhero movie sequel that was possibly the most anticipated of its kind of all time, riding on the success of the previous instalment. Russ had loved the first film and had sat in front of his computer the night before tickets for the special midnight screening at the local cinema went on sale in order to bag a couple - one for him and one for Sam, whom he'd talked into going with him despite Sam's lack of enthusiasm for this or indeed any film.

'Are we still on for the cinema tonight?' Russ asked.

'Yeh,' said Sam distractedly. 'Wait, no, I have bail on you husky-dawg. Me and Emily are doing something for our two-year anniversary tonight - she's away on the actual day. I'd completely forgotten about it. Luckily I remembered in time to get her something.'

Not before I bought your ticket though, thought Russ. Sam must have seen the disappointment in his face, because he put a paw on his shoulder and said 'I'm really sorry, friend. I know how much you were looking forward to it. I'll give you the money for it.'

'Nah,' said Russ, shrugging it off, 'it doesn't matter. I can find someone else to go with.' This was a lie; everyone else he knew had plans tonight, which was why he'd asked Sam in the first place.

'Thanks friend,' said Sam. 'That's one I owe you.'

'One of many,' corrected Russ.

'True; true. I couldn't let Em down though. I don't want to get my lynx all riled up. Or maybe I do,' he added with an exaggerated wink. Russ rolled his eyes and they made they shuffled out of their seats and then down the stairs to leave. Russ couldn't help glancing around, hoping for another look at the collie, but he was disappointed - he must have already left.

Not long after eleven-thirty that night Russ stepped out along the sea-front towards the small (and only) cinema in the seaside town that his hill-top University overlooked. It was nights like this that made him glad he'd come here: the stars were out, the sea calm and inky black, lapping at the shore with a continual, soothing ebb and flow. He thumbed the two tickets in his pocket, still joined together by the perforated edge - he had forgotten to tear Sam's off. He checked his watch and realised he had time to spare before even the first of the adverts started, the result of setting off too early out of anticipation.

He sauntered over to the handrail that stretched along the promenade and leant against it, staring out at the black expanse until some small movement made him look to his right and he saw, sat down a couple of benches away, the collie from his lecture.

The collie must have been looking at him, if only for a moment, because their eyes met before he turned back to the sea with a hint of embarrassment. Russ felt his own cheeks flush a little; it was times like this when he hated the fact that his blushes showed through the fine blond fur that covered his cheeks.

He set of again for the cinema, but having walked past the collie he felt impelled to go back and speak to him. Still in his first year, Russ had been struck by how much more open and willing to engage each other in conversation animals were here than back at home - he figured he should try to be more like that himself. Besides, the collie looked lonely; perhaps something was wrong and it would help him to talk about it. Maybe his girlfriend dumped him because he forgot their two-year anniversary, Russ thought.

He made his way around the far-side of the bench. The collie looked at him and their eyes met again. 'Mind if I sit here for a bit?' Russ asked.

The collie shook his head and Russ sat down. Unsure what to say, Russ drummed his knees with his fingers until he plucked up the courage to ask: 'Are you okay? You look a bit lonely out here on your own.'

The collie turned from staring out to sea and looked at him again, apparently sizing him up. 'You're on your own too,' he said after a pause.

Russ smiled. 'Yeah, I'm on my way to see _The Black Leopard. _ My friend was meant to come with me, but he bailed.'

'You did well to get tickets,' said the collie. 'You must have been glued to the website that night.'

Russ felt sheepish, but he thought he might as well admit that he had been. 'I was,' he conceded. 'I really liked the last one.'

'I loved it too,' said the collie. 'I would have liked to see it tonight, but I figured I'd wait a week until the fuss dies down a bit and see it then.'

'But how can you force yourself to wait?!' said Russ, a little too enthusiastically. 'It's gonna be the best film ever!'

The collie broke into a grin. 'Really, the best film ever, in the hundred-year history of filmmaking?'

'Exactly so,' said Russ, returning his smile. 'So how come you're out here then, if you're not intending on sneaking into the cinema out of desperation to see the best film ever?'

'I just come out here to think sometimes,' said the collie.

Russ nodded. 'It's a good place to think. Let me guess...is it girls?' The collie smiled and shook his head. 'Uni work getting you down then?'

'It's nothing specific,' said the collie. 'It just makes me feel peaceful here, you know.'

Russ did know, and he felt like he'd intruded. He was about to say something about not missing the film and then get up and leave, but the collie carried on speaking.

'Basically all my flatmates are medics, so they have a lot of contact hours. And last night we all went out and they got pretty drunk, so tonight they all had an early one. I tried to do the same but I couldn't sleep.'

'Fair enough,' said Russ. 'Where did you all go?'

'The Black-and-White Tiger,' said the collie. 'I hated it.'

Russ could sympathise. 'Yeh, it's pretty grim in there. You're not a clubber then?'

'Not really.'

'Me neither. That's my night out,' said Russ, motioning in the direction of the cinema. He put his hand in his pocket and touched the two paper tickets. He hesitated. 'Erm...I still have my friend's ticket with me; you're welcome to come with if you want - it'll only get wasted otherwise.'

'Wow, are you sure?' said the collie.

'Yeh,' said Russ, 'I'd rather not go on my own to be honest.'

'Thanks!' said the collie smiling broadly.

'I'm Russ, by the way.' Russ extended his paw.

The collie took it and gave it a firm shake. 'Alec,' he returned. Russ felt a slight thrill at their physical contact.

'We should probably go now,' said Russ, glancing at his watch again.

'Okay.'

The two of them walked together along the promenade and the short way into town before they reached the cinema. The queue of ticket-holders had already been let in, so they got straight into the foyer, and while Russ had his ticket checked he handed the spare to Alec, saying as he did so: 'I'm gonna get a drink and some popcorn, do you want anything?'

'I don't have any money on me,' said Alec.

'That's alright, I'll get it.'

'I can't let you do that,' said Alec.

'Honest, I don't mind,' said Russ. 'You can pay me back if you want to.'

'Thanks,' said Alec. 'Can I have a coke then, please?' he asked, politely - it sounded too cute to Russ. ' 'Course, friend. I'll get you some popcorn as well. Do you want salted or sweet?'

'You don't have to.'

'Salted or sweet?'

'Sweet,' said Alec. Of course, thought Russ.

An hour in and so far the film was everything Russ had hoped it would be: a dark blend of action and the philosophical. Struggling to combat new, super-strong foe Lyon, the Black Leopard was currently making his way through a pitch-black corridor, relying on his cat-sight to see by. The camera flitted back and forth, disorientating the audience, and there was a brief lull in the tense background music before Lyon jumped out and tackled the Black Leopard_,_ the force of him smashing them through a glass door into an adjoining room. Russ saw it coming (although it was no less brilliant for that), but Alec jumped in his seat, grabbing Russ' arm for a split second before letting go and trying to pretend that he had been reaching for his drink. The touch of his paw had sent a tingle through Russ' arm; he really was very cute. He took another handful of popcorn as Alec slurped the last of his coke.

After the film the two of them hung back to let the mass of audience members leave (Most of the audience leave). The cinema was abuzz with film-talk: 'Did you see the way the Black Leopard totalled that tank?' 'So who was the lioness working for in the end?' 'OMG, BEST FILM EVERRR!'

Once they were out on the road, Russ turned to Alec. 'Which way do you live?' he asked.

'Back that way.' Alec motioned the way that Russ had come, and Russ' heart skipped a beat as he realised they could walk back together.

'Cool,' he said, trying to be nonchalant. 'Which halls?'

'Red Kyte.'

'Ahh yeh - I'm in Hawk.' The two blocks were practically next door.

They set off steadily and ended up talking about their course, bantering about whether Sir Thomas Catt or Phillip Arrow wrote better sonnets. Russ thought there might be a little flirtation in it but was frustrated that he couldn't be sure. He wished they could walk slower - the air was still and quiet and the moon was out- but he could see that Alec was cold, having only a long-sleeved t-shirt on. That gave him an idea. He took off his hoodie and held it out to Alec.

'Put this on,' he said. 'You look freezing.'

Alec laughed. 'I can't take your jacket, friend, what about you?'

'I'm fine,' said Russ, 'I have a jumper on.'

Alec pulled the hoodie down over his head and slid his arms through. It was a size too big for him, emphasizing his relative smallness compared to Russ.

Russ ventured a half-compliment. 'It suits you,' he said.

'It buries me,' said Alec.

'That's 'cos you're tiny.'

Alec pulled a face. ' I'm not.'

'Compared to me you are.'

'Just 'cos I don't hit the gym every day after classes,' said Alec, squaring his shoulders and adopting the swagger of an American high-school jock.

'Come onnn...' said Russ, 'I don't go every day. Just every other day.' He was exaggerating, playing with Alec - he usually went three times a week. 'Anyway, don't pretend you don't take care of yourself.'

'I doggy-paddle, yes,' said Alec.

'At the pool?'

'Sometimes. Sometimes in the sea if it's warm enough.'

'It's supposed to be the best exercise,' said Russ.

'And yet I can't get that beefed-up jock look like you,' teased Alec.

Russ flexed his right forearm and kissed his bicep. 'Sweet, sweet guns,' he said in a bad American accent.

'I bet you're not even being sarcastic are you.'

'Nope, you have to appreciate beauty when you see it.'

'Always this modest, are you?'

Russ gave him a wink.

They came to Hawk Hall - Russ' halls - first. Russ paused at the bottom of the flight of steel steps that led up to his first floor flat.

'This is me,' he said. He hesitated. 'Do you fancy coming up, if you're still not tired? I don't really feel like going to bed just yet. We can just sit up and talk or whatever.'

'Yeh, that would be nice,' said Alec. Russ had to concentrate really hard to prevent his tail from wagging.

They made their way up the stairs, through the door and into the flat. Russ opened two beers from the fridge in the communal kitchen while Alec sat down on the sofa in the adjoining lounge.

'I got you a beer,' he said, handing it over and sitting down at the opposite end of the sofa. They faced each other with their legs crossed on the cushions and their backs against the arms.

'This is a decent flat,' said Alec, glancing around.

Russ opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted when the door to the kitchen swung open and in stepped Sam in nothing but a pair of superman pants. Sam started at the sight of them both, then ambled over.

'Hey, my main dawg!' he said, thumping Russ on the arm. 'How was the film?'

'Good, thanks,' said Russ. 'This is Alec,' he said, motioning to him, 'he got your ticket.' He saw a knowing look come into Sam's eyes and prayed that he wouldn't try to embarrass him.

'I'm Sam,' Sam said, extending a paw to Alec which Alec shook. Sam turned back to Russ. 'I'm glad my ticket didn't go to waste.'

'Did you and Em have a good time?' asked Russ, trying to draw Sam's attention away from the fact that he had come home with a guy.

'Sure did,' said Sam, 'First I made us a pizza, then we watched a movie, and then we G-O-T B-U-S-Y!' he emphasized this last point by thrusting his hips forward. Russ died a little inside. 'There's some pizza left actually if you want some?' Sam asked.

'I'm fine, thanks,' said Russ pointedly.

'Nah,' said Sam, 'this is, like, the best pizza you'll ever have tasted.'

'I wouldn't mind some,' said Alec.

'This guy knows where it's at,' said Sam. 'Come and get it.'

Alec stood and followed Sam over to the fridge, from which Sam produced a quarter of leftover pizza on a plate and handed it to Alec, rattling around in a drawer for a cutter. He handed the cutter over.

'Take as much as you want,' said Sam.

'I'll just have a slice, thanks,' said Alec, helping himself to a small piece. He bit into it. 'Mmm, that's pretty good,' he said. 'You should have some of this, Russ.'

'Ok, cut me a slice,' said Russ. As Alec cut into the pizza for the second time Sam stood behind him and mouthed the words 'Is-he-your-boyfriend?' to Russ whilst pointing at Alec exaggeratedly. Russ' eyes must have looked angry because when Alec caught his gaze he turned round to look at Sam, at which point Sam started whistling and shuffling his feet in a pantomime of innocence.

Alec brought over Russ' slice of pizza and sat down again. Russ took a bite.

'See, isn't it the best thing you've ever tasted?' said Sam from across the room, helping himself to one of Russ' beers.

'Yeh, it's nice,' said Russ.

'Praise indeed,' said Sam, taking a mock bow. 'Good, Alec, isn't it?

'It's great,' Alec replied. 'In one night I've seen the best film ever and tasted the best food ever. You really know how to treat a guy, Russ.'

Just then the door opened and in walked Sam's mate Emily, wrapped in Sam's dressing gown.

'Are you coming back to your room, baby?' she asked. 'I missed you all alone in that big double bed.'

'Yeah, sorry, baby. I was just talking to Sam's new friend Alec, but I think we should leave these two crazy kids alone now.' Emily glanced over at the sofa and raised a paw sleepily in greeting to Alec, which he returned.

'You leave them both alone,' she said, sidling up to Sam and brushing her paw against his chest. 'I know how much you like to wind Russ up.'

'Moi?' said Sam in mock-indignation. 'All I did was offer round my fine culinary creation.'

Emily rolled her eyes. 'Come on, chef,' she said, and lead him out the door by the paw, calling goodnight to Russ and Alec over her shoulder. Russ breathed a sigh of relief.

'He's...interesting,' said Alec.

'Look, I know he came off as a bit of a dick just now,' began Russ, 'but he's a decent guy really. I've known him for as long as I can remember...Em too actually. We all grew up in the same town.'

'I didn't think he was a dick,' Alec said. 'He was funny.'

'That's one word for it,' said Russ. Alec giggled.

'So does Emily live with you as well?' Alec asked.

'No,' said Russ, 'she stays over here quite a lot though, when Sam's not at hers.'

There was a pause. 'It's cool you all ended up going to the same Uni,' said Alec. 'It must be nice having people here you know so well. I've felt a bit lost since I came here to be honest.'

'Do you not get on with your flat?' asked Russ.

'No, I mean, my flatmates are cool...' Alec trailed off, 'It's difficult to explain.' He leant against the back of the sofa. 'I thought I'd make more friends than I have done. I've made one tonight though,' he said. As Alec finished his pizza, Russ realised that he really didn't want him to leave.

'I know what you mean about the loneliness thing' Russ said. 'You can hang out here some more if you want - I'm not in any hurry to get rid of you.'

'Are you sure you don't mind?'

'No, I enjoy your company. I have a Playbox if you fancy a game?'

'That'd be good,' said Alec.

Russ got down on his knees and pulled the console from underneath the nearby TV stand.

'What do you want to play? I have World Football Tournament, Drag Car Racing or' - he hesitated - 'Hogsword, which is kind of a fantasy thing -'

'I love Hogsword!' interrupted Alec. 'It's, like, the best game ever!'

'Seriously?' asked Russ. 'No-one else I've met at Uni does.'

'They must all have terrible gaming taste,' answered Alec. 'Set 'er up, boyo.'

'Boyo?'

'Yep, _boyo. _ We're playing against each other I take it?'

'Yeh, sure.'

'Well then you're going down.'

'Is that so?' said Russ. 'Well I warn you I'm pretty good. You must be amazing even to think about taking me on at Hogsword.

'Damn right I am,' said Alec, reaching for a controller.

After an hour of gaming, it was clear that the two of them were pretty evenly-matched, although Russ managed (largely through luck) to score a few more kills than Alec and thus emerge victorious. At the end of the game the scores were displayed on screen to a tinny-sounding fanfare, and a gold trophy grew enlarged and rotated slowly behind the legend 'RUSS'.

'Told you I'd thrash you,' said Russ, basking in his victory.

'That was the flukiest game ever,' said Alec, hastily pressing the button to take the game back to the start-up menu. 'How am I supposed to fight off a dragon when I've got bug-men swarming all over me?'

'Don't make excuses,' teased Russ, 'just admit that I'm the better player -'

'Like hell I will!' Alec joked.

'- and since I won, I reckon you should have to do a forfeit,' continued Russ.

'Oh yeh?' said Alec. 'What like?'

'Liiiike...stay at mine a bit longer, maybe watch a film?'

'Damn,' said Alec, 'anything but more of your company.'

Russ couldn't help smiling. 'Is that a yes?'

'Well, I guess since I lost I don't have a choice do I?'

'That's right. I was thinking Swords of Ravenna, to continue the whole fantasy theme?'

'That is a good film,' conceded Alec. 'I'm up for that.'

'I can stream it on my laptop, but there's no port for the cable in here, so we'll have to watch it in my room if that's ok?' said Russ.

'Sure,' said Alec.

They did watch it in his room, both of them propped up with pillows against the bedstead with only a couple of inches between them. If this were a film, I'd put my arm round him right now thought Russ. On the laptop screen an ample-framed swordsman was making his way across a thatched roof in pursuit of the hero Van Wolfing before the roof gave way and he fell through into a vat of manure. Alec broke out in a laugh and Russ couldn't resist a sideways glance at him, taking in his cute little muzzle and adorable smile that lit up his otherwise quite serious face.

The film reached its climax, with Van Wolfing slaying the spider-demon and saving the world, and Russ stood, turned off his laptop and closed it.

'Just as good as I remember,' said Alec. Then he sighed. 'I guess I'll be off then.'

Russ glanced at his alarm clock. It was six am. 'You're welcome to stay over, if you want,' he blurted out.

Alec looked at him. 'Are you sure? You must be getting kind of sick of me by now,' he said.

'No, not at all, I like having you around. I mean...' Russ trailed off, embarrassed; worried he'd given too much away.

'Yeah, ok then, if I'm not bothering you,' said Alec.

Russ sat down abruptly on top of his tail as he felt it begin to wag yet again. It occurred to him that every time this had happened to him, Alec had either been sat down or behind him, so he had no way of knowing if Alec was feeling the same things.

'How shall we do it?' said Russ, and then smarted at the innuendo. 'I mean, do you want a sleeping bag on the floor, or shall we bunk up, or top-and-tail...' he felt his cheeks burning; top-and-tail had never sounded so rude to him before.

'I'm happy to bunk up,' said Alec, yawning, before sliding off his jeans and Russ's hoodie so that he was wearing only his t-shirt and a pair of white briefs. 'I'll just sleep like this,' he said. 'I don't suppose you have spare a toothbrush by any chance?'

'Actually I do,' said Russ, turning on the bedside light and turning off the main one. 'It's in my en-suite, next to the sink. You go first.'

Alec went into the en-suite bathroom, his fluffy tail draped down from just beneath his t-shirt. Russ heard him brush his teeth, then gargle and spit it out before taking a couple of glugs of water from his paw. He came out and Russ went in and did the same. When Russ emerged, Alec was already in the double bed on the left-side, flicking through a manga book Russ had left on his bedside cabinet.

'Phantom Warrior,' said Alec, closing the volume and studying the cover. 'You have really good taste.'

'Don't take the piss,' laughed Russ.

Alec smiled. 'I mean it,' he said. 'You're pretty cool'.

Russ practically dived into his side of the bed to cover the dancing act his tail was doing. He turned off the light, and lay down flat on his back. Alec turned away from him. 'Goodnight, Russ,' he said.

Russ woke gradually in the glow of sunlight that filtered in through the blinds. He felt sleepy, but was roused by a vague sense that something was not quite right. With a jolt he realised that, while asleep, he had wrapped his arms around Alec, whose slender frame was currently contained in them, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. His heart panting, Russ lifted his right paw, the one on top of Alec, and then withdrew his left, a little too sharply. Alec stirred, and opened his eyes drowsily, before turning to face Russ, who tried to look natural.

'Morning!' said Russ, unnaturally cheerful. Alec groaned and turned back onto his front, burying his head in the pillow. Russ couldn't help smiling. 'I'll get you some breakfast,' he said, and without thinking he ruffled Alec's mop of hair. He stopped stock-still, worried Alec would react badly, but when Alec didn't move he got up and made his way to the door. 'I'll be in the kitchen,' he said, closing it softly behind him.

Once there he found a note in Sam's handwriting pinned to the fridge:

Dear Alec,

I take it by the presence of your shoes in the hall that you stayed the night.

Help yourself to cereal, I imagine you used up a lot of energy last night and need to refuel. Hope he wasn't too rough with you!

- Sam (world-renowned pizza chef).

Russ tore off the note, screwed it up and threw it in the bin. Thank God he'd seen it before Alec came in. He could imagine Sam leaving that morning with Emily, then dashing back in saying that he had forgotten something to hastily scribble the note so that she wouldn't see and make him take it down. That bastard, thought Russ.

He opened the fridge door and scoured the shelves until his eyes spotted a pack of bacon. It was Sam's. Great, thought Russ. He turned on the grill and let it heat up while he trimmed the fat from four rashers - two each- with a pair of meat scissors, letting it fall into the bin. Then, while the bacon cooked, he defrosted some bread in the toaster and boiled the kettle for tea. Just as he was putting the whole thing together Alec walked in the room, rubbing his eyes sleepily before they alighted on the sandwich.

'Is that for me?' he asked.

'Yeh,' said Russ. 'Unless you're a vegetarian, by any chance?'

'Nope,' said Alec, 'I love bacon sandwiches. You're a good host.'

'Do you want any sauce on it?'

'Brown sauce, if you've got some.'

Russ found a squeezable bottle in amongst the plethora of communal sauces and herbs and squeezed a zigzag of sauce across the bacon. He's not going to fall in love with you just because you made him a nice sandwich, thought Russ, as he trimmed a tiny bit of burned edge from the top slice of bread. 'Here you are,' he said, handing Alec the sandwich on a plate. 'Go sit down.' He poured out two cups of tea, and made his way over to the sofa with one in each paw, balancing his own sandwich on a plate between his arms.

'Aww, you made me a cup of tea as well,' said Alec, taking the one of the cups and Russ' plate to help him out, which he set on the sofa beside him. 'Looking after me, aren't you.'

Russ sat and wolfed down his own sandwich as a consequence of feeling nervous. Alec finished his own sandwich a little later, and they sat opposite each other sipping their tea.

'It's a really nice day,' said Alec, glancing out of the window at the end of the room at the nearby trees bathed in sunlight. 'Do you want to go somewhere and hang out?'

Russ felt his tail move beneath him. 'Yeh, why not,' he said, trying to sound ambivalent. 'Where shall we go?'

'We could head to the park,' said Alec. 'It's really beautiful with the lake and everything. Have you been before?'

'I haven't,' confessed Russ. 'I'd like to, though.'

'We could take a picnic, if you have anything for sandwiches?' asked Alec hopefully.

'Sure,' said Russ. 'I'll defrost us some more bread.'

After the two of them had showered and dressed - Alec had emerged from the bathroom topless while tousling his hair with the towel, and Russ had nearly yelped with excitement - the two of them set off, Russ with a tin containing sandwiches under his arm and Alec leading the way (which proved not too far) until they reached the high stone wall of the park and passed through the tall, cast iron gates. A green expanse stretched before them, with a small lake a little way off dotted with the odd rowing boat that disturbed the glitter of sunlight on water. Families picnicked in the shade of the willows that grew around the water's edge or under the more substantial oaks further back; pairings lounged about in the sunshine, girls resting their heads on their mate's chests.

'Where shall we sit?' Russ asked.

'I know a good spot,' said Alec. He led him around the lake and into a substantial copse of trees to a small clearing with the trunk of a fallen tree laid across it. There were wild flowers and ferns growing all around the edge of the oval; it struck Russ how beautiful the place was.

'Is this somewhere else you come to think?' he asked Alec.

'Yeah,' Alec said, with a wry smile.

They sat down on the log and Russ, finding himself surprisingly hungry, helped himself to a sandwich. He offered Alec one, but he declined, pawing at a loose piece of bark on the log absentmindedly. Russ studied him, and gulped the first bite of his sandwich down as he was again reminded of just how attracted to Alec he was.

Alec looked up. 'You like it here, then?' he asked.

'Yeh,' said Russ, 'it's nice.'

'It's kind of my secret place,' said Alec. 'I mean, I'm sure other animals know about it, but there's never been anyone else here when I've come here.'

Russ was strangely touched. 'It's nice of you to show me it,' he said.

Alec paused; he looked down at the ground and carried on talking. 'I want to thank you for yesterday,' he began, 'and this morning. To tell the truth, I'd felt really lonely the past couple of days, but then since we've been hanging out I haven't done. It was really nice of you to stop and make sure I was ok,' he said, looking up again at Russ. 'So thanks.'

Russ put his sandwich back in the tin. 'You really don't have to thank me,' he said. 'It's been nice to have you for company as well. I'd have been on my own just the same if I hadn't.'

Alec hesitated, then said: 'Last night, you put your arm around me. Did you mean to?'

Russ flushed scarlet. 'Oh...that,' he said. 'I was asleep. I think I must have been dreaming.'

Alec face fell. 'Oh. Because I thought maybe you liked me, you know, like that. Because I really like you.' He slumped off the log onto the floor, his back to Russ. Russ' face broadened into an ear-to-ear grin, and he crouched onto all fours before launching himself from the log onto Alec and tackling him to the ground. Alec's eyes broadened in shock as Russ pinned him down by the paws, sitting on Alec's mid-riff with his face lowered close to Alec's, which looked deliciously surprised. He lowered his face even more and brushed his lips ever-so-lightly against Alec's before pressing them together more firmly. His tongue met Alec's and they kissed tenderly, Russ relaxing his grip and interlocking his paws with Alec's. After a while, Russ eased his lips away from Alec's, and stared down at him with a cocky grin.

'You daft pup,' he said. 'I've liked you since the first time I saw you, but I couldn't work out if you weren't interested. You're so...unobvious.'

Alec smiled. 'I was trying to be. I was worried you weren't interested in me,' he said.

'How could I not be?' said Russ, rolling off him onto his back so that they lay side by side. 'You're a bloody cute pup, you know.'

Alec blushed, turning onto his side and resting his paw on Russ' chest. 'You're not so bad yourself,' he said teasingly, before kissing Russ again. After a while they broke apart. Alec was smiling more than ever.

'Mind if I stay at yours tonight again?' he asked.

'You don't get a choice,' said Russ, clasping Alec's paw tightly in his own.

END