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Three: Alec

Alec as watched as Cam once again took to the stage, in character, costumed in a blue period dress that contrasted with her fluffy white fox-fur perfectly. The scene was made all the more eerie by the single spotlight that illuminated her features, the rest of the theatre plunged into semi-darkness. He was on the edge of his seat: this was the climax of the play, the final scene.

Camilla turned slowly to face the audience, scanning them with her eyes, looking both at them and beyond them as if seeking someone. For a moment her eyes seemed to linger on something behind him, but then she turned her face upwards and assumed a look of despair.

'Alas,' she said in a fragile voice, at odds with her curvaceous frame and the strength of her arm movements, 'she has not come.'

She clutched at her chest and swallowed as a tear rolled down each cheek, then drew a knife from her bosom and raised it above her head, point down. She opened her mouth as if to say something, looked again at the audience, almost as if pleading for someone to intervene, and then drove the knife home into her chest. The auditorium was rent by her dying gasp, the lights dimming to blackness as she collapsed to the floor like ribbon dropped from a hand.

For a moment there was only silence, and then the audience erupted into applause. A standing ovation spread from the middle rows both forwards and back, Alec rising to his feet with the rest of them. He glanced sideways at Russ and saw that he too had stood, applauding enthusiastically. He enjoyed it then, Alec thought.

After a few seconds the lights were back up and Camilla stood centre-stage, bowing to the audience. The rest of the cast gradually emerged from the wings to receive their own applause, a cheer erupting when the comic relief took his bow.

Alec leant in to Russ so as to be heard. 'What did you think?' he asked.

'I liked it - it wasn't half-bad. Your friend Cam was really good.'

Alec put a paw around Russ' waist and gave him a squeeze. 'Thanks for seeing it with me, Rusky. We can go back to the hotel now.'

The two of them picked their way down the steps of the theatre, weaving a path through the slowly diverging crowd, Alec leading Russ by the paw. He glanced back at Russ and smiled, his heart-rate quickening when Russ gave a wink that seemed to convey all the promise of the evening ahead in one small motion. He couldn't help but notice the bulge of Russ' arms where he had rolled his sleeves up; the bulk of his chest under his shirt.

They were about to reach the foot of the steps when Alec heard someone shouting his name in a clear, female voice. He turned around to see none other than Cam - now clad in jeans and a coat, with her costume wig discarded to reveal a short inverted bob that framed the white of her vulpine face - who tripped daintily down the stairs after them, arrested every so often by a theatre-goer who wanted to congratulate her on her performance.

Eventually she reached them, kissing Alec on each cheek as she enfolded him in her arms (she was quite a bit taller than him) so that he was forced to let go of Russ' paw. The feather trim of her coat collar tickled his cheek and he wrinkled his muzzle.

'Alec!' Camilla said again, 'I knew it was you that I saw in the audience! How the bloody hell are you? What on Earth are you doing here?'

Alec laughed at Camilla's verbal barrage. 'I'm fine, Cam, thank you. I'm here with my boyfriend for the weekend.'

'Russ is here?' Camilla asked, her voice laden with curiosity. 'Well, where is the lucky devil?'

Alec turned sideways-on to expose Russ to Camilla's searching gaze, tickled at Russ' nonplussed expression as she closed the short gap between Russ and her and gave him a similarly forward greeting.

'So you're Alec's boyfriend!' Camilla said, loudly enough that several members of the thinning crowd turned to gape at them. 'It's so good to meet you finally!'

'It's nice to meet you, too,' returned Russ.

'He's nice,' Camilla said in an incredibly audible stage-whisper to Alec. 'Oh my God, it's so good of you to come and see me tonight!' (She meant to come and see her perform). 'Listen,' she continued, 'a few of the cast and crew are coming back to my place for drinks to celebrate the end of the run; you simply must come so that we can have a proper catch-up. ' She turned to Russ. 'And you too of course, so that I can vet you and make sure you're suitable.'

Alec winced at Cam's tormenting. 'Cam, I...' He hesitated. At this point in the evening he really wanted to get back to the hotel room with Russ; but then he rarely had the chance to talk to Cam over the phone these days, let alone face-to-face. It would be a shame not to make the most of the opportunity. But Russ...

'Maybe we could come later?' he asked.

'Later? It's half-past ten already! No, no, come now! That way you can ride in my car.'

Alec strained for the right thing to say.

'I won't take no for an answer,' Cam said in a sing-song voice.

'It's just -'

'We'd love to come,' interjected Russ with finality.

Cam looked at Alec as if to confirm. He shrugged his assent. 'That's settled then,' she said, smiling. 'This way, boys.' She turned and held out her arms, apparently for them to link with her.

'Thanks,' Alec mouthed to Russ behind her back, shooting him what he hoped was an apologetic look.

'No problem,' Russ mouthed back, assuming his place beside Cam and taking her arm as she set off at a brisk pace, leading them onto the street and around a corner of the theatre building.

* * * * *

Four: Russ

A short walk and a taxi ride later and Russ found himself seated opposite Camilla on a white leather sofa in a small apartment lit only by mood-lighting. Jazz music played from a set of speakers nearby whilst Camilla's theatre colleagues mingled around them, chatting about the success of the performance and various upcoming projects. He felt a little nervous in amongst so many new faces - especially having to contend the stream of questions coming from Camilla, who sat opposite on a second sofa. He glanced over to where Alec stood talking to a slim, indie-looking wolf who might be in his early twenties. As he watched the wolf laughed and knocked his paw against Alec's chest in exasperation at some bad joke Alec had told. A pang of jealousy passed through Russ; although he knew he had nothing to worry about, the wolf was quite good-looking.

'...it's so nice to be able to chat to you like this,' Camilla continued, and with a jolt Russ realised that he had stopped listening whilst staring at his boyfriend. 'He's been far too vague about you for my liking.' (He guessed that she must be talking about Alec).

'Perhaps he was embarrassed about me,' Russ joked.

'Oh no, I doubt that,' Camilla said dramatically.

'You approve then?'

'Of course. Just don't you dare break his heart, poor thing.'

It seemed that Camilla had been quite serious when she said this, looking out for her old friend. 'Well, I'll try my best,' Russ joked, 'but I am rather a bounder and a cad.'

'I'm sure you aren't.' Camilla smiled. 'What did you think of our little play?'

'I liked it - I thought you were really good. To be honest I'd seen it before and wasn't keen, but I understood the character of Sarah a lot more the way you played her.'

'Why, thank you,' said Camilla, fanning herself with a magazine she had picked up from the coffee table between them. 'When I read the script I understood her as quite a strong character, so I wanted to make everything she did a strong gesture, even her suicide.'

'Yeah, that came across.'

'And it's so interesting to be able to play a lesbian,' Camilla added. 'So I assume you were persuaded to see it by Alec, if you'd already seen it once before and didn't like it?'

'Pretty much, yeah.'

'Well, it's nice that you'd do that for him. He's actually quite the theatre enthusiast - although I'm sure you know that. I wondered if it was something you shared, and if that was how you'd met?'

Russ almost felt that he was somehow letting Camilla down when he answered. 'No...to be honest I'm more into films than plays,' Russ answered. 'I'm hoping to work in Film eventually, in fact I sometimes wish I'd done a double major with Film.'

'Oh, that shouldn't matter when you come to getting into it,' Camilla said, with all the confidence and none of the authority of someone who knew about the industry. 'So how did you meet then?'

Russ opened his mouth to answer but paused, unsure whether to proceed. It felt like there was something inherently private about the way he and Alec had met; he wasn't sure Alec would want the story told.

'I was sat out on the promenade late at night because I couldn't sleep,' Alec's voice said, and Russ turned to see that he had re-joined them, a drink in each paw, one of which he handed to Russ. 'Russ stopped to make sure I was okay and then invited me to the cinema with him.'

'That's sooo romantic,' Camilla crooned. 'I wish something like that would happen to me, but there aren't many like that around here.'

'Like I said, I'm a bounder and a cad really.'

'It's true,' said Alec, pulling a mock-sad face. 'He's a complete bully, aren't you,' he finished, brushing his paw against Russ.

Camilla tutted and shook her head in mock-disapproval. She downed the last of her drink - champagne - and eyed the empty glass.

'Russ, dahling,' she began, 'would you be an absolute dear and go and get me another drink, seeing as Alec here didn't think to?' She poked Alec with her tail and he stuck his tongue out at her. 'And get yourself one as well,' she said, again to Russ. 'Everything's over in the kitchen, just ask anyone where it's kept.'

Russ eyed the nearly full glass Alec had brought him but set it down on the table, guessing that Camilla wanted the chance to catch up with Alec that she had spoken of earlier, alone. He stood, picked up Camilla's glass and skirted in between animals of various species to reach the kitchen, where he began opening cupboards, only succeeding in finding cereals, crockery and surprisingly, at one point, an extensive collection of seashells.

'It's Russ, right?' said a deep voice behind him as he finally located the drinks cupboard, and he turned to see the wolf Alec had been talking to with his paw outstretched.

'Yeah, that's right. And you?'

'Dom - I played the soldier in the play.'

'Ahh, yeah.'

'You're Alec's boyfriend, aren't you?'

'Yeah.'

'Well done, you make a cute couple.' Russ felt a little odd at what the wolf had said, but was distracted as the wolf leant in towards him. 'What do you think of Camilla,' the wolf asked conspiratorially. 'Too much, isn't she?'

Russ didn't want to disparage Camilla, and he was still a little miffed at the wolf's familiarity with Alec, despite trying not to be. 'Actually I really like her.'

'She has her charms, I suppose,' the wolf conceded. Russ wondered how entirely serious the wolf was being with him. 'Has she been quizzing you all night?'

He had to admit that she had been.

'You should probably prepare yourself for more questions, I doubt she's done. But it's just her way of getting to know someone.'

These theatre-folk, Russ thought, now completely unsure about how the wolf felt about Camilla. He cast around for a way of changing the subject.

'How do you know Alec? I saw you talking to him earlier.' The last sentence had come out sounding a little accusatory, which Russ regretted.

'Not jealous are you?' the wolf asked with a wry smile.

'No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound - '

'Because I am,' interrupted the wolf. 'Of you.'

Russ was taken aback.

'Come out onto the balcony for a bit; Camilla won't be done with Alec for a while yet.' The wolf beckoned and Russ followed, sliding the balcony door shut behind him - it had been shut before the wolf had opened it to let them out. The music from within became muffled so that it was strangely still and quiet out in the open air, the balcony bathed in the soft glow of a nearby streetlight.

'You love Alec, then?' the wolf asked out of nowhere, his arms folded on the balcony and looking out over the city.

'Yes, very much.'

'That's good. I'm not surprised though; he's very...loveable.'

'You mean you think he's cute?'

'Oh come on, we both know he's cute. I mean it would be very easy to fall in love with someone like Alec.' Russ felt uneasy at the wolf pouring out his feelings for his own boyfriend to him, but at the same time he could sympathise with anyone who liked Alec.

'Did you?' Russ asked.

'Fall in love with him?'

'Yeah.'

'To a degree,' the wolf answered. 'He used to visit Cam sometimes - less so after he went to Uni, but still. I'd see him at parties or when we all hung out, us friends of Cam I mean. Eventually I asked him out; only last year, actually.'

'He said no?'

'He did.'

Russ paused, considering what to say. 'Well, I'd be lying if I said I was sorry.'

The wolf scoffed. 'No, of course you wouldn't be sorry.' He paused. 'Listen - I just have to get this of my chest and then we can go back inside. I know we only just met, and I'm sure you're a really nice animal - Alec wouldn't be with you otherwise - but will you promise me that you'll look after him; take care of him? He isn't...well, he's not particularly tough.'

Russ looked into the wolf's eyes, which were full of emotion. He knew what he was talking about - that beneath Alec's calm, collected exterior there was a naïve pup yearning for affection.

'I promise,' he answered with full sincerity. 'I'd never do anything to hurt him.'

The wolf turned to stare back out over the city. There was no sound but the whistle of a faint breeze until Russ broke the silence. 'I'm going to go back inside now - to Alec.'

'Okay.' The wolf did not turn to look at him again as he slid open the balcony door.

Russ turned back to him. 'Can I just ask, what reason did he give when he said no?'

The wolf chuckled. 'He said that there was someone he liked at Uni, a husky on his course. I was quite cut up about it at the time; that he'd choose someone he'd never spoken to over me. But now I can see why he did.'

Russ drew in breath. So Alec liked me before I knew him, and he's never said anything about it. I wonder when he'd seen me...

He stepped back into the crowded, music-filled room and weaved a path back to the sofa.

Alec looked up at him. 'You ready to go now, Rusky?'

'Only if you are.'

'No don't go!' interjected Camilla. 'You've only been here a couple of hours. The night is young! Wait, where's my drink?'

'I think you should let them have some time alone,' said the wolf, who had appeared beside her, resting a paw on her shoulder. 'You've monopolised them enough.'

'Oh Dom,' Camilla smiled, 'thank goodness I've got you to keep me in check. You're right; I've been quite selfish when I knew that you too hadn't seen each other for weeks. Go on, go - enjoy the time you have with each other. I'll phone a taxi for you,' she finished, fishing around in her handbag, presumably for her phone.

'No, that's okay, we'll walk,' said Alec, rising from the sofa. Russ and Cam followed. 'It was really nice to see you again, Cam - and you, Dom. I'll try and get through to visit more often.' Russ and Alec shook hands with the wolf and received a kiss on each cheek from Camilla as she showed them out of the door.

'You remember the way out?' she asked.

'Down, wasn't it,' said Alec sarcastically, motioning to the stairs.

'That's right,' Camilla elbowed him. 'Careful you don't trip up and fall. And don't be a stranger!' - This last sentence was delivered as part request, part threat.

'I won't.' Alec replied.

'Goodbye, Russ!' Camilla called, already closing the door.

'Goodbye,' he replied.

'She likes you,' Alec said once they were on their own as they began to tramp down the stairs. 'You must have passed muster with her.'

'Thank goodness, I was worried for a second there.'

'You shouldn't have been. You're perfect.' Russ felt his tail wag at the undisguised compliment, grabbed Alec and gave him a lingering kiss on the lips. He pulled away and they reached the exterior door of the apartment block and stepped out into the street.

'So what did Dom say about me?' Alec asked as they crossed the road.

'Erm, he kind of congratulated me on getting with you, and then basically told me I better take care of you.'

Alec rolled his eyes. 'Sorry about that.'

'I didn't mind,' Russ replied.

'Did he say anything else?'

'Nope, nothing.'

Alec seemed satisfied with his answer. 'Maybe he picked up on how much you bully me,' Alec teased.

'I think he must have.'

'And he gave you a proper telling-off, so you're completely reformed now?'

'Absolutely.'

'So you're going to be gentle with me from now on?'

'Oh, I don't know about that...' said Russ, taking Alec by the paw and drawing him to his side as they walked back to the hotel.