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Heist

Chapter One - Unlikely Happenstance

By Sanada

***

A content sigh escaped Shaun's lips, a smile spreading across his face. It had been a long time since he felt the refreshing chill of the ocean breeze blowing through his hair, the smell of the water as it broke against the side of the ship teasing his senses. Idly, he reached a hand up, running his fingers through his dark brown hair, his fingers tracing along the lines of the fauxhawk he had done up this morning.

He loved this feeling, the sense of freedom that came with the open expanse of water that stretched out to the horizon in front of him. Just watching the sunlight glittering against the crystal blue waves brought a sense of peace and contentment to him. Despite being landlocked to the aptly named cruise ship, the S.S. Independent, he had felt so much more alive in this moment than he had in the last decade.

Shaun leaned over the railing of the ship's expansive third level, casually watching the myriad of humans and anthros going about their own business. He listened to the brief snatches of conversation with passing interest, mostly about the events going on later in the evening. There was supposed to be a dance later that night in the ball room, just below the second level, beneath the main dining hall. Everyone seemed to be excited by it, including some of the crew. He listened as a coyote in the white and blue uniform of the cruise liner explained to his colleague the expansive light set-up that had been created just for this dance.

Maybe I'll take a look later, Shaun thought to himself, dropping his bearded chin into his palm. Who am I kidding; I can't dance worth a damn.

He enjoyed people watching, his eyes drifting away from the coyote and his friend to those walking about the deck of the second level, the sounds of shouts and laughter echoing in his ears. It was always interesting just to observe, to really listen and see what was going on, or at least he thought so. Shaun wasn't much of a people person himself, having spent the last decade on his own, but as a casual observer; he loved it.

The wind buffeted him, causing his dark, crème coloured shirt to rustle slightly. A pair of black cargo shorts covered his legs, the material reaching down to just below his knees and a pair of ebon and violet sandals supported his feet. Shaun was moderately tall; perfectly average for any human his age. At 28, he stood just over six feet, with a relatively average build, though that had not always been the case. His body had filled out over the years, a result of hard work and exercise. Where once the human's pudgy, round stomach from high school had been, was now a loosely toned chest. Though he lacked the washboard abs of some of the people on the ship, he was quite content with the progress he had made over the years. Even his face had shown the signs of the weight loss, becoming more squared in the jaw, though the chin strap beard defined it further.

No; Shaun considered himself to be rather normal in appearance, with one exception: his eyes. The orbs were a strange blue-white in colour, with crisscrossing lines that granted them a likeness to a spider's web. He always thought that was a bit of a silly description, always dismissing the comments with a smile and a wave of his hand, but nevertheless, he had been told that countless times. Like the rest of him, he thought he looked fairly normal, almost non-descript.

He pushed himself off the railing, throwing his arms up in the air and stretching, exposing a hint of flesh to the cool breeze of the sea. He glanced down at his watch, taking note of the time.

It's almost 5:30, I should head back, he thought to himself. Gonna be getting time to head down for dinner soon.

Stepping away from the smooth, white railing, he started back towards his cabin. Few people bothered to look his way, which suited him just fine as he snaked his way through the throng of people on deck. He didn't care even if people would have been staring. In high school, he had been the only human in a school populated entirely by anthros, or 'furs' as some called them, though the term had become fairly rare nowadays. Back then, when he was only eight-teen, the curious peering of eyes would have unsettled him, but now not even in the slightest. He even managed a slight nod towards the tigress that tossed him a wink as he brushed past her.

If only she knew, he laughed to himself.

The ship was huge. While it wasn't anything like the Titanic must have been, the Independent was much more grandiose than the previous cruise liner he had been on years before. Hundreds of people and anthros had come for their own reasons, but one thing they all seemed to share linked them together: money. The ticket had cost the unremarkable human a great deal, but it wouldn't be terribly difficult to get the money back. A few months of honest, hard work would cover the costs. Not that he really had to.

Despite appearances, Shaun was fairly well off from the inheritance that his parents had left him. However, it always left a sour taste in his mouth thinking about how he had come into such funds. Both of his parents had died in a car accident and, unbeknownst to him at the time, they had left everything for him: the car; the savings, the house, everything was his. He didn't have any siblings, or even other close relatives. It was just himself. It was never a happy thought to reminisce about, and so to escape the painful memories, Shaun had put in the work and effort to sell the house his parents had bought in the States where his family had lived for a few years and proceeded to move back home to his native Canada.

That had been nine long, years ago. To elude the feelings of morose sadness that had clung to him since that day, Shaun had set out on his first vacation by himself, travelling within the country and ending up on his first cruise, touring the Caribbean, where he now found himself once again.

It had helped him, a lot. The feeling of being on his own and doing things for himself had instilled in the then young man a sense of purpose and a drive to accomplish what needed to be done.

After he had dodged between another human couple, a rather large and boisterous family of rhinoceros anthros and their plethora of children and a group of red-furred foxes in expensive business suits, his hand finally clasped around the handle of his cabin door, sliding the key card from his pocket and swiping it through the scan lock before pushing the portal open. The room was relatively impressive; the floors lined in dark, forest green carpeting with a large poster bed against the center of the back wall, complete with matching green drapery. A desk and a few books he had brought with him sat to his left, the pages on the tomes hardly even touched since he had placed them there at the beginning of the two week long cruise. A few scrap pieces of paper blew off the night stand beside the bed from the breeze blowing through the doorway, prompting him to shut it tightly before making his way to the bed and tossing himself on the downy mattress.

"Wish my bed was like this," he muttered to himself with a grin, thinking back to his apartment in Toronto.

He lay there for a few minutes, listening to the sound of people passing by his door, their footfalls and conversations. No doubt the majority of the crowd was heading towards the dining hall, one of the massive areas of the ship which comprised of four sections: the dining area, the kitchen, the bar and the ball room located a floor below. The ball room was more of a title than anything. Shaun pegged it for being whatever it needed to be. He dance tonight was closer to a club house party than any sort of exquisite, first class, tuxedo event. That could easily change tomorrow.

He turned his head slowly towards the mirror on the far right side of his cabin, his reflection gazing back at him and smiled; noticing how different he looked now than all those years before. He had changed. A hand went up and he rubbed through his beard, which he kept neatly trimmed and cropped to perfection.

"What happened?" he asked himself aloud, pushing himself off the bed and moving over towards his suitcase. He sat down before it, unzipping the heavy blue fabric casing and started rummaging through the clothes he had brought with him. He placed a few articles to the side, to change into before he went down for dinner, but there was a specific item in particular he was looking for. He found it tucked towards the bottom of the case, wrapped carefully by all the shirts and underwear that was stored inside, a picture of him with the friends he had made in high school.

Everyone appeared to be quite happy in the snapshot, the lens of the camera freezing that instant in time forever. They sat on the couch in Shaun's old living room, the dull and faded tan cushions sagging under the weight of the four friends, while a fifth sat just in front.

On the left side of the couch sat a rather large polar bear, a hearty grin pasted onto his snout. His fur was as pure as snow and his deep blue eyes sparkled with youthful enthusiasm. Matt, Shaun's partner on the school's fencing team; though he seemed horribly out of place there for one of his size. The large bruin was surprisingly deft with his hands and feet, agile beyond appearances. Shaun chuckled as he recalled the times the massive bear had given him a run for his money at the sport.

To the bear's right was Andrew, a slim yet finely toned panther wearing a green letter jacket and tattered jeans, his ebony fur exposed through the tears in the material. Andrew was a member of the school's baseball team, along with another of Shaun's friends. He was one of the best pitchers in the school, probably even in the city. His jaw was locked in an open mouthed roar of laughter, his paws busily giving a noogie to the small bat sitting at the base of the couch. The scowl on the winged anthro's face brought a smirk to the human's face.

Xan was the smallest, smartest and probably the most moody of the bunch, his small hands trying feebly to protect himself from Andrew's teasing paws, though the effort was futile. The silver-furred bat half cursed, half laughed as the feline's paws buried themselves in his thick tangle of hair. Very few could have gotten away with such a thing, Andrew being one of them. Xan had a sharp temper and short fuse, though the friends knew it was because he was frequently picked on at school, perhaps even more than the human himself had been. At times, the diminutive youth would lash out angrily at those around him, even his friends. It was usually Shaun who smoothed things over and calmed him down.

His eyes scanned over to the next figure in the photo, once again thinking just how much he had changed. Sitting beside Andrew was Shaun himself, looking a little more rotund and sporting a pair of glasses. One of the first things the human did upon acquiring all that money was opting for laser eye surgery, rendering the spectacles obsolete. He was facing the camera, one hand draped around the panther, the other around the figure to his right, perhaps his very best friend of all amongst the group.

Roland, a black-haired wolf leaned against the human, a devilish grin spread across his muzzle, showing off his pearly fangs. The ebony lupine wasn't looking at the camera though, his emerald eyes locked on Shaun.

Shaun smiled to himself, a shiver rolling down his spine as he looked at the wolf flashing that trademark grin of his. Roland exhumed an aura of confidence, perhaps even recklessness, but it always seemed to set the human at ease. The wolf's dark fur disappeared under a simple white tee and green letter jacket akin to Andrew's, a pair of dark navy jeans covering his legs. His bushy, black tail hung off the arm of the couch, no doubt wagging about as it normally was. Shaun couldn't recall ever seeing Roland in a bad mood, his tail always seemed to be perpetually swishing about.

Roland had taken an intense liking to Shaun upon the very first day they had met when Shaun transferred to that school. Shaun recalled how painfully shy he had been in those first few weeks, but the more time Roland and him spent together, the easier it became to overcome it. The wolf had been mercilessly persistent at trying to make him feel comfortable, and it certainly worked.

I was probably just glad anyone was talking to me at all, he thought to himself.

He didn't know it at the time, but as the weeks turned into months, Shaun soon had come to the realization that he had fallen for the wolf, though he kept it a closely guarded secret, until the day Roland had expressed his feelings to him. Still, even after the two of them discovered how much they liked the other, they kept it between themselves, even when Andrew had caught Roland pressing his muzzle against the human's lips in Shaun's first kiss.

Andrew knew that the lupine was gay, so it hardly bothered him, though it was a bit of a surprise to the panther to know that the secret desires of his friend had been Shaun, though the two friends made sure the cat kept it secret. After all, neither of them wanted their classmates to find that little piece of information out.

Shaun recalled how nearly inseparable they had become over the course of time. They always hung out together; Roland would call Shaun some nights and they would talk for hours. He had become so used to the lupine's presence around him that when Roland disappeared at the end of the school year, it hit him like a ton of bricks. No phone calls ever came, no messages, e-mails or visits. He had simply vanished. It was Matt who finally managed to piece together that the wolf and his family had moved away. Upon visiting Roland's house for himself, Shaun realized the bruin had been right. The house was empty and deserted, put up for sale.

The wolf was just gone.

A few months afterwards, tragedy befell Shaun once more, this time in the form of the car accident that stole the life from his family. He remembered how difficult those first few weeks were, how all of a sudden; the weight of responsibility weighed down his shoulders and threatened him on the brink of despair. After an arduous amount of effort, research and the patience of realtors as Shaun figured out how things worked, the human managed to sell the family home and what possessions he didn't need, secure himself a place back in Toronto and move back home. Afterwards, he tried his best to keep in contact with his friends, but as time went on, they drifted apart. Not just because of the distance, but mentally, Shaun had had to grow up. Things were just not the same anymore. They each had their own lives to live. Shaun stopped calling them, and them, him. The photograph was the only object that remained to remind him of his past; good and bad.

With a heavy sigh, Shaun placed the gilded, gold painted frame back inside the suitcase, folding the clothes neatly back over top of it.

"God I miss you," he whispered, thinking back to his first kiss with Roland. It had been something special, almost indescribable. Sure, he had kissed people before, but never another guy, and certainly not an anthro. It was so very alien, almost surreal, Roland's black muzzle pressed up against his mouth, the lupine's wet nose bumping against his once, his fur tickling his skin and their tongues met. He remembered Roland holding onto him tight, that tail of his brushing against his legs, teasing the pale flesh.

"If only I knew what happened to you."

With a frown, Shaun shut the lid of the suitcase and pushed himself off the floor, heading towards the shower. He had spent enough time dwelling in the past for one day; it was about high-time to get ready for tonight. The lights came on automatically as he stepped inside.

The bathroom was fairly small, but it had all the necessities: a shower, toilet, sink, mirror and a medicine cabinet hidden behind the pane of glass. Shaun caught his own reflection in the mirror as he pulled his shirt over his head, noticing that his cheeks glistened in the light. He reached a hand up, brushing away the pair of tears that had slid down his cheeks, chuckling to himself. He didn't even realize he had allowed himself to cry while looking at the photograph.

With a mental shrug, he undressed and stepped into the shower and shut the glass door. A quick twist of the knobs and water began cascading down around him. He sighed contently as the warm water streamed down his body. He leaned up against the wall, letting the shower jet soothe him. Thoughts of Roland continued to dance in his head. They had been good days, the time Roland and him were together almost constantly, sharing stories, playing games and simply enjoying the other's company. Soon enough, Shaun's thoughts drifted to the first time Roland and him had fooled around, causing a smile to break across his face.

Without even thinking, his hand slid down his body to his cock and began sliding along the length of it.

Well, I suppose I still have some time, Shaun thought to himself.

***

They held their embrace for some time, Roland's hands wrapped around Shaun's body, massaging his back; the human's doing the same, his fingers running through the thick black fur of the wolf. Roland smiled lightly at him, leaning forward and pushing the human to the mattress, locking his muzzle with Shaun's lips. The lupine tongue was strange and different, but it sent a thrill of excitement coursing through Shaun's body.

The only light came from the bedside lamp and the thin beams of moonlight that slipped through the blinds of the window. Shaun was glad that his parents had gone away for the night, which left the entire place just for the two of them. When he had found out that they were leaving, he wasted no time inviting the wolf over, and after hanging out for several hours, things had inevitably led back to his bedroom.

Shaun blushed softly as Roland flashed that grin of his, a hint of fang showing past his lips. It was that cocky grin that made Shaun feel safe and secure, that nothing could ruin this perfect moment together, one they had both been eagerly craving for some time to come. Roland's paw traced slowly down the human's chest, slipping under his baggy shorts to rub playfully against Shaun's underwear.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Roland asked softly, though his voice resonated strength. His tongue flicked out, licking Shaun's ear seductively. Shaun nodded up at him, smiling.

"I don't think I've ever been this sure about anything," he replied, lifting a hand to scratch under Roland's chin. The lupine growled appreciatively.

Roland smirked at him playfully before leaning forward into another kiss while his black-furred fingers pushed past the human's underwear. Already Shaun's sex had been growing steadily harder, more so when his fingers wrapped themselves around it. The simple act brought a delightful shiver rolling through Shaun's body. His eyes had drifted down to the scene unfolding before him, of Roland's hand slowly rising up and down inside of his pants and when he looked up, he saw the wolf continuing to smile. The feeling of those paw pads against his flesh tickled his senses. Eventually, the lupine's hand moved down to cup the human's sac in his palm.

"Bet it feels better having someone do this for you, huh?" the wolf asked, nosing against Shaun's neck.

"Very," Shaun replied, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of someone else's hands playing with him.

Shaun's lips parted, a soft moan escaping between them while Roland continued to play with his shaft. He had never had someone else's hands touch him like this before and it felt very nice. It was such a strange feeling, having Roland's furred hand slide up and down his cock, but it sent delightful shivers of pleasure coursing through his body. It was so much different than when he had done this by himself. Shaun's blue eyes looked up at Roland again and he smiled, causing the wolf to nuzzle him again. He could feel Roland's erection pressing up against his legs, his shorts tented badly. After a few moments, Shaun's arms pulled away, moving to his own clothes.

"It'll probably be better if I got rid of these," he whispered into Roland's ear. In response, Roland gave his cock a gentle squeeze, eliciting a quiet grunt from the human's lips.

Shaun moved quickly, unfastening the button and pulling down the fly of his own black shorts. He shimmied out of the material, arching his back to slip them off, along with the pair of briefs he had on underneath. His cock sprung into the air as he tossed his clothing aside, Roland's paw eagerly diving back to it, stroking slowly along the shaft of flesh. A drop of precum spilled from the tip, running down the length to be absorbed by the lupine's fur. Shaun grinned, leaning back up against the pillows.

"Alright, I'm ready now," he said, beckoning Roland down to him. The wolf complied eagerly with an excited growl, moving into the kiss, hand still stroking up and down along Shaun's member.

"I need to get these off," Roland said after a moment of passionate tongue-play. Shaun looked down to the wolf's shorts and grinned. Roland's cock was straining against the material, aching for release. No doubt it had slipped free of its sheath long before he had led him upstairs.

Shaun knew how badly Roland had been looking forward to this night, perhaps even when they had first met. Roland had become almost entranced by him. Earlier in the evening, Roland had explained that Shaun had captivated him from when he had first laid eyes on him. It was his eyes, Roland had said, the strange blue-white irises had been enchanting. Tonight however, Shaun was going to give him what he wanted, to placate the lupine's unfulfilled fantasies.

Shaun couldn't help but groan as Roland stroked along his shaft, his fingers eagerly clenching the black fur before drifting down to run through that bushy black tail. Roland slipped off the bed then, peeling off his shorts and tossing them onto the pile.

Fuck, he looks so sexy, Shaun thought to himself, admiring the wolf's body. The human couldn't help but blush when he saw just how much Roland's cock was tenting his grey boxers. Roland caught the look, laughing.

"Like what you see?" Roland asked. Shaun could only nod. "Then you'll like this even better, promise."

Shaun watched curiously as Roland climbed back onto the bed, resting just below Shaun's knees. Shaun tilted his head to the side, giving the lupine a curious look but Roland only grinned back.

The grin came again, and he couldn't help but stare at the sight of his best friend, fangs showing in that same old smile, his dick threatening to break out of the tight material trapping it in place. He couldn't deny the attraction though, and he was eager to see what was going to happen.

Roland's hand slipped to his boxers, pushing the folds at the front apart and allowing his girth to fall free, the black shaft looming over Shaun's own. Roland was bigger than him, probably around seven inches or so and was quite a bit thicker as well. A bead of precum sputtered from the tip, falling onto Shaun's bare leg, the warmth of the stuff quickly fading.

"You ready?" Roland asked him. Shaun nodded. "Okay then."

Roland leaned down and grasped Shaun's cock again, stroking it a few times for good measure. He looked up at the human, locking his own green eyes with Shaun's own before his muzzle went down slowly, engulfing the shaft he held completely. His tongue moved to cover his bottom teeth and his upper lip curled to do the same to his top as best it could.

Shaun's heart skipped a beat and time seemed to completely stand still for but a moment. Here he was, lying stark naked on his bed, with his best friend who just so happened to be a black wolf going down on him. A loud moan escaped his lips and he could tell Roland was smiling, despite the fact that his dick was in his muzzle.

The wolf bobbed up and down slowly, his one paw moving along the human's length in time with his maw. He could feel Roland's tongue moving deftly over his length, exploring it in every way possible.

"Oh...fuck, Roland," Shaun managed to gasp aloud. His hand reached out and stroked the wolf's dark headfur, drawing a soft groan from Roland. The wolf took it as a sign to step up the pace, beginning to suck faster and harder.

The wolf's own cock seemed to scream for attention, precum spilling onto the bed sheets or Shaun's leg.

He must be really turned on, Shaun thought to himself. He was barely doing anything, but Roland's groaning and panting seemed to be increasing. Soon enough, Roland clasped a hand around his own shaft and began pumping wildly up and down the ebon length as he sucked Shaun off.

Shaun felt his body starting to tense up, getting closer to the brink of orgasm. He had never felt something so good in his life and he didn't want it to end. He moaned again, louder this time and he felt the pressure around his member grow stronger, Roland working him over even more. His hand pulled away from Roland's fur to clutch at the bed sheets. Having the wolf jerk him off was good in its own right, but this was something else entirely.

"Oh God, Roland...feels so good," he gasped, watching the lupine muzzle bob up and down his shaft. The wolf was still stroking his own dick madly. Shaun blinked, noticing how hard Roland had become through it all.

I think he likes this as much as I do, Shaun thought. His mind idly toyed with the notion of how it would feel to have Roland inside him; the lupine's hardened sex thrusting into his backside. The thoughts were quickly dismissed however as the feeling of his climax coming forth dashed all other thoughts aside.

"Fuck...I think I'm gonna--" the words were cut short as he groaned loudly, fingers clutching the bed sheets tighter. Unconsciously, his hips bucked forward, pushing his throbbing shaft as far as he could into Roland's muzzle.

He felt his body quivering as his cock throbbed in Roland's maw, cum spraying down the back of the lupine's throat. Roland gagged only slightly, eagerly drinking it down. Shaun could see the satisfaction etched clearly in the lupine's eyes. The wolf continued to suck as he came before finally pulling off and catching one last pulse in the face; the white of Shaun's seed splattering across his black-furred cheek. Roland paid it no attention though. He had been busy during Shaun's climax and the human could see him bucking into his own hand. Roland leaned back, his other paw moving to clamp down around his thick knot. He arched back; releasing a howl as his cock throbbed, shooting ropes of thick cum onto Shaun's bare chest, some landing on the human's legs and bed sheets. His eyes had been clenched shut in the throes of ecstasy.

Roland opened his eyes slowly, his paws squeezing the last drop of cum from his tip. His gaze slowly drifted over Shaun's naked body, and he could see his own seed covering Shaun's bare chest before their eyes met once again. The look within those orbs told him everything.

Shaun smirked as Roland leaned down, placing a hand to either side of him, their faces barely inches apart. He wrapped his arms around the furry body, pulling him down into another kiss. A salty tang emanated from Roland's tongue and he realized just what it was.

So that's what I taste like? Not bad, he thought to himself, mentally shrugging it away.

He could feel Roland's still hard and now quite damp cock rub with his own, sending a delightful chill running through his body. He broke the kiss and rested his head against the wolf's neck fur, Roland doing the same. They held on to each other tightly for what seemed like an eternity, simply cuddling; Roland eventually rolling to the side so that he wasn't on top of Shaun anymore, but they never broke their embrace.

"I love you," Roland said after a time, his muzzle rubbing up against Shaun's nose. The human only held him tighter.

"Roland," was all he could say before he pressed his lips against his again. Shaun grinned as he felt something wet smearing itself against his cheek. They pulled away slightly and the human realized that he had sprayed some of his cum across Roland's face. Roland caught the look and reached a finger up to wipe it off, snickering.

"I guess we got a little messy, huh?"

The human looked down at his own chest and saw the wolf's cum plastered all over his and his own body.

"Maybe we should get this cleaned up," Shaun said with a wink. Roland merely tossed him that same grin again.

***

Shaun grunted loudly as he shot across the shower stall, his cock throbbing in his hand. He couldn't help but smirk mischievously at his own handiwork. It had been a long time since he had an orgasm that powerful.

Too long, he reasoned, letting the memories of Roland fade back into the recesses of his mind.

Shaun poked his head out from behind the shower door, peering at the small digital clock that hung beside the mirror in a protective shell of plastic. 6:47.

"Son of a bitch," he groaned. He didn't even realize how long he had been in the shower for. With a sigh, he finished cleaning himself up, being sure to take care of the new mess he left stained on the shower tiles before slipping out of the stall to get ready.

Steam poured around him, fogging the mirror and obscuring his reflection. With a shrug, Shaun simply reached for his toothbrush and paste. After all, who knew where he would end up after dinner. It wasn't an unpleasant thought in the slightest.

***

Massive and extravagant were the only words that could describe the immensity of the dining hall. The place looked like it had been ripped out of a fairy tale with beautiful, plush red carpeting and dozens of finely crafted oaken tables, polished to absolute perfection. Fine ivory silks and sparkling glassware rested upon the tops, the silverware reflecting the light of at least the dozen chandeliers hanging from finely crafted, gilded chains above. The noise of countless peoples filled his ears as Shaun stepped into the room.

He had swapped his plain clothes for a pair of black dress pants, black loafers and a deep violet dress shirt. He wore a plain white tee beneath, leaving the top few buttons of the dress shirt undone.

Formal, but not over-bearing, he thought to himself while checking his reflection in the small mirror before making his way to the large bar off to the side of the hall.

He listened into the cacophonous roar of the crowd as he made his way to the far end where the bar sat. He could hardly believe the amount of people and anthros of various species that filled the room almost to capacity. A light-hearted smirk spread across his face as he winded his way through the crowd, a hand reach up to make sure the single silver hoop in his right ear was secure. He slid up to the polished length of wood, slipping onto an empty stool beside a human woman in a gown of deep emerald. Turning his body so that he could gaze out over the crowd, he barely noticed the gentle tap on his shoulder.

"What can I get for you?" asked the barkeep, a burly brown bear who absent-mindedly cleaned the wine glass he was holding with a white dish cloth.

"Pinot noir, please," Shaun replied. The large bruin nodded and moved down towards the wine rack. He came back a few moments later with a glass of the dark red liquid. "Thanks," Shaun said, but the bear had moved on to his next customer, the woman sitting beside him.

To his observant eyes, Shaun figured her to be about thirty years old or so, give or take a few. Her long brown hair obscured most of his view of her face, but Shaun could just barely see a pair of hazel brown eyes peering at him from behind the long locks. A slight smile broke across her face, having caught him watching.

"Pinot grigio," she told the barkeep, who moved to get it for her. Shaun watched as she casually brushed a strand of hair from her face before turning to regard him, still smiling.

"Hello there," she said. Her voice was soft and soothing; sultry. "I do not believe I have seen you around before. Do you mind if I ask your name?"

Shaun chuckled to himself. If he wasn't gay, he would most definitely have found the woman before him undeniably attractive. With a sleeveless emerald green dress, cut in such a way to show off her shapely tanned legs and matching shoes, she was stunning. Her tanned skin and dark brown hair pegged her as coming from some sort of Latin descent he figured.

"Not at all. I'm Shaun, and yourself?" he asked while taking a slow sip from his glass.

"Giada. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Shaun. What brings you here if you don't mind me asking? You do not look as if you are accompanying anyone else."

The barkeep was back then with her wine and Giada offered the bruin a sweet smile, though her eyes continued to study the human beside her. Shaun offered a shrug.

"What brings me here on the cruise? The same reasons as you, I would hazard a guess. Just to get away from life, work and such. Relax, you know?"

Giada nodded. "Indeed. That's a feeling I know quite well actually. I find these voyages are just what I need to get away from the stresses of everyday life. It gets difficult to keep going without a sanity break every now and then, no?" She put her elbows up on the countertop, leaning on them slightly, holding the glass of wine with one hand. Shaun grinned, nodding.

"I'll drink to that, it's good to get away from it all," Shaun laughed and both brought their glasses together with a clink before taking another sip. "As for your other question? Yeah, I'm here on my own. I've gotten used to going on vacation by myself. That's never stopped me before."

"A good outlook. Just because you are alone shouldn't mean you can't have an enjoyable time now and then. I quite agree with you. I take it there is no other than? I'm apologize for sounding presumptuous, I merely assumed that if you were here on your own, than there was no one waiting back home either."

"Nah," Shaun replied with a blush "Just me, myself and I. Been that way for a while now."

Giada smiled at him, putting her glass down and placing her delicately manicured hand atop his own.

"Well then, I may be over-stepping my bounds, but perhaps we could get to know each other a little better. I too am here on my own, though truth be told I am here with co-workers. Which is to say, that I also do not have anyone waiting back home," she said, a finger rubbing the top of Shaun's hand. He couldn't help but smirk, shaking his head as he did so. Giada appeared unphased by the gesture; though the telling sparkle in her hazel eyes indicated she knew more than she was saying.

He watched her closely, studying her eyes. Giada seemed genuinely interested in him and not just some beautiful woman looking for a quick fling. He smiled at her, taking her delicately manicured hand in his own and kissed the top of it, her cheeks burning with a small blush.

"Giada, you're an incredibly beautiful woman, but I can't. I wouldn't feel right doing anything like what I think you have in mind, mostly because, while I am single, I have feelings for someone already. I know that sounds a little half-assed and cheesy, but I hope you understand. I won't lie, it's not every day I have someone as stunning as you making a pass at me," Shaun replied, attempting to sound as comforting and apologetic as he dared. He had seen plenty of and experienced some rejection himself during the long years away from Roland and if that decade had taught him anything, it was that rejection was oftentimes very painful, no matter how innocent.

He needn't have worried, as Giada just smiled, nodding at him as she took another sip from her glass.

"Oh, that's quite alright, Shaun. I understand perfectly," she cocked her head to the side, offering him a knowing wink and a smile. "I just hope that he and you will be happy."

The statement caused Shaun to raise a curious brow at her and his heart to skip a beat, but she only giggled and leaned in close to whisper into his ear.

"Do not worry; I am very good at sensing such things. I know that you'll make him very happy when you find him."

Shaun couldn't hide his deep blush if he had dunked his face into his wine glass, but Giada only chuckled more. He took another long, slow sip from his glasses, swirling the deep red liquid about and catching the scent in his nose as he digested what she had said.

And here I thought I was observant, he mused to himself before setting the glass down on the countertop.

For some time, the simply sat at the bar chatting, Shaun eventually ordering some food when his stomach had started to grumble loudly. He had been thoroughly distracted by his conversation with Giada that he had forgotten to get something to eat in the first place, the entire reason he was there.

Shaun took another sip of his second glass of wine before cutting the salmon on his plate as Giada recounted tales of her travels around the world. It seemed as if the latin beauty had been almost everywhere, from New Zealand to Africa, Greenland, Peru and everywhere in between. Just last year, she had been to India with her colleagues.

"We just love to travel," was the only explanation she gave him.

Sure, Shaun had money, but not nearly enough to travel abroad like the woman beside him seemed to have. He found himself becoming slightly jealous of all the worldly sights she had seen. He had always wanted to travel the globe, seeing all the sights and sounds, the wonders that the world had to offer. He couldn't help but hang off of Giada's words, her stories entrancing him as they talked and drank.

Eventually, music had begun to fill the room, coming from the deck below. Shaun recalled there being a dance tonight, and his gaze drifted over to the large sweeping staircase that led down to the lower level. Already a stream of anthro and human alike were filtering down the steps, young and old. Giada noticed his distraction and smirked.

"The ball room," she said as Shaun watched the people heading downstairs. "Care to go dance for a bit?" she asked, her hazel eyes tossing a seductive wink.

She knew he was gay, somehow she had pieced it together without him having barely even spoken about himself, but still Shaun found it a little surprising that she still seemed to like him; enough to ask him to dance anyway. He coughed a bit before mumbling a half-assed "I can't really dance."

Giada just patted his hand before grabbing it lightly.

"That's alright, I cannot either very well," she laughed.

Shaun just grinned, nodding. He grabbed his glass and downed the last of it in a single gulp, Giada doing the same. The woman lead him through a tangled maze of tables and people, moving towards the spiral staircase leading to the lower deck and the dance, the two talking the entire way.

***

"Oh, I really like this song!" Celest said happily, as she started humming along with the lyrics, her fingers snapping along to the beat. Music had started to filter up from the floor below and already the Siamese cat was sorely tempted to drop her plate and let loose. The rest of the anthros at the table eyed her curiously, bemused expressions on their faces.

The feline femme got the feeling that she was being watched and she cracked on an eye open, jumping with a start as she noticed everyone at the table staring at her. "What? It's a good song," she giggled happily. Her ears perked up, still following along with the beat, her feet tapping against the vibrations in the floor.

"We're sure it is, kitten," Jerome snorted. The bulky, green-scaled alligator snickered at the sour face Celest pasted on her visage. She stuck her tongue out at him as he cut up another section of the steak sitting on his plate, the bright red juices of the cut spilling onto the white porcelain as he sliced through it.

"As if you know anything about music, Jer," she hissed back jokingly.

"Oh, I do. Except I have this thing called 'taste', kitten. Y'know, for good music?" he laughed. Celest frowned at him, her thin tail swishing about anxiously behind her, the dull silver-bronze fur catching the light cast from overhead, causing the hair to shimmer. Giving up on convincing the oh-so-cultured reptile, Celest looked at the others sitting with her.

Tyrone and Geoff sat to her right, perhaps the closest friends the cat had ever laid eyes upon. If it wasn't for their obvious difference in species, Celest could have sworn they were brothers. They were always together, joking around, going to the gym, hanging out. She could have sworn she had heard them screwing the same girl at once before.

Tyrone was quite the muscle-bound hunk of bull, his bulging arms a testament to the countless hours he had spent lifting weights. Celest didn't have a shadow of a doubt in her mind that the bovine could have snapped her like a twig if he ever wanted to. Geoff on the other hand, was a red-furred husky, though he was just about as impressive as Tyrone, or as much as his breed would allow. He wasn't quite as bulky or broad shouldered, but he was still rather impressive. The two debated how many times they were going to score in the coming days, Celest helplessly rolling her eyes at them. Tyrone seemed a little more enthusiastic about the subject, though Geoff was saying just as much.

God, is that all they ever think about?

Celest mentally shrugged and dragged her gaze away from the two pieces of anthro muscle to Ray, a small red fox who stood just slightly shorter than herself, making him the smallest of the bunch.

The vulpine sat quietly, his face locked in concentration upon the tablet resting on the table before him. He was twirling the stylus between his fingers idly, his eyes scanning the screen from left to right, obviously reading something. His own dinner plate had barely been touched, so concentrated was he in his work. Ray was always planning things, even when they were on vacation. Celest couldn't fathom why, as this was their time to just relax and let loose for once.

"Ray, give me a break! You know it isn't a good idea to be mixing work and play like this," laughed the white bengal tiger beside him. The big cat tried to make a grab at the tablet, but the smaller canid was too quick, easily pulling it away from grasping paws, fangs glinting in the chandelier light, grinning.

Mikal; who was probably Ray's best friend in the group. They joked and kidded around as much as the pair of muscle jocks beside them, though they were not nearly as crass or brazen as the bull and husky. The feline femme couldn't help but giggle as Mikal made another attempt to grab the tablet away from Ray, the fox laughing as he held it just out of reach. Ray's deep brown eyes seemed to shimmer in the light. Though Celest couldn't shake the feeling that the fox's mirth was somehow forced, subdued.

"I know, I know," Ray replied, finally setting the tablet back down on the table and pressing the button on the corner to suspend it. "I'm just looking forward to our next gig. I've got so many ideas, I just want to be ready for it is all," he explained. The fox pulled his dinner plate forward, attacking it almost ravenously.

"I see the boss' favourite already knows what we're doing. Care filling the rest of us in?" asked Alex gruffly. Celest looked over to the grizzled black bear. Alex was giving the vulpine a suspicious look, but Ray just shrugged, offering a helpless smirk in return.

Celest just shook her head at the bruin's blunt and direct tactics in conversation. He always seemed to be up-tight about something, specifically about work.

I really think he should work on his people skills sometime, Celest thought to herself. Alex was pleasant enough, sometimes. Other times...not so much. He was pretty rough around the edges, often times a little too blunt with words, but she couldn't deny his no bullshit tactics. It worked. Occasionally. Sometimes she couldn't help but feel like talking with Alex was akin to speaking to a brick wall. A wall covered in thick black hair, with sharp claws and teeth.

"What I really don't understand is why are any of you even talking about work in the first place? We're on vacation for a reason. So, take a break why don't you?" said the strong-voiced badger sitting beside Alex. Mel rolled her black eyes, grossing her arms as she spoke, fixing both the bear and Ray with a stern, almost motherly expression. The bruin muttered something under his breath that Celest couldn't quite catch, Ray simply offering another shrug before turning back to his meal.

Like the bear beside her, Mel was fairly intimidating, a little short to the punch and often direct, though her's were different reasons for being so. The badger was over-protective, as was the trait of her kind. She was always dotting on the others for minor issues, coming across as more of the annoying mother type than anything. She was also quite burly. Celest figured that if it weren't for the pair of breasts attached to her chest, Mel would have made a very convincing man.

Conversations started flying around the table then, Celest finding herself lost in the roar of voices from seven different people. Of the few snippets of conversation she caught, none of it really interested her. More talk of work, not working, girls, the food, anything and everything. Sullenly, she returned to her own plate, pushing around the mixed vegetables with her fork, skewering a carrot before popping it into her mouth. It wasn't until Tyrone piped up about one of their missing companions did the Siamese start paying any actual attention. The cat lifted her head from her paw, listening to the grey-haired bull and following his gaze with her own eyes.

"Well shit," he said with a laugh. "Looks like Gia found something to play with before the rest of us," he elbowed Geoff in the ribs, the husky snickering softly. The bull pointed out a woman wearing a dark green dress made of some shimmery fabric, her hand behind her as she dragged a guy behind her towards the stairs leading to the ball room. From what Celest could see, the two humans were exchanging words as they walked.

"Damn," Geoff barked with a grin. "There goes my back-up plan." Tyrone snorted beside him, clapping the dog on the shoulder.

"I doubt that very much," Celest replied, rolling her eyes and giggling. "Sorry boys, but Gia has some class, unlike you two." The rest of the table joined in on the laugh.

"Didn't the boss go down there earlier?" Mikal asked, drawing a nod from both Mel and Celest.

Alex leaned back in his chair, the wood making a small cracking sound as he adjusted, a bottle of beer in his large hand. "Probably off looking for some tail raiser to mess around with I bet," he said, chuckling to himself. Celest noted Ray's ears drooping at the words, his gaze falling to the table. The motion was quick, barely noticeable, as they perked back up when Mel smacked the bear on the back of his head, bringing the bruin back to the table. The vulpine even offered a short laugh.

He's so insensitive, Celest kept the thought private, not wanting to get into an argument with Alex, specifically when he had been drinking. He could be so stubborn!

"Al, shut up man. We all know the boss could probably kick your ass if he really wanted to. Who gives a shit if he likes looking for some tail?" Tyrone snapped, though he flashed a grin at the bear. The others agreed whole heartedly with the bull.

They all knew that their boss was gay; that was hardly a secret to anyone. He had made sure specifically that none of them had a problem with that when he hired them on in the first place. If there was an issue, he wouldn't have even considered it. Not only that, but it was no secret that Ray had spent the last few years enjoying their in-charge's "personal" company. While they weren't in a relationship per se, it was about as close to one as they could get without affixing a title to it, or that's what he had explained to Celest when she had nosily inquired about it. Ray on the other hand, while not quite as open about the intimate details had spent more than one night telling the silver-furred feline just how wonderful their boss was, how much he was waiting for him to make that move that would actually cement them as a couple.

It's no wonder Alex's fat mouth made him feel bad, she reasoned while munching on another carrot as the group continued their talk.

Growing restless and more than a little antsy to get onto the dance floor below, Celest pushed her plate away, sliding out of her chair as she did. She brushed a few crumbs off her blouse before starting away.

"Where ya going, kitten?" Jerome called after her, his toothy smile stretched in a smile.

"I'm gonna go see what he's up to," she replied back, referring to their in-charge. The others nodded, Jerome yelling a quick 'have fun' back to her.

Celest noticed more than a few heads turning her way as she slinked her way playfully towards the red-carpeted spiral stairs, veritably skipped over to them, glad to finally get away from the dull and dreary conversation of her companions. Her silvery fur glistened in the light, and she even tossed a playful wink to a hunky looking tiger as she walked by, allowing her tail to brush softly against his leg. The big cat jumped at the touch, Celest merely giggling as she disappeared into the crowd upon the stairs, starting her way down.

These boys are far too easy to mess around with, she grinned to herself.

***

The ball room deck had filled quickly and even more people continued to file in from the dining hall. Shaun wasn't really surprised when he saw the set-up the ship's crew had put together. Strobe lights flickered, brilliant flashes of white lighting up the dark hall, while multi-hued spot lights sent beams of colour shooting around; reds, oranges, greens and blues were just the tip of the iceberg. Some people were dancing on their own; others with their partners and still more sat or stood off to the sides at tables or booths. The stage at the front of the hall would normally be occupied by an orchestra, but tonight a DJ had set up his equipment, massive rows of speakers and a very expensive looking set of turn-tables.

Shaun took in the sights and sounds as Giada continued to lead him on, pulling him to the crowded dance floor, just in time for the DJ to start another set list. The tune had a much quicker pace than the last and the bearded male couldn't help but feel his pulse quicken to the beat.

"I hope I don't end up stepping all over your shoes!" Shaun had to yell over the noise, Giada having led them to a spot relatively clear of the tangle of bodies.

"Do not worry. Just let yourself go with the music," she replied. The woman smiled, swaying to the beat, easily picking up the rhythm. Shaun mentally shrugged the self-consciousness away, doing his best to follow suit.

He really wasn't much of a dancer, having only been to a few parties and clubs back home in the city. As such, he couldn't help but feel slightly out of place and awkward next to the rhythmic woman, but he kept his nervousness in check, managing to keep somewhat in sync with Giada's movements.

"I won't allow you to make a fool of yourself," she said with a smile, taking hold of Shaun's hands and placing them on her hips. He couldn't help but laugh.

"I think you've got your work well cut out for you then," he replied.

For a few moments they stayed that way, following the beat and grinding against each other. More than once Shaun thought to himself that if he wasn't gay, he would have been hard pressed to not make a move on the beautiful latina. The way she moved and twirled, bounced and slid was captivating. Giada was smart, sophisticated, cultured and very attractive.

"Giada!" a light, spunky feminine voice called out, stealing Shaun away from his thoughts. The two humans slowed their dance, but didn't quite stop completely, Giada turning to peer into the crowd where the voice had come. A few seconds later, a small, lithe siamese cat anthro slinked her way through the crowd. She wore a relatively plain blouse, tight to accentuate her form, with a pair tight fitting blue jeans that matched her pure sapphire eyes. Her whiskered muzzle split into a wide grin as she regarded the pair.

"Ah, Celest. Have you come to join us?" Giada asked. The siamese smirked, her long silver-bronze tail flicking back and forth to the rhythm of the music. The cat, Celest, giggled.

"I think it would take a little more than just the two of us in one night to teach your man here some moves," she snickered jokingly. She looked at him then, icy blue orbs giving him the once over.

Shaun knew that she was sizing him up, but the look didn't last long. Celest nodded, and smiled in approval, for whatever that was for. Giada turned to him then.

"Shaun, this is Celest, though I'm sure you've figured that out by now. She is a good friend and a co-worker of mine," Giada explained and the anthro extended a dark hand towards him.

"Nice to meet you," Shaun said, grasping the outstretched paw with his hand. Celest's fur seemed impossibly soft, but he figured she must spend a lot of time taking care of it. The small cat-morph purred happily at him.

"It's nice to meet you too, Shaun. Giada's a great dancer, she can teach you plenty of tricks," Celest replied, tossing a wink towards the woman. Giada only chuckled softly in return.

"Oh, I am not that good, Celest. Certainly you are much better than I," Celest merely shrugged her shoulders at the compliment. "There is a great deal of others out there that know much more than me. So, Kitten, what brings you down here?" The woman continued dancing with Shaun as they spoke.

"Oh, that's right! Gia, have you seen the boss running around down here?" Celest asked, tilting her head slightly, her whiskered nose twitching. "I was just wondering what he was up to, that's all." Giada shook her head, brown locks falling down over her face.

"No, I haven't seen him since earlier today. Is something wrong, Celest?"

"No, no, I was just curious," again came the shrug. "Everyone else said he was down here already."

The conversation continued on for several moments longer, but Shaun wasn't paying a great deal of attention to it all as he looked around the room aimlessly. The dance floor had become even more crowded and he was already starting to get jostled by the crowd some.

Eventually, Celest turned and disappeared into the crowd in search of the elusive "boss" the two kept referring to. Shaun never did catch the name in the heavy roar of the music. Giada turned back to him, smiling sweetly as the music began to dwindle down.

"She seemed nice," Shaun said as Giada took hold of his hands again and placed them back on her waist as a slow song started.

"Ah yes, Celest is very friendly, but don't let her innocent disguise fool you," Giada laughed. "She's quite a tough cat to handle."

"I don't doubt that. She seemed pretty spunky to me," Shaun concurred.

As they spoke, Giada showed Shaun the proper techniques for slow dancing, explaining the subtle movements of the body and the way in which his feet should step alongside her own. He had to admit, it was pretty enjoyable and Giada was certainly a good teacher. Her deep brown eyes sparkled in the flashing strobe lights, her gown almost shimmering in a myriad of colours as the pot lights fell and moved over them.

A few moments later, the song ended and Giada let go of his shoulders, wiping a strand of hair from her face.

"Whew," she breathed a sigh of relief. "I think I may need to go sit down for a moment. It's getting quite warm. "Would you mind waiting over there for me?" Giada pointed over to a section of the wall where several booths were lined up, tables resting before the cushioned seats. "I will go grab us some drinks and we can talk some more."

"That sounds like a fantastic idea. I'm sure I can manage a few minutes alone," he said, wiping his brow with his arm. He was starting to feel the heat as well, the lingering warmth of countless bodies sticking to the air. A few moments of rest would probably be a good idea.

Giada stood up on the tips of her toes, being slightly shorter than him and pecked Shaun on the cheek.

"I will return shortly then. I hope I will be able to find you once more, lest someone else has snatched you up already," she said, giving him a wink before slipping off into the crowd. He watched her go until he could no longer see the sparkling emerald gown that she wore, Giada becoming lost from sight by the throng of bodies.

Finally, the press of the crowd was becoming too much and he started to push his way through towards the wall Giada had indicated, hoping to find an empty spot to sit and wait. He did his best to dodge and weave through the tangle, his mind occupied by the conversations he had with the gorgeous woman tonight.

She must have a lot of money if she can afford to travel that much¸_Shaun mused to himself as he slipped between a group of cheetahs grinding against each other._

Despite his best efforts though, it came as no surprise when he finally bumped into someone hard enough that he lost his footing, slipping on the polished floor and tumbling down. He managed a quick shout of surprise before crashing hard. A few heads turned to regard him, and the human could only offer an embarrassed look.

"Hey, sorry about that, bud," came a voice from in front of him. Shaun's eyes looked at the black-haired hand outstretched before him, offering to help him back to his feet. He grasped it tightly and the anthro assisted him up.

"It's alright, thanks," Shaun replied, brushing himself off. He looked up, planning to thank the stranger for his help when he felt his blood freeze and his heart stop. The best explanation he would ever be able to give about this moment would be that he had seen a ghost.

Time seemed to almost literally stop, his heart pounding in his head. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the green eyes of the wolf in front of him. He barely registered the lupine's ears going flat and the fact that his tail ceased its carefree wagging. He saw recognition in those viridian orbs. Recognition, fear, joy and a host of other emotions. Shaun felt his jaw drop, he couldn't help himself. He tried to say something several times, but his mouth had gone so horribly dry.

"This is impossible..." he managed to gasp, his voice barely above a whisper. It was all the strength he had just to get the words out. "It can't possibly be you. This is insane!"

He listened to the wolf stumble over his words several times, trying to think of something to say.

"Roland?" Shaun dared ask. Unable to speak, the lupine nodded weakly, staring into Shaun's own blue-white eyes, locking his gaze with the human's.

He felt tears beginning to well up, and it was all he could do to hold the waterworks back for now. Unable to talk, but still capable of acting, the wolf did the only thing he could. Shaun felt strong hands grab him, pulling him forward and he knew what was coming. For the first time in ten long, painful years, Shaun felt his lips connecting with that hauntingly familiar muzzle once more. He felt the tears finally streaking down his cheeks, but he didn't care. He almost collapsed in the wolf's arms, feeling his legs starting to give out as his strength started failing.

Here he was, his teenage love, seemingly appearing out of thin air, on the ocean and the same cruise he himself was on. The odds were mind-boggling.

This has to be some kind of insane dream, Shaun screamed to himself, but he couldn't deny the authenticity of those strong, black hands holding him close.

"Shaun," Roland whispered finally. "I'll never let go again. I promise."

Shaun looked up at him, trying to smile but just couldn't find the will to do so. He rested his head against the wolf's powerful chest.

After so many years, he had found him at last.