Burdens - Chapter 26: Affirmation
#26 of Burdens
Doesn't really happen in real life, unfortunately.
Chapter 26: Affirmation
The situation was unknown to the fox. He had not been in anything similar at any point in his life, nor had ever thought to be in such a situation. It was a simple request, he thought, but it asked so much of him. But was it really all that much? Just a few kind words and the wolf would be sated, and they would not even have to be lies.
Still, he had not ever thought he would have to be in such a situation with another guy. He always thought that when it came time to start seeing others naked, it would be with girls, and he would be fine, and he would be prepared, but this time he was not in his element. He gulped, but there was hardly anything; his mouth was dry.
Slowly, he nodded in agreement, and said, "O-okay. I guess that's fine."
He began to gather his words, his ideas, his thoughts, and construct what he would say, regardless of what he saw. He figured if he did not prepare, he would trip over his words, let slip something that he tried to conceal, or maybe just make a fool of himself. It was not the best of outcomes and he would try to avoid it.
Hunter softly thanked him, put his shirt on the bed, and grasped at his towel tentatively. He seemed as if he had reservations about his own request. The fox almost spoke up, to tell him that it was alright if he rescinded his appeal, but it was too late.
The wolf had managed to unfurl the towel in the front, the part that kept it on him. It was merely just tucked into itself over and over. He held both ends of the towel in his paws, open but he had stood facing the side in the process, so while his front was free, the fox saw nothing. Still, it caused Roger's face to grow warm.
He looked down and his eyes moved about, obviously deep in thought. Finally he asked once more, "Are you sure you're okay with this?"
Roger confirmed his assent, noticing that the chance to flee from the situation had disappeared.
The wolf maintained his folded ears, his tucked tail, and then removed his towel and placed it on the bed, his paws returning over his crotch to cover his genitals.
Suddenly, the wolf was nude before the fox. He still looked damp from the water, but other than that, he looked like how he normally did, or at least how the fox envisioned.
He was as tall as he recalled, with just as well defined muscles as he supposed. His grey fur was almost white on his chest and stomach, under his arms, and between his legs. The fox could not see what he covered, and a part of him was thankful of such, that he was not tempted by it, though curiosity and lust also threatened to override all of his other feelings.
Still, Roger sat there, looking at the wolf. His eyes trailed up and down the figure, examining him. The pose was a fairly defensive one, his head was cocked to the side with a downcast gaze. His legs were not spread far from each other, and were slightly bent, almost as if to flee.
He covered his crotch fairly well; the fox could see none of the object desired, not even a hint of such a thing aside from the wolf's paws hovering over it, indicating that there was at least something there.
Hunter spoke, saying, "I'm not usually embarrassed around the team when we, uh... in the locker room, and the showers, and... I don't know why right now, but... I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on." He almost seemed to curl up while standing, but maintained a fair posture.
The fox shrugged. "It's- it's no big deal. I don't see anything wrong with you." The wolf's tension seemed to ease a bit, but he was still unsure of himself.
Then, the fox added, and immediately regretted adding, "I mean, I can't really see all of you, so I can't really say."
The wolf nodded, hesitated, and then said, "Yeah, I guess."
He then turned around slowly, in a circle, so that the fox could see how he looked. Everything about him seemed attractive to the fox, the way the muscles were defined, large yet not too large, the coloration of the fur seeming to blend in with itself as it shifted shades. It seemed like that of a sculpture, except one that moved.
He saw the wolf's back and rear. He did not see under his tail, since his tail was tucked, indicating his discomfort. Then he turned to the side, and then back to the front.
The wolf opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He seemed to be arguing with himself mentally. Eventually, he informed the fox of his intention to move his paws, and inquired if it was acceptable still.
Roger, at this point, was blushing furiously. His stance nearly matched the wolf's, except that he was sitting. His own desires were beginning to manifest themselves physically, but he had clothes to hide them, and being hunched over, they would not really show. He nodded.
The wolf moved his paws away, and dropped them at his side. He shut his eyes, prepared for derision and verbal abuse.
The first thing that the fox had noticed was that it was large. Not just large because he was a wolf, or that he stood a head above the fox, but just that it was large. He could not really tell how large, though; it was still in its sheath, but if he judged by the sheath, then....
He then noticed the furred sac that dangled below. It hung some distance, but nothing out of the ordinary, though the size of each of the specific reproductive organs were comparable to the sheath that housed the primary organ. All in all, the wolf was fairly well endowed by his estimate, and if he compared it to his own, it would only lead to anguish.
Part of him wanted to feel it, to see what the sheath really held inside it, to see exactly just how big the wolf was. He thought he could smell it, the musk that would emanate from it, but he knew it was only in his imagination, since the wolf still had his tail tucked, and he had just taken a shower. If anything, the only thing he would smell like would be either soap or wet canine.
He restrained his urges, though the embodiment of his lust pulsed with his fluttering heart, a palpable manifestation of the desires, his appetite and cravings, indeed his yearning, of which he staved off. Instead, he forced his vision to return to the wolf's face.
Hunter seemed pained and embarrassed. His paws were clenched and shook, and now that the fox noticed, the wolf had begun to shudder from the fear of judgment. He wanted to reach out and console him, but seeing as he was naked, it seemed unbefitting. Instead, he cleared his throat to get the wolf's attention.
The wolf opened his eyes slowly and then looked at the fox, waiting for the chastisement.
"You uh... you look fine to me," the fox began. His plans on what to say were gone since he saw the rest of the wolf. He was surprised, almost intimidated. He thought that perhaps that would be a good way to compliment him, though.
"If anything, you're um... pretty... how do I say this, big? Down there, I mean. I don't really know, not my expertise." He let out an awkward chuckle, but since it had no effect, he stopped. "I mean, you're a handsome guy, you should be able to get all the girls if you wanted, you just have to have some confidence."
The wolf stopped shaking and paused. Then he let out a soft smile, and if it were possible, seemed to be more embarrassed. "Do you think so?" the wolf asked.
The fox nodded. "Why would I lie?"
Hunter nodded and stood there, absorbing the words. The fox added, "You uh, can probably put your clothes on now."
The wolf, flustered, laughed and began to put them on, saying, "Oh, right. I forgot, was just... hah, you know. Just thought that, uh...."
The fox quirked his head and prompted him to continue.
After finishing putting on his clothes, he gave him a sad look. "I just thought that I was going to lose a friend."
Roger laughed. "Don't be silly."
Hunter nodded and sat on the bed. The travesty had been avoided for the time being, but instead of everything being fine, it felt as if everything had become awkward.
The silence hung between them.