FSE

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One wrong choice.

© Tsumi Moogle '13 Characters © Themselves Commissioned by Nommz

After a long day at work, it's always nice to be able to get off my feet. Even if it's only for a little while. Nicer still, is when I can brighten my afternoon, and rather more often by proxy, my week, putting my feet up over a cup of tea with Ivan. Gorgeous guy he is. Sweet, soft-spoken, a very modest example of a Fennec. Maybe a desert Fennec? I dunno. His soft, sandy fur is my only clue. Clashing with the fur are those wonderfully deep, dark-blue eyes. Catching them after sipping my rather overpriced mocha-latte always makes my stomach flutter, and my cheeks warm a bit.

I wouldn't really say we're dating. Truth be told, I'd kinda like to reach that spot with him sometime, but, he's taking it real slow. Heck, just getting his name out of him was nearly a month in the works. The way his ears twitch and swivel receptively when he speaks, when his mood shifts, it's adorable..

'So, you busy after this?' I coax with a smile, letting my mostly finished drink rest in its saucer with a soft 'clink'. He shakes his head after a moments consideration.

'No, I'm.. pretty much free for the evening.' he replies, smiling gently and toying a finger-pad along the handle of his cup. Those eyes trying to look everywhere but my face.

'Would you like to come over for dinner, then?' It's not the first time I've asked him that. The reaction is almost exactly the same as those other few times. He blinks, straightening up with an uncertain look in his eyes. They lift, and slowly catch my face, but the words I had expected, catch on his tongue.

Because they were going to be 'Sorry, I- I'm busy tonight.' They have been the last few times I forgot to preclude my question.

'I-.. I dunno, I mean.. I'd like to, but-' The tone says it all. I smile reassuringly. I can understand. Really. Little guy like him, out late with a-.. well, I'm a -stranger-, perse, but I'm not much more than a new friend, either.

'You're still getting to know me. I know, I know.' I chuckle placatingly, holding up a hand. 'I don't wanna impress my company on you, but.. I really would like to hang out, beyond coffee, you know.'

The way he stirs in his chair nearly makes my heart melt. His big, bushy tail flicking agitatedly. It's clear he's a little frustrated with himself.

'W-.. would you uhmm.. Like to.. come to my place, instead?' He finally offers after many moments deliberation. The smile on my face is wide.

'I'd love to. And no pressure. How about we order pizza? We can get some for your room-mates, too.' I offer. Better to sweeten the pot before he loses his nerve. Mercifully, he agrees, seeming somewhat relieved.

As we get up to pay, he looks aside. I don't normally pay this much attention to people, but Ivan's expressiveness can be hard to miss. There's still something nagging him.

Walking back to his place, as neither of us drive, (Fuel-prices, and a job not quite merciful enough to score me a decent car keeping me out of the game,) it's nice to walk with him. He's a bit shorter than me, and keeps a little closer to my form. Evidently prefering it to walking at a distance and getting nearer anyone else.

I'm not sure what I expect, really. An apartment? He has mentioned he's got room-mates before. It'd have to be a heck of an apartment..

Turns out it's a house. Modest thing, dark weather-boarding, decent block of land. But the slight unkemptness of its lawn, the crack of paint and the rust in the rain-pipes speaks of a rental property.

He stops me as we cross the front lawn. Swallowing a little, he looks up to me and takes a faint glance over his shoulder towards the house.

'Look.. there's one thing you should know.. before we go inside. One of my room-mates, he's ah.. ..Well-.. He's a bit.. different. He can be a bit moody and territorial, but-.. but don't let that put you off. He's- he's a really nice guy. ..most of the time.'

The tone of voice almost makes me frown. Being put on the backfoot like this, it's certainly not what I expected. I give a nod and a bolstering smile, before Ivan nods. He turns back to the house and fishes out his key to unlock the door.

Stepping inside after wiping his shoes on the welcome mat, he peers about. Following in his wake and example, I scuff my boots once or twice, and step inside. Cream-apricot walls and faded carpeting. The place must not have been touched up in a couple decades at the least. The musk that an older house like this is displaced by an air-freshener somewhere.

My gaze, focused a moment on a small hole in the threadbare carpet in the entrance, is drawn from movement in my peripheral vision, and lifting my gaze, I pause.

It's a rat. Standing at the end of the hall, with something of a curious look on his face. He's taller than Ivan by a bit, but with a more gangly air about him. Ashen grey fur, pink, fleshy hands, ears and tail.. And- Red eyes? He's not an albino..

'Welcome home. You have company?' The rat smiles some, his gaze shifting from Ivan to me, the look on his face is strange. His smile looks like a bit more than a smile, somehow. Ivan breaks the ice, for once.

'O- Oh! Hi Rhett! Y-yeah. Sorry, ah- ..Th- this is Rhett, one of my room-mates. Rhett, this is Sebastian.' He waves a hand to me, stepping aside as Rhett steps down the hall and up to me. Sizing me up and down, stepping around me. I can hear him mummbling to himself a little.

'slight curl in the tail, husky.. the droop in the ears speaks of.. a beagle..? no, not long enough. The shape looks more in line with a retriever. Yes, that seems about right.. It would explain his fur-' I decide to cut him off.

'I prefer 'mutt', honestly. Even doctors aren't sure what all I am.' Well, it's the truth. The mouse retreats with a nod and a smile, apparently sufficiently pleased with the answer. And it's then that I see someone, or perhaps something else in the hall. A huge figure, in terms of height and breadth. I can't help but freeze, and even my tail makes a momentary movement between my legs.

Snake. Giant. Fucking. Snake. And those infinite, inky black, slitted eyes of his are boring into mine. For a moment or two, the gaze makes me want to run. And I'm sure I understand Ivan's nerves a little better now.

The snake lifts an arm- Wait, snakes have arms? It takes a moment for my brain to re-engage, and blinking my tunnel-vision away, I realize; he's a naga. And a big one at that. Perhaps 15ft, maybe longer. The way he 'stands' puts him at probably near 7'. I'm kinda tall myself, but he's -huge-. He's a rich shade of red, bordering ochre. With paler chest scales, and inky black markings along his body.

His thick coils stir along the carpeted floor, and drawing his thick arm, (holy crap is he built!) around Rhett, he draws the rat against him. The way the snake sizes me up and down is completely different to the way the rodent greeted me.

Ivan plays mediator once again.

'Sebastian, this is Basil. Basil, m-my friend Sebastian.'

Not wanting to look like an ass, ..or a coward, I lift my hand to wave.

'Hey. Nice to meet you.'

Not half-way through my greeting, the snake's eyes narrow a little bit. His tongue darts out, flickering in the air, tasting it tasting me, and turning, he slithers off down the hall, with the rat quite contently following the direction of the broad arm leading him off.

Rather than feeling blown off, I feel a slight shudder run through me and actually look towards the door. At least until Ivan rests a hand on my arm.

'I.. I think he likes you. Should we uhmm.. order the pizzas now?'

Looking the fennec's face over, the knot that had been swelling in my chest loosens. I nod and rehitch my smile, letting Ivan lead me inside. There's no real need for the ten-cent tour, as most of the rooms leading off the main hall-way are pretty self explanitory. Office, den, spare-room. Splitting at the end, one side leads into the kitchen, the other into a larger living area. Basil and Rhett have already settled themselves down. Basil's head turns to look at me. That inscrutable stare and the flicker of his tongue set my eyes aside, and following Ivan's shorter form, I'm thankful to find the Kitchen is our destination.

He's more relaxed here. It's not hard to see. Comfortable and safe, the slight tension Ivan keeps in his shoulders vanishes. Not entirely, probably because I'm there, but it's still pretty noticeable. Tugging out a large phone-book, he flips through it, reaching a well-ruffled page that suggests pizza is probably on the menu more often than he'd care to admit. Part of me wishes I could have ordered, to get my mind off that shakey first meeting. It's all I can do to try and get those black eyes out of my mind, letting the fennec's soft-spoken voice wash over me.

And with the thick 'thump' of the phone-book closing, I jump. Ivan can't help a giggle as he pets my arm.

'Are you a-alright? You've been a bit jumpy since you got here..' he asks with such sincerity. There's worry in his eyes as he regards my face. Even under such scrutiny, I don't want to tell the truth.

'Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just out of my element in a new environment, I suppose. And your room-mate..'

'Oh, it's fine. I'm sure he likes you. There's nothing to worry about.'

He tugs my hand, and before I can interject, I'm being lead through to that larger lounge-room.

'Pizza will be here i-in 20 minutes.' Ivan squeaks. Basil, his eyes not lifting from the screen, merely nods. Rhett, snuggled into his side- Are they partners..? -looks up and grins.

'Did you get my favourite?' the rat asks quite eagerly. The trail of his tongue pronounced. Ivan nods and smiles.

'Of course.' And sitting down, I realize I'm alone standing. The only free seats being a spot beside Basil's thick coils, the floor, and beside Ivan.

Opting for the latter, the fennec obligingly shifts over to make room. I settle down, aware that Rhett's red eyes are still trained on me. Catching the gaze, he gives a grin, and returns his gaze to the television, though one of the rat's fleshy hands shifts to trail nonchalantly along Basil's stomach-scales. A low, pleasant hiss escapes the naga as he shifts. It's a struggle to focus on the television.

Mercifully, they don't seem too curious about my person. Maybe they've already grilled Ivan for it when I haven't been over. Or maybe they simply don't care. But when the pizza finally arrives, it's not like it matters.

Meat-lovers for myself, Ivan's got something simple, Rhett's working his way through a triple-cheese, and Basil.. Well, he's got one of those pizza's you have to turn almost-vertical to get through a door. Plenty on it. He takes those slices in one, not even chewing.

When I'm not focusing on the duo on the other couch, enjoying my pizza, and the slight warmth of Ivan beside me, the evening becomes kind of pleasant. Not quite how I envisioned it, but certainly better than having gone home, feeling empty-handed again. ..God, that makes me sound kinda desperate.

At some point, once the food's demolished, Ivan's found the courage to lean against me, and even cozy in. My pizza-box set aside, I can ease an arm gently over him, though it's a little harrowing to do so. I don't wanna send the cute thing skittering from me, squeaking bashfully.

Thankfully, he seems alright with my soft touches.

Time wiling away, it's dark before I even realise it, and blinking when the program ends, I watch Basil stir, and slowly ease off the couch. He gently takes Rhett's hand and inclines his head.

'Coming to bed?' it's the first time I've heard him speak. His voice is quite low, smooth, powerful. Just like him.

'Yeah. I'll just go get ready.' Rhett smiles, easing to his fleshy feet and padding ahead of the naga.

Crossing the room in a fluid slither, he hisses.

'Good-night.'

'Oh,' Ivan responds a little blearily. 'G-good night, Basil.' Sitting up, the fennec rubs his eyes. Had he dozed off against me?

'Uh-.. G'night.' I offer a little awkwardly. Whether or not he heard me, or even registered my words, I can't tell.

With the other two gone, and Ivan aware of the time, we both share a moment of awkward silence. I don't think either of us expected to reach this point. Not tonight.

'It's late.' I start, beginning to get to my feet. Man my legs are leaden.

'Wh-.. what bus do you have to-.. to catch?'

'The.. 320. Though that's from the coffee shop.'

The fennec looks to a clock on the wall and gently purses his lips.

'The 320 s-stops at 7 though.. And it's the- the only one that goes out y-your way, isn't it?'

I wince internally. Shit. He's right.

'I can.. manage something. Maybe grab a taxi or something.' I swallow. A cab at this hour, and going that far..? I'll be needing some overtime.

'..Or you could.. s-stay here.' Ivan offers. I blink a little, looking him over. He's blushing richly, even for thinking such an idea.

'That'd be really nice, but I couldn't, I mean-' Well, I don't really have a reason, other than "Your naga-roommate is terrifying." Ivan saves me letting that slip loose though, cutting me off.

'No.. No, it's ok. Please.' He gives a hopeful look and a smile up to me. I couldn't resist those begging eyes, or those giant ears as they lay back behind his head.

'..Thanks, Ivan. I appreciate it.' I do, and rather than get my own hopes up, I add 'Is the couch alright?'

Nodding softly, the fennec smiles. 'Y-yes, thank you..' there's almost an appology in his tone. 'Let me get you a pillow and blanket..'

Padding off, his tail wags gently. I can't help my smile was I watch him.

He's back before long, and the couch is soon made up. It's nothing special, but for the thick cushions, the plush blanket and pillow, I doubt I'll be uncomfortable.

'Thank you.. for-.. for coming over. I really.. enjoyed tonight.' Ivan murmurs, straightening up after laying out the blanket.

'Thanks for having me over. The feeling's mutual.'

We both stand there for a moment or two, as if expecting the other to make a move. Realizing he probably won't, I reach gently, and ease my arms about him. Drawing him into a soft hug, he returns the affection, squeezing gently. Being this close, and aware of it, I can smell the shampoo in his fur, subtle.. sweet.. I could get used to breathing it in.

As we pull apart, he looks up to me, his eyes, deep, dark and beautiful, look thoughtfully into my own. And he leans up, giving me a soft kiss. Just the tiniest brush of his against mine. And it's more than likely the extent of his bravado, as he shies back, face burning just after.

'G-.. good night.' He squeaks, smiling and retreating for the hallway where I've guessed the bedrooms are.

'G'night.' I return, smiling back, and when he's gone, it's hard not to positively beam.

Turning off the light, I clumsily make my way in the dark back to the couch, and settle into the blanket after slipping out of my shirt. I can still smell him on me, and feel those soft lips on mine.. That naga aside, tonight turned out.. amazingly.

Getting to sleep is hard. The thoughts in my head, mulling over everything from the beginning of our little catch-up at the coffee-shop, right until seeing Ivan's sandy tail vanish down the hall-way. Though that's not the only reason.

In the gloom and stillness of the night, the sounds of the old-house around me become rather more audible. Cutting through my more savorable thoughts, leaving lingering ones in turn as I lay on the couch.

Hugging the blanket to myself somewhat, I follow a faint groan in the wall along the length of the room.. The odd hum of a fan somewhere else in the house. Part of me waits, certain to hear the brush of something large and heavy along the carpet. To hear the soft flickering hiss of a tongue in the air..

It's a hard image to shake. And taking a deep breath, I brave the evening, extracting myself from the blankets. All the thoughts, not to mention the bottle of soda I drank over the course of the evening, attributing towards a rather heavy bladder.

My first step makes the floorboards beneath the carpet groan. I freeze a little, and after taking a breath, continue slowly and as silently as those traitorous floorboards permit.

Down the hall-way, I notice a few doors. One, shut firm at the end of the hall-way, one partially ajar, and one open wide. I see the gleam of moonlight off the porcelain of the toilet in the latter, and step in. The chill of the tiles under my feet makes me gasp a little, curling my padded toes some..

Flushing is always the worst, at night. Especially in a quiet house. Doubly-so in a friend's house when everyone's asleep. I can only cringe, muttering a silent prayer for forgiveness as I press the button. True enough, it sounds like a cacophany, and zipping up, I turn off the light, and begin to ease back out of the bathroom. With my eyes shut, momentarily so to let them adjust to the gloom, I pause. The slight creak of a door opening meets my ears. I turn, opening my eyes to appologize.

'Sorry, I was just-'

'SSSSSS!'

The noise would have made me drop a brick, had I not just gone to the toilet. Gripping the door-frame, I have to clutch my chest to calm my heart suddenly racing. I open my mouth to continue my appology, more profusely, but the door opening wider permits the sight of a pair of gleaming eyes in the gloom to catch mine.

Eyes that slowly leer out of the darkness, and a heavy footstep accompanies them towards me.

Wait- A footstep?

That figure approaching me, isn't Basil? They're about as tall. No, they're taller. I can barely make out their form, hulkingly broad, like his, and those eyes, they gleam.. red.

Matching that step, and the next to follow, I back up the hall. My tail quite firmly nestled between my ass-cheeks now, I can barely draw breath, let alone yelp out. 'R-Rhett?!'

I'm met again by that menacing hiss. Harsh, crude. More aware of it, I'd be kicking myself for not realizing that was not snake's hiss, if I wasn't nearly falling over myself in fear.

Taking another step to begin running, the huge form preempts me. He lunges. No, he all out -tackles- me. The jarring thump of his huge form forces the barking yelp of terror trapped in my throat free, and scrambling, I find his broad jaws before my own. Those fleshy hands are huge. Man-handling my own, and guiding them into a thick, steamy, stiffling embrace. His thick growls muted as I writhe and thump.

Behind him, the now-open door-frame illuminates with the light inside turning on. I can hear the stirring of a figure in sheets, and then an audible curse.

With the light illuminating him, Rhett's form comes into view. He's indeed huge. Wild-looking, terrifying in many regards. Not just for looks, but the fact that my arms are being fed into his great jaws. It's a struggle to let out another whimpering yelp before those jaws surge over my head. Perhaps he realized he was about to be halted by his partner.

I can't see him, but through the thump in the floor, I can feel him hauling down the hall-way. Another broad hand grabs me, with the other, I assume, dragging the rat's hands from me, as they jerk and jar painfully.

'IVAN!' I hear that powerful voice bellow. And then with a great lurch, that thick, slimey heat is gone as my head and arms are hauled from the rat's jaws.

Spluttering in confusion, scrambling and struggling, I find Basil's hands releasing me after a form shove to send me stumbling down the hall. Focusing all of his large and very considerable form on subduing the rat.

I hear the other door in the hall opening. Ivan gasping as he hurries out. 'D-Didn't he take his medication?!' The fennec squeaks indignantly, amidst the quaking fear. He stands there only a moment, until the naga bellows again. 'NO! IVAN, DOOR! NOW!' The fennec grabs my hand, and I'm hauled towards the door. He's got suprising strength, when he needs it, it seems. With the idea of being rescued being realized, my legs seem to find the strength to work. I stumble after him.

'What the hell was that?!' I splutter for the thick saliva in my face, the fennec looking back, past me, towards Basil. It's clear he doesn't like what he sees.

'It's Rhett! I-.. I told you he was strange! Please! Go! He's very territorial like this!'

'H-Him?! I thought you meant the Naga!' I can't believe I'm actually saying that. There's a freaking were-rat in there and the guy i've been terrified of all night, has just saved my ass from him.

'There's no time! Please, you must run!' the fennec whimpers, wide-eyed.

'What- more territorial than just the house?'

'GO!' the fennec screams.

The front door being swung open, I feel his soft hands at the smalls of my back, and stumbling out into the night, I look back as I begin running. His wide-eyes, terrified. This isn't a joke. It's for real.

I hear a screeching yell from the house, before the door slams shut, sealing it away.

I don't stop. I keep running.

It's not hard to find the strength to. Adrenaline pumping through me, my heart racing a mile a minute. The thought of what people might say if they saw me, sprinting in nothing by my pants, wide-eyed, the furthest thing from my mind.

The sting of the cool night air is made worse for the thick saliva trickling down my body. Flecks of it dripping on the street and pavement as I weave down a street, then an alley. Another street.. Through the depths of suburbia. I don't know where the hell I am, at this point. Trees, though. I must have gotten a hell of a way away.

It's only now, so far away, that the fear begins fading. The stitch in my side, like a knife stuck between my ribs certainly doesn't help, either. Gasping for air, I begin to slow down. I'm sure I'd hear him if he were coming after me. The noise he was making. Coughing a little, I groan, leaning on the bough of a tree. My feet hurt, from pounding the ground so hard in my escape.

Swallowing, I straighten up, looking back the way I came. Basil, and Ivan both live with that... that -thing-? I hope they're alright. Basil was putting his everything into stopping him. I'll have to thank him, when I get the courage to set foot in the house again.

Maybe it's my own fear playing on me, but with my ears ringing in the silence of the night, I'm sure I hear something strange. Have you ever heard the sound of a heavy wooden door being ripped off its hinges and thrown aside? Makes a hell of a noise. Even from afar. Staring back towards the way I came, that fear begins rising in me again. Basil apparently wasn't enough to restrain him. And neither, was the door.

Oh crap!

It's not easy running, when you're as disheveled as I am. Fear and adrenaline can only keep you going for so long. And by the feel of it, my so long, passed so long ago. Each breath is like an icey razor tearing at my insides. My feet ache, and my legs are like lead. With the blood pounding in my ears, I'm not sure if it's his footsteps I hear, or just my own. With how hard I'm panting, I know I'm not doing myself any favours in escaping. With those big ears of his.

'SSSSSSSS'

That noise is unmistakable. I whirl around, wide-eyed. There, silhouetted against the moon is the rat's hulking form. His glowing red eyes focused on me, panting, more exhilarated than exhausted from his colossal struggle, he approaches. With a spluttering cry, I turn tail to keep running. A great hand latches around my wrist, and I find myself being hauled easily back into the rat's grasp.

His chest heaves with exertion. No doubt he'd gone full-pelt in his hunt. That hunt that had barely lasted a minute. I don't know how long I was running for, but he eclipsed it, like it was nothing. The rat's breath, thick, hot and heavy billows in my face as his pointed jaws open again.

I can see it this time. The thick tongue, the dark, endless gullet.

And without Basil to haul him off, he lunges those jaws forward. The world ceases to exist beyond the terrifying sight. Fangs momentarily framing my vision, until his thick sticky gullet replaces it.

It's all I can do, to scream. Thrashing does nothing to my benefit, but damned if I won't try.

His thick, clawed hands easily compact and haul me inwards, playing more a part in my ingestion than the thick, dank walls crushing over me.

The world, reduced in such short order, to the throat distending ahead of me, soon spreads into the slimey, rippled landscape of the inside of his caustic gut.

My screams know no end, as I take a lungful of the thick, hot air. Legs thrashing, flailing in the air as they're steadily muted into struggling stillness, wrung down that powerful gullet after the rest of me.

Oh shit. Damnit damnit damnit!! Help! Somebody help!

I don't even know if anyone can hear me at this point. They probably hear the rat though, when he belches.

The walls crush in tight as the air is sucked out from around me. Thick, wet, crass, it rocks the night like rolling thunder. And leaves me struggling, beating weakly at those tight flesh walls churning me over. My skin feels hot. My head's starting to spin. I can't breathe-

Ivan-