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Chapter 20 "Breakdown"

"Well now what?" Max asked herself as she looked about the empty apartment. Her recovery time was up, and she was finally allowed to go to work once more, but that still wasn't for a few more hours. A nervous energy had filled her all day, feeling a bit stir crazy, so she had taken the time to clean. It had only taken her a couple hours to dust and vacuum the place however, and she was still feeling restless.

Her butt found the couch as she settled in to try and watch some TV, but she knew it wouldn't be enough to distract her mind. She was both excited and nervous to go back to work. Excited to finally be returning to normal, but nervous that she might have a repeat of her attempt with Cheryl. Schleck had apparently left behind his own kind of scars, and she had no idea if they'd affect her ability to get up on that table and dance again.

She was hoping for the best, that a return to work and a usual routine would help her get past all this, perhaps even be able to be intimate with another person again. The skunk was eager to try and find out, which was evident in her inability to sit still. She was half tempted to go out and run some errands, just for something to do, when a knocking at the door provided her with an easier distraction.

"Jacob?" She was certainly thrown off by finding the raccoon standing on the other side of the door, looking a bit sheepish. "Aiden's not home yet. He should be back within the hour though."

"I know." Jacob admitted with a shrug. "Actually, I was hoping I could talk to you about something real quick. I mean, if you're not busy that is."

"Oh no, come on in." More than happy to have anyone distract her right now, she lead the man inside. Something was clearly troubling him, and perhaps helping him out would help take her mind off her own troubles. "So, what's up?"

"Well, this may be kind of personal." Jacob warned as he sat on the couch, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He knew what he wanted to ask her, it was just a matter of finding the right wording. "So, I've heard you and Cheryl are pretty close. So close that you sometimes even... sleep with each other?" He glanced the skunk's way, not wanting to come right out and say it, lest he offend her.

Luckily Max was able to read between the lines, and a bit of a smirk crossed her face. "You mean, you want to know if we have sex with each other?" His nervous nod would have made her laugh, were it not for the troubles she had recently had on the very subject. "Yes, Jacob, we do sometimes sleep together. We're just friends with benefits though. It's nothing deep or emotional or anything like that."

"Well, I guess that makes sense." Jacob muttered, pondering it over. He started to speak again, but hesitated, as if the words caught in his mouth. He had to reword them in his head several times before finally getting it out. "So, how did you guys actually go about deciding to be friends with benefits?"

The smirk on Max's face grew as she eyed the raccoon, who seemed to be growing more nervous by the second. "Jacob, are you trying to become friends with benefits with someone? A certain fox I might know, perhaps?"

"Well, I..." He cleared his throat a few times, blushing with a bit of embarrassment. "The things is, we decided to maybe try a few things out, and see where they go. I figure this is pretty much where we're going anyway, but you know how Aiden can be. If you don't tell him directly, he won't get it."

"I suppose you've got a point there." Max couldn't help but laugh at that truth. "So, just be open and honest with him then. Tell him how you feel and what you want, and then let him tell you the same. I mean, it's obvious you've got the hots for him." She couldn't help but grin as Jacob blushed more. "You just need to know how he feels. If he's up for it, then just do it."

"I've already done that, kind of." The raccoon let out a sigh, clearly conflicted on the whole matter. "He knows how I feel about him, and he seems okay with experimenting with me. I just don't want to push him too far, or make him feel like I'm just using him. Of course, neither one of us are very good at maintaining stable relationships. I just don't want to screw anything up and ruin our friendship."

"It sounds to me like you're heading in the right direction." Max flashed him a warm smile and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "The simple fact that you seem to care so much is a good sign. If you just want to take it slow, start with friends with benefits stuff. Don't officially declare yourselves to be dating or anything, but feel free to be open and honest about your feelings for each other. Make out in public, pinch each other's butts, and whatever else you guys want to do."

"You really think Aiden would be okay with all that?"

"Only one way to find out." Max gave him an encouraging wink. "Just make sure you pay attention to see how he feels about it, so you don't upset him, and be very open and clear about your rules for dating other people."

That perked up Jacob's ears, and he didn't like the sound of it. "Dating other people? Why would we date other people?"

"Depends on your rules." Max explained eagerly. This was a very important part of open relationships after all. "Take a look at Cheryl and I. We have no problem sleeping with each other when neither one of us is dating someone. We're just friends after all, so technically we still consider ourselves single. If one of us does start dating, then we won't sleep with each other unless the other person is involved. Otherwise it just feels like cheating."

"Of course, if you want to try and start a real relationship with Aiden," she continued, "then I'd recommend not sleeping with anyone else. Show some monogamy towards him, and it will help set things up for real dating. If you can't trust each other, it will never work. It's part of the reason Cheryl broke up with him, though I swear she has jealousy issues."

"Shouldn't be a problem with me." Jacob admitted with a smirk. "I can be pretty good at keeping it in my pants when I want to, even after a few drinks. And I know Aiden doesn't go out looking for action, it usually just finds him. I can keep that in check without being possessive about it. I think he wants someone to help him put an end to those one night stands anyway."

"I'm sure you two can work it out." Max offered, giving him another pat on the shoulder. "Shouldn't be too hard, since you guys already know each other so well. Just ask him out the next time you see him, and try not to make things sound too serious. It's all you can really do."

"I think maybe I will." Jacob nodded as he checked his watch, already looking a bit more relaxed. "Thanks Max, I needed that pep talk. Is it alright if I wait here for him to get home?"

"Of course not, though you won't have to wait long. Won't say no to the company, either." For her, having someone around was just another distraction, a much needed one as she still felt edgy about going back to work. If she could make the time pass faster idly chatting with Jacob, or anyone for that matter, she wasn't going to refuse.

She tried to push for more information about how he felt about Aiden, about how they met and other gossipy like things, but the raccoon was rather evasive on the topic, with only brief or vague answers to her inquiries. He was clearly a bit embarrassed to talk openly about his feelings, like most men, but Max just thought it was cute, and so continued to prompt him just to watch him blush.

It wasn't too long before their conversation was interrupted by Aiden's return home, Jessica following at his heels. "But Nii-san, your place is closer than Mom and Dad's. It's easier for me to get to and from school from here."

"Well, there's no where for you to sleep." Aiden countered his sister's argument, clearly not for the first time. "You can't just sleep on our couch for the entire school year." He was about to great Max when the site of Jacob made him stop in his tracks. "Jacob? What brings you around here?" Though clearly surprised, the smile on his face showed it wasn't an unpleasant one. "You weren't waiting for me, were you?"

"Maybe." Jacob chuckled. "I came by to talk to Max, and figured since I was here, might as well say hi to you, too."

"Well, since you're here, stay for dinner. We're already having one guest apparently, another one won't hurt." He shot a look towards his sister, who quickly put on an innocent face.

"I bet Jacob would love to stay for dinner." Max answered for him, glancing over at the raccoon with a smirk. "I bet we could come up with so many interesting things to talk about."

"Yeah, I'd love to stick around." Jacob confirmed, though he was silently telling Max to shut up with his eyes. "I don't have any plans for tonight either, so I can stick around if you want. Maybe help you with your novel or something."

"Sounds good to me." Aiden remarked eagerly, already heading into the kitchenette. "I'll have something whipped up in no time. Can't have Max heading to work again on an empty stomach after all."

"But Nii-san," Jessica interrupted, not liking the change in conversation. "What about me staying here sometimes?"

"We'll discuss it later." Was Aiden final judgement for the time being, wanting to focus on cooking food. "Why don't you get started on your homework for now. We can talk about it after we eat."

Max had to conceal a chuckle at Jessica's defeated look. Watching the two of them was humourous from time to time, almost as much as watching Jacob idly stare at Aiden's ass. With all that was going on, at least she knew she'd be heading back to work in a good mood. Perhaps it would stick with her through the night, she hoped, and help her get back to a sense of normalcy.

---

They managed to get through a simple dinner with time to spare for Max to get ready for work and not be late. She managed to give Jacob a reassuring pat on the shoulder on her way out, silently mouthing "Talk to him." before heading out the door. The encouragement left him blushing a bit, but he honestly didn't need it. He planned to talk to Aiden about exactly how far they were going to go, and he wasn't leaving until they had figured it all out.

He just needed to find the right way to introduce the topic. Seemingly easy, save for the problem of his little sister still hanging around, hogging his attention.

"I don't mind sleeping on the couch." She was already protesting, clearly intent on getting his approval to crash at the apartment on school nights. "It's not like it would be every night, just the ones when I have really late classes. Plus then we get to spend even more time together, like how we used to."

"Fine, alright, you win." Aiden conceded, mostly out of aggravation. "You can stay here tonight, and when you have late night classes or when the weather's bad. But only if you get your work done, and don't distract us from our own work. You bug me or Max too much, and you're out, understood?"

"I'll be a good girl, Nii-san!" Jessica responded happily, hugging her brother from behind. "Trust me, you won't regret this."

"We'll see." Aiden chuckled, shaking his head as he finished up washing the dishes. "Now go do your homework. Jacob and I are gonna work on some stuff."

Jacob couldn't help but smile at the exchange. They way they acted, he imagined that was how sibling should act, though they seemed almost like father and daughter as well. Perhaps it was just a part of Aiden's personality, but it was something Jacob found appealing. An ability to rationalize and negotiate fairly, despite how attached he was to someone. It was that calm, level headedness that helped the two men get along so well.

They discussed the latest bit of work Aiden had done in his novel for a short while, Jacob taking the opportunity to sit right next to the man, even wrapping an arm around his shoulder as they looked over the same manuscript. Aiden didn't seem to mind, but that was par for the course with him, always having been oblivious to Jacob's subtle advances before. This time, however, Jacob wasn't afraid to push for more.

"So, Aiden, given any more thought to... us?" Jacob dared to ask after a productive discussion of his plot progression. "I mean, I know we said we'd feel things out, but are you seriously interested in trying things out, or what?"

"I don't know." Aiden admitted, a contemplative look on his face. "It's kind of confusing for me. I feel like I'm learning about a whole new person, accept that person is me. I'm not really sure what to think." He turned his head towards Jacob, suddenly realizing how close the other man was. It brought a slight flush to his cheeks. "Did you, uh, have anything in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking of one thing." Jacob took a deep breath, trying to ignore his own blush. He was having trouble even looking at Aiden to suggest it, but he knew it was best to just get it out. "What if we did something like what Max and Cheryl have? Nothing too serious, just friends who, y'know, are comfortable with screwing around with each other."

"Friends with benefits?" Aiden didn't brush off the idea right away, which Jacob took as a good sign. "I suppose that could work. It would certainly help me figure out how a feel, and learn more about myself without the fear of a serious commitment. Is that really what you want though?"

"I think it is, for now anyway." Jacob gave him a nervous smirk. "We both know how good we are at serious relationships anyway. This may be a better way to gauge how we'd be with each other, without worrying about hurting one another." Trying to overcome his nerves, the raccoon leaned in closer, wanting to appear confident. "What do you say; want to give it a try?"

"Well... yeah, sure why not?" Aiden decided, feeling bold himself. "I should experiment a bit anyway, and doing it with a friend is safer, like I've said. I'm not making any longer term promises though."

"That's fine." Jacob agreed. "We can just take it one step at a time." Smirking triumphantly, he leaned in closer, pleased when Aiden didn't back away. In fact, the fox seemed to be leaning towards him as well, as if anticipating the kiss Jacob planned to lay on him.

"I've finished my homework." Jessica suddenly butt in, her own head appearing between the two of them and causing both men to jump back in surprise. "So, you guys getting a lot of work done, too?" Her eyes were shifting between the two of them, clearly suspicious. "Or is there something else going on you'd like to tell me about?"

"Frankly, it's none of your business." Aiden snapped back, rather annoyed at the intrusion. One benefit to having moved out on his own was that he got away from his sister's nosing around, and yet here she was yet again. She was lucky he loved her. "If you're done, why don't you go study or something? Jacob and I are busy."

"Busy with what?" She demanded, not giving up just yet. "Cause to me, it looked like you were about to get your yaoi on, and that's way more interesting to me than anything else." She directed a curious gaze at her brother, unrelenting in her determination. "Since when have you been gay anyway? Not that I'd complain, but still."

"I'm not gay." Aiden countered immediately, which would have concerned Jacob if not for the smile the fox flashed him. "That doesn't mean I'm exactly straight either. I'm still figuring it all out, but the idea of being with a man doesn't exactly turn me off. And you said I should be with someone who already knows me well and respects me, didn't you? I think Jacob fits the bill quite nicely."

"Really?" Jacob was honestly a bit taken aback by the admission. He had once suggested such a thing himself, but to hear Aiden say it made his heart flutter a bit. His cheeks were red now, a smile stuck on his face as he placed a hand on Aiden's knee. "That means a lot to me, Aiden. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." Aiden smiled back, surprising everyone as he leaned in to give Jacob the kiss that had been so rudely interrupted.

"Unreal..." Jessica muttered, watching in awe as they shared a kiss. "Like, you guys are seriously going for it? I just... wow." She didn't know what to make of that. On the one hand, she didn't really like the idea of her nii-san dating anyone. On the other hand, the thought of him with another man was too cute to ignore. "My brother's doing real life yaoi."

"Knock it off, squirt." Aiden said with a roll of his eyes, giving his little sister a playful shove. "Keep that up and I'm sending you home."

"No. I'm sorry. I'll be good." Jessica changed her tone quickly, running over to sit in an empty chair near the couch. "I'll just sit here and quietly watch TV. But, if you guys start making out, I will watch and mutter about how cute you are."

While Aiden just shook his head at that, Jacob couldn't help but smirk. Something about the idea of him and Aiden being together being accepted by someone, especially a family member, filled him with confidence. Perhaps he'd spend the night with Aiden, too, and see just how far the fox was willing to experiment.

---

Max had left for work in fairly high spirits, expecting to get right back into the swing of things with no problems whatsoever. After all, this was her element, her own personal work environment, where she was safe and protected, where she could be in control of her own body, whether she revealed herself to others or not left wholly up to her own decisions and no one elses.

That was her reasoning anyway. But very quickly she found her nerves rattled with every customer. Before, their lusty looks had always driven her on, feeding her fantasies and desires to be admired, to be the sole center of their attention, and to drive them wild without even laying a finger on them. Their gazed had always been of respect and desire before, a thrill of exhibitionism that always made her enjoy her work.

She couldn't see those eyes tonight though. Everyone seemed to look at her with only lust and contempt. Every single customer she had might as well have been Walter Schleck from her perspective, gazing at her in vulgar, disrespectful ways, wanting only to use her body with no regard for her own desires. She had to force herself to strip and perform for the clients, barely able to speak with them, and loathing every minute of it. Instead of excitement, she felt her skin crawl with disgust, in them and in herself. How she wanted to hide away from them, to go back to feeling empowered by the dance, instead of stripped down and laid bare.

Had he ruined this for her too? She very much feared that as she made her way to the woman's room halfway through her shift, wanting to take a moment to hide away from it all. "I can't do this." Max muttered, staring at herself in the mirror. "This isn't fair."

She felt on the verge of tears. In one night that man had taken so much from her, taken away so many pleasures and turned them into something horrible. And his words still rang clear in her mind. She could already envision herself getting older, quickly losing the looks she thrived on. Assuming she could work past this, she might have ten, twenty years at best, before old age took away her popularity. What then? Out on the streets, without a job, and with no skills to find a new career? Perhaps Schleck had been right, at least in one aspect. Though, the very thought of him being right at all only made her feel worse. "I can't do this."

"Can't do what?" Diamond was quick to latch on to that last sentence as she sauntered into the bathroom, taking away the solitude Max had sought. "Still can't work? You only had a two week vacation from out of the blue, with the Mistress's blessing no less." Animosity was already dripping from her words as she approached the skunk, who had quickly turned her back to Diamond, pretending to dry her hands.

"I still don't see what makes you so special." Diamond continued, standing a few steps back and looking Max over. "You may have the looks and the moves, but so do a lot of the rest of us. Yet suddenly you get such preferential treatment. I doubt any of the rest of us could just get a vacation without any warning like that. A lot of people had to scramble to fill your place, and they did a fine job of it too. Yes, we got along without the Mistress's chosen one for quite some time."

"Leave me alone." Max muttered, her head bowed low as she kept drying her hands, though they were no longer wet. She didn't want to deal with Diamond's attitude right now. She didn't want to deal with anyone. All she wanted to do was finish the night so she could escape to her safe bed.

But Diamond wasn't going to let her off the hook that easily. "Getting a bit pretentious are we? " She snickered, hands on her hips as she continued. "You're not the golden child here, you know. You may be on top now, but eventually, and sooner than you think, some younger girl is going to come in and knock you right off your pedestal. And then where will you be? On the bottom, dancing for whoever can't afford to pay for the top girls. Or worse, right out on the street, your fame nothing but a forgotten memory."

That was it, confirmation of her fears. Without warning Max sunk to her knees, her forehead firmly planted against the wall as her shoulders heaved. She began sobbing loudly, tears freely rolling down her cheeks as she gave in to the despair that was gnawing at her heart.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Diamond took a hesitant step forward, taken by surprise by Max's sudden breakdown. "C'mon, this isn't like you. Where's the snappy comeback? The witty repoirte?" The wolf had no idea what to do now, never having expected the ever confident Domino to just give in to her teasing this easily. "Why are you doing this?"

"You're right." Max whimpered through her tears. "I'm nothing. I'm just a lie. A pretty face and a hot body, but nothing else. All I have are my looks, and that's all anyone wants me for. They all just want this body, to use as they please. And once they're done with me, I'll be left alone and forgotten. My father was right: I'm nothing but a failure."

"Hey, now that's not true." Diamond hesitantly knelt down beside Max, an unusual look of concern on her face. "That doesn't sound like the Domino I know. The woman I know is confident and cheerful to the point of being sickeningly annoying. And there's no way you're a failure. The Mistress would never hire on someone like you're describing. You're great at what you do, girl. I know I said some mean stuff, but don't listen to that crap. There's a reason you were given that collar, and it's your talent and skill. Being sexy is one thing; being able to use it as well as you do is another. You have to believe that, right?"

Max didn't respond to any of it, barely able to speak through her own sobbing. She didn't even react when Diamond tried to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and any calls to her went ignored. The wolf knew she had to do something, especially when others came into the bathroom. She needed to avoid a scene and fast.

Thinking quickly, she forced Max onto her paws and started leading her out of the room. "She's having an allergic reaction to something a customer was wearing." She lied to the curious stares. "I'm taking her to the Mistress's office for now. Just keep going on like everything's fine."

It was enough to prevent any rumors from cropping up at least; not the first time a dancer was taken out of commision due to allergies. Ray didn't even stop them as she led the crying girl upstairs, the severity of the situation obvious enough to let them pass.

Mistress Vanessa was none too pleased by the intrusion, or the state Max was in when they arrived. "What did you do?" She asked, shooting an accusing glare Diamond's way.

"I didn't do anything." The wolf countered, sitting Max down in a chair. "Nothing I haven't done before anyway. She just broke down all of a sudden. And she won't listen to me either. I didn't know what else to do."

Mistress Vanessa rolled her eyes at the wolf before kneeling before Max, resting a hand on her knee. "Maxine, you're safe here. Whatever's bothering you, it's safe to let it out here. No one will judge you. No one will hurt you. You can stay here as long as you like, and I'm right here if you need me."

She didn't say anything more, or try to get Max to talk. Instead she turned her attention back to Diamond, a stern look in her eyes. "I'll make sure she's alright. You can go back to work now."

"No." Diamond countered, a defiant move the surprised the fennec. "I don't know what's going on here, or why she's acting like this, but I can't just go to work and leave her alone. Not like this." She knelt by Max's side, stubbornly refusing to budge. "This isn't like her, and I want to know why. I don't know if it's my fault or not, but either way, I'm not leaving. If you don't like it, you can fire me."

"I'd have the grounds to." Vanessa threatened. "But I respect your decision. You can both stay here then. If she says anything or needs anything, let me know immediately. In the meantime, just keep reminding her that she's safe, and that it's okay to let it out."

Diamond nodded, placing a hand on Max's in an attempt to give the girl some comfort. She repeated what she was told to, and never left the skunk's side, but the only change Max showed was one of silence. The sobbing and tears eventually ended, but she said nothing more, just staring at the floor, lost in her own depression.

After almost an hour of this, Diamond was ready to scream at her, but she kept her calm. rising to her paws before working to help Max up as well. "This isn't doing anything. I'm taking her home."

"You can go home." Mistress Vanessa agreed. "But you should leave her here. I'll take care of her."

"You have a business to run." Diamond countered. "I can devote all my attention to her if need be." The Mistress didn't seem convinced, so Diamond continued her argument. "Look, something bigger has clearly happened to turn this strong woman into a total wreck, and no one is obviously going to tell me. But what she needs right now is to get home, and get into bed. I'll watch her all night if I have to, but I'm not leaving her side."

"Why are you suddenly so interested in her?" The Mistress had to ask, surprised by the sudden kindness.

"I've always had an interest in her." Diamond countered, and without another word she lead the solemn skunk out of the building.

She had fully intended to take Max straight home, but repeated inquiries as to where that was were met with whimpers and silence, so Diamond soon gave up, deciding to take her to the wolf's apartment instead. Maybe that would be better for her anyway, the woman reasoned, though she really had no idea.

Max remained in her stupor of self doubt for most of the ride, until the acrid smell of cigarette smoke hit her nostrils. She glanced over to see the the source dangling from Diamond's lips as the wolf drove through the dark streets. "You smoke?" She muttered quietly, slowly coming out of her daze.

"She speaks." Diamond snorted, pulling the cig aside and letting the smoke vent out her open window. "Didn't think I was gonna have to listen to your voice ever again. Want one?" She grabbed her pack and offered it to Max, her eyes never leaving the road.

"No thank you." Max declined, shying away from the offer. "I don't smoke."

"That's good." The wolf replied without hesitation. "These things are bad for you." She took a deep breath of her own, savoring the flavor before blowing it out the window. "And once you start, it's a bitch to stop."

"Where are we going?" She didn't recognize the surrounding streets, never having traveled to this part of the city before. They were actually heading in the opposite direction to her own home, deep in the heart of the city.

"I'm taking you to my place." Diamond replied, taking a turn onto her street. "We're pretty much already here, so don't even argue with me about going back. I asked you where you lived a hundred times, but you were too busy pouting to answer me."

"That's fine. I don't want to go home anyway." She didn't know what time it was, but she knew if she went home early, Aiden would just worry. Max just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide, so going to Diamond's place sounded preferable at the moment. Even if the sudden hospitality was unexpected.

Diamond's apartment, while messy, was rather spacious. Max found herself led to the couch and made to sit while the wolf fetched some beers. She didn't even think to bring up her age as she was handed the alcohol, thankful for something to calm her nerves with.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's going on or what?" The wolf demanded, her voice a mix of concern and annoyance. "Clearly something big happened, because I've never seen you give up like this before. All my taunting and you usually throw it right back in my face, which is how it's supposed to work. So, what happened? Does this have anything to do with your sudden two week vacation?"

Max stared silently at the beer bottle, not saying a word for the longest time. Diamond was about to give up on getting any answers when the skunk suddenly through back the bottle, chugging half the contents in one go. When she came up for air, gasping a few deep breaths, she let it burst out. "I was raped." Three words, horrible for her to say, yet almost cathartic to finally get it off her chest. There was a bitter sweetness to letting it out, admitting the horrible event took place, but no longer holding it in and hiding from it.

"Oh." It was all Diamond could think to say. She wasn't expecting anything that heavy, and now she actually felt bad for the things she had said. "I'm sorry."

"It was Schleck." Max continued, shaking her head at the apology. "He came after me because I got him fired. He wanted revenge, so he attacked me. He didn't get to go too far with me, and the Mistress said she'd make sure he went to jail. But, I can't get it out of my mind. When I was dancing, all I could see where his eyes, leering at me, looking at me like I was nothing but a piece of meat for his enjoyment." She looked up at Diamond, moisture forming in her eyes once more. "I can't even make love anymore, because all I see and hear when I close my eyes is him standing over me, abusing me for his own twisted pleasure."

"That son of a bitch." Diamond growled, her teeth bared as she listened to the poor girl confess her pains. "That no good, dirty, fucking asshole. He did that to you? If I ever see that dickwads face I'll tear his throat out." She immediately moved to Max's side, wrapping an arm around her. "Please, please tell me you kicked him the balls or something. You fought back at least, right?"

"I..." She was surprised by Diamond's reaction, never having expected the wolf to care this much. Sure, she disliked the weasel just as much as anyone else, but she seemed to almost be taking this personally. "I didn't kick him in the balls, no. But, I did bite him on the dick."

"I knew you couldn't have give in without a fight." Diamond smirked, seeming almost proud of the skunk. "That bitch deserves worse though. I hope he gets his ass pounded in prison. Teach him what it feels like to be on the other end."

"I just want to move past this." Max admitted, taking another gulp of beer. "I don't want to see his face anymore. I don't want to hear his words." She shivered noticeably as those words haunted her once more. "What he said was just as bad as what he did."

"Whatever he said, it's not true." Diamond didn't even need to know what he had said. "Anything that weasel told you was a lie. He doesn't know shit about you or anything. Probably just wanted to break you emotionally, or some stupid shit like that. Don't even think about it."

"But, I can't just forget it." Max countered with a sigh. Perhaps it was all the alcohol she had very quickly consumed, but she was suddenly feeling relaxed enough to talk. "He said that eventually I'm gonna get old, and then no one is going to want me to dance for them. And in our profession, too old is like, forty. I may at best have another twenty years of this, and then I'm out of a job, with no other skills to fall back on. It all feels so hopeless."

"Yep, I was right." Diamond remarked, staring into her own half empty beer bottle. "Nothing but a load of bullshit. With what we pull in, there's a good chance we could retire by forty. And even then I'm sure we'll still be dancing away to huge crowds. Our beauty is natural, and will age beautifully as well. Besides, if we do get too old to dance, I'm sure the Mistress has plans for us elsewhere. Do you really think she'll just abandon us?"

"I don't know." Max admitted meekly. "It's just, I've never heard of any of the other retired dancers from the club or anything, so I didn't know what she had planned for us."

"Honey, there are no retired dancers from Stardock 69." Diamond answered matter of factly. "The club hasn't even been open for ten years yet. Hell, you're talking to someone who worked opening night."

"Really?" Max was admittedly surprised. She had assumed the club had been around for a while. "So then, the Mistress may have plans for us when we get older?"

"Knowing her, of course she does." The wolf smirked, chugging down the last of her beer. "Like I said, don't let that weasel put any nasty thoughts in your head. He was just trying to break you down."

Max nodded, not saying anything at first. It felt odd, getting cheered up by this woman who had spent so much time trying to bring her down. Of course, all their spats had never felt all that serious. Unpleasant, but nothing too different than anything she had experienced in high school. The unexpected comfort was surprisingly effective, and Max found herself smiling as she finished off her beer. "Thanks Diamond. I think I feel a little better now."

"Good. I don't like seeing you all depressed. Oh, and it's Diana."

"Hmm?"

"Diamond's just my show name." The wolf explained with a smirk. "While we're not at work, you can use my real name: Diana."

"Oh, well then, thanks Diana." They sat in silence for a bit longer, broken only by a trip for a second beer. Eventually, Max had to ask the one question on her mind. "Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me?"

"I don't hate you." The wolf replied, seeming almost insulted. "Don't get me wrong, I don't exactly like you, but I don't hate you either. I'm doing this because I respect you, and it seems wrong to see you act weak."

"You respect me?" Max was skeptical over that one. "You don't act like you respect me."

"I treat you that way because you're a threat to me." Diana growled before taking a swig of her beer. "No matter what I say at the club, you are the best table dancer there, and my number one competition. Putting you down is just my style to try and get in your head to make it easier to stay on top. The fact that you fight back only proves you're a worthy rival. It's when you don't fight back that I get worried." She turned her gaze on the skunk, that intimidating look in her eyes, mixed with a bit of compassion. "Do you really think I would consider you my rival if I didn't respect you?"

"I suppose that makes sense, in an insane sort of way." Max shrugged, finally offering a smirk. "Can't say the feeling isn't mutual, but you're still an egotistical bitch."

"And you're still a bratty slut." Diana replied, though for once she was smirking. "You can spend the night here if you want though, so long as you don't mind sleeping on the couch. I don't do the lesbo thing."

"Two woman can sleep in one bed without doing any 'lesbo things'." Max countered. She didn't mind sleeping on the wolf's couch though. The beer and emotional exhaustion was starting to hit her and hard, and she wouldn't have to think while asleep.

The unlikely pair talked for a bit longer, but Max eventually passed out shortly after finishing her second beer. Diana found it almost cute, making sure the younger woman was comfortable before slipping into bed herself. It might have surprised others, but she needed Max in good spirits again. She hated to think she would lose the best rival she had ever had in her entire life.

---

Jacob ending up spending the entire evening with the Snowtail siblings, feeling oddly comfortable with the new accommodations. Really, things didn't feel much different than before, save that now the raccoon didn't feel quite so hesitant about wrapping an arm around Aiden's waist, or placing a hand on his thigh. In fact, the fox seemed to now welcome each of these little gestures with a sideways glance and a smile, when he noticed them at all.

Never one for being too public with his displays however, that was as bold as Jacob got with Aiden's sister sitting so near. Her occasional glances his way seemed to be a mix of intrigue and disdain which Jacob didn't understand, and was pretty sure he didn't want to.

The evening went by quickly, and Jacob not only found himself invited to spend the night, but Aiden didn't even hesitate to offer extra space in his own bed. Clearly the fox was more comfortable with the idea of being with Jacob than he originally anticipated. Either that, or he truly did want to see how far he'd be willing to go.

Once alone in bed and under the covers, the two men quickly found themselves in each others' arms, lips locked as they kissed deeply, hungrily. Aiden was more than accepting of this act, kissing Jacob feeling inherently the same as kissing any woman he had before. But there was more to it than that; the feel of strong arms wrapping around his body, of a flat, muscular chest against his own, of a throbbing need rubbing against his thigh. It was familiar and new at the same time, and that had Aiden feeling rather excited as they broke the kiss to stare into each others' eyes.

"So, how far do you want to go?" Jacob asked, his fingers tenderly running through the fur on Aiden's chest, down towards his stomach. "Because, I have no limits really. I just want you to be comfortable."

"Well, why don't you lead for a bit." Aiden suggested, not really sure himself. "If things get too weird for me, I'll let you know."

Jacob nodded, leaning in to kiss at Aiden's neck. The fox moaned softly in response, his hands rubbing at Jacob's back as the raccoon kissed him tenderly along the neck and shoulders, before slowly working his way down. He trailed those kisses down to Aiden's waist, where a thick bulge had formed under his boxers. "Well, looks like someone's enjoying the attention."

The coon's breath was hitched as he hooked his fingers into the waistband, wanting desperately to pull the garment away and finally expose the fox to his eyes, and more. But he knew he had to be patient. He didn't want to seem too eager. Instead, he gently kissed at the tip through the fabric, working his way down the outline of the shaft until his nose was buried between Aiden's legs. Then, slowly, he pulled down on the boxers, watching with baited breath until the long dick finally pulled free, standing at full attention in the dim light.

"Damn." He muttered as he slipped the clothing off Aiden's legs. "You're bigger than I expected."

"Impressed?" Aiden asked with a roll of his eyes. He never knew why everyone was so in shock with his length, given his height. "It's not too much for you, is it?"

Jacob laughed at the very notion, sitting to one side of the fox as he took the length in his hand. "If I'm anything, it's excited." He said with a smug grin, slowly stroking the fox off, just the first step in his plan for showing Aiden the joys of gay sex.

His hand moved with slow determination, getting a feel for the almost eight inches of fox meat he had to work with. Smooth yet firm to his touch, it was better feeling than he could have hoped for. And Aiden seemed to be enjoying the treatment, letting out the occasional moan when the tip was stimulated. Jacob knew what he was doing though, methodically squeezing and relaxing his hand as he worked, milking the most pleasure he could out of the simple act while prolonging the act.

It didn't take long for the familiar slickness of precum to hit his fingertips, and Jacob moved right in the step things up. With a hungry eagerness he bent over, letting his tongue scrape across the head of Aiden's dick, taking in the taste of the natural lubricant before opening his mouth wide and taking that dick inside his muzzle.

"Oh, Jacob. Damn..." Aiden gasped at the sudden, hot pleasure. One hand gripped at the bedsheets while the other found Jacob's arm, holding on while the feeling of that wet tongue rolling around his dick invaded his senses. "You could warn a guy, y'know."

"And ruin the fun of the surprise?" Jacob thought with a grin, not wanting to stop just yet. His hand kept working over the lower shaft while his lips and tongue teased the tip of Aiden's prick, relishing in every gasp and moan and dragged out of the fox. He had waited years to get Aiden in this position, to give him pleasure on this level, and now that it was finally happening, he wasn't going to hold out. All the techniques he had developed over the years were going to be brought out and used, no mercy held in bringing the fox to the edge of orgasmic pleasure.

That was his plan anyway, but Aiden seemed to have other ideas. "Wait, Jacob. Hang on a sec."

A bit concerned, the coon pulled back, liking his lips and sad to let that dick go. "What is it? You can't tell me you weren't enjoying that."

"Oh I was." Aiden confirmed with a blush. "But, I was just thinking... that I'd like to return the favor, if you know what I mean."

A smile crept over Jacob's face, and he adjusted to lie next to the fox, resting on his side. "Be my guest. Don't mind me if I go back to doing what I was doing though." He waited only a moment for Aiden to turn onto his side before taking that dick back into his mouth, savoring the taste once more.

The feeling sent a shiver through Aiden's spine, but he did his best to ignore it, wanting to get those boxerbriefs off and see if you could match the more experienced man's skill. He found himself mesmerized by the bulge, a small stain already formed at the tip, revealing Jacob's eagerness. With a lick of his lips he pulled the shorts away, letting the raccoon's thick dick free. "Dude, you pierced it?" It was the first thing Aiden noticed: a line of studs decorating the underside of Jacob's shaft, six in all roughly spaced about one inch apart.

"Oh, right." Jacob muttered, once again relenting on his ministrations. "It's a Jacob's Ladder piercing. How could I not?" He shrugged with a chuckle before going back to work.

Aiden just shook his head, taking the more than six and a half inches of meat in his hand to give it a quick feel. He wanted to give Jacob the same treatment he was receiving, but more than that, he needed to test a few things out for himself.

Though he rarely admitted it, giving oral to a woman had always been one of Aiden's guilty pleasures. It wasn't the act itself, or the taste that he enjoyed the most, though they were quite pleasurable. It was always the scent that drove him wild. That natural, musky scent that would fill his nostrils and excite his nerves and mind like nothing else. Few things got him going faster than that intoxicating smell. Now, he wondered if a man's scent could do the same.

His muzzle moved past Jacob's dick, going instead towards the underside of the raccoon's heavy balls and between his legs. Aiden closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in Jacob's scent. Lust, sweat and a few other odors filled his sensitive nostrils, and his eyes shot open wide at the electricity it brought him. His pupils dilated from the sensation, and he had to get another whif. The smell was so different from a woman's, yet it had the same effect, and the fox already fell victim to it.

His tongue darted out to lick over those balls and up between Jacob's legs, mimicking the motions he would use when eating out a woman, while his hand gently stroked that pierced dick. He could hear Jacob moan, feel his body shiver from the touch. Clearly he was doing something right. Encouraged by this, he went a bit farther, licking and sucking Jacob's orbs into his mouth one at a time. He could taste the sweat and musk on them, and mixing with the scent it drove him wild.

He soon upgraded to Jacob's dick, that long, thick meat practically begging for attention as it oozed precum. Aiden could only describe the scent and taste as manly, and he enjoyed it thoroughly. Soon the two men had their arms wrapped around the other as they sucked each other off, the room full of the sounds of gagged moans and wet sucking. Aiden took to it like a pro, even managing to take Jacob's entire length, if only so he could feel those balls against his nose, and inhale that thick scent while he worked. Jacob didn't disappoint either, alternating between deep throating the man and rapidly sucking and stroking, all with the intent to prolong the act.

He soon felt himself getting close, and while a bit of sixty-nine was fine, Jacob had other plans for finishing the evening. "Aiden, wait. I want to try something."

Aiden honestly didn't want to stop, but relented all the same, pulling his mouth away and half rolling onto his back. "What? Am I doing something wrong? You sounded like you were enjoying it."

"Oh, I was." Jacob assured him, sitting up next to the man once more. "But, that's not how I want to finish. I was hoping we could be just a bit more intimate."

"What did you have in mind?" Aiden asked hesitantly. He could already feel his sphincter muscle tightening up, not so sure he was ready to go that far quite yet.

"Nothing too invasive." Jacob assured him, sensing his concern. With a smirk he crawled onto Aiden's lap, rubbing the tip of his dick along the underside of Aiden's. "We'll work our way up to that. For now, we can start with this."

"That I can handle." Aiden replied with a grin. "Though I hate to tell you this, but you're not my first when it comes to doing this."

"I'm not?" Jacob was a little put down by that, but he recovered from it quickly. "Well, if I can't be your first, I'll have to settle for being your best." Undeterred, he took their lengths' in his hand, squeezing them together as he started to buck his hips. The saliva that remained, as well as the ample coating of precum, made for a nice, slick surface to slide against, and he quickly found his rhythm. His hand added to the fun, stroking them both off as they rubbed against each other. "This isn't going to take long." Jacob admitted with a growl. "You got me too pent up with that blowjob."

"I could say the same." Aiden grunted, his own hips bucking reflexively. "Damn those studs feel good. Oh fuck, Jacob!"

The coon's ears perked up at that. Aiden had just called out his name in lust, and it sent a cascade of emotions through his head. He picked up the pace, sensing the fox was as close as he was, and wanting to finish together. "Aiden. I'm gonna cum." His free hand grabbed at Aiden's and the two locked fingers as the first pulse of cum started it's way from his tightening balls. "Aiden! Aiden!"

"Oh fuck!" Aiden suddenly bucked his hips high, shooting a thick load of cum onto his chest, followed quickly by another. The sight, the smell, the very feel of it through Jacob over the edge, and he soon added his own spunk to the mix. Twin streams of white fired from their dicks, a pool of spunk forming on the fox's chest.

The smell of sweat and spunk filled the room as the two men came down from their high. Jacob was doing all he could to hold himself up, hovering over Aiden as he gasped for air. He looked down at the fox, reveling in the feel of finally having been intimate with the man he had longed for for so long. Seeing Aiden beneath him like that, panting and coated in his seed, filled Jacob with feelings he was not all that familiar with. But he liked what he felt.

"I love you." He muttered softly, fearing for what Aiden might say. "It's okay if you don't feel the same about me yet, but... I wanted you to know."

Aiden nodded, still trying to catch his breath. "I don't know if it's on the same level." He admitted, taking a moment to run a hand over Jacob's cheek affectionately. "But, I do care about you. I always have. You're my close friend, no matter what. I guess, what I'm trying to say is... I love you too."

"You're such an idiot." Jacob laughed, placing his hand over Aiden's. "Still overthinking everything. But that's okay. It's just part of what I love about you."

"Glad someone appreciates it." Aiden chuckled. He had to admit he was feeling rather good right then. Sleeping with a man, or at least with Jacob, just seemed to feel right. It certainly didn't feel wrong. He didn't know what that made, him, and frankly he didn't care.

He took Jacob in his arms and surprised the raccoon by pulling him in for a kiss, wanting to taste the man's lips once more. "I could get used to this." He chuckled after the kiss, hugging his friend close. For the first time in quite a while, he felt sure about something, about himself. For the first time in a very long time, Aiden felt like he just might be in control of his own life. It was a feeling he didn't want to let go of.