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Hello, this is part 2 of the 2 part commission for Guythreepwood!

Edited by Arkarian

Continuation of his other commissions so do read them and tell me what you think for improving my writing! I mean it! id love critiques of my style or anything!

Commission info here. this story was 9729 words

Enjoy!

Allen sipped at his tea like a bird pecks at food, in little, desperate motions. His hands were finally reduced to a bearable level of shaking that kept most of the tea from spilling. His eyes were still a bit red and puffy, but his throat had stopped catching when he took too big of breaths. He was a mess and he knew it. He looked like a mess, he felt like a mess, and was just in a mess of a situation.

The lion had left him there...the thought made him want to stop, but the train of thought commenced at full force. The ambush, the beating and the abandonment; Allen had been left on the pavement in the cold for only a short while before Barry had picked him up; but it had felt like an eternity. The badger had apparently been walking home to his own apartment from some sort of library related schoolwork when he came across the gang beating on the human. He had called the police when he heard them talking about 'testing theories'. Campus police arrived as the other group drove off. Barry had been questioned intensely but he claimed not to have seen who it was and Allen hadn't said a word since.

His mind was in too much of a cloud. He hardly knew his immediate situation with all the outside noise colliding into his mind at once. He replayed the confrontation over and over, as if the recap would allow him to change certain behaviors; to take a different road, to fight a little more. Hell, had he left his apartment ten minutes sooner he would have been at the party instead of at that particular parking lot.

He set the cup of tea down on the coffee table, trying to find more interest in the happenstance of tea on the coffee table than in his recent predicament. Barry's roommate Arthur, a large, bulky moose with an impressive set of antlers, had been just as quiet and courteous as Barry had been. The three sat quietly in the pairs living room, the TV turned on to some over the top game show where the people raced through wacky obstacle courses for money. Arthur was the only one laughing when the tiger with the long pink ribbons on her head fell flat on her face into the mud pit.

Even in his mood Allen was remotely thankful for the attempt at normality. Everything was remote. The taste of the tea was only a memory on his tongue, the bruising painted on his ribs was now a dull roar instead of a sharp stab, and even his throat, as sore as it was from crying and screaming out was feeling more like itself. He managed to quote Fight Club, comparing his near numbness to Edward Norton's insomnia. "With insomnia, nothing's real. Everything's far away. Everything's a copy of a copy of a copy."

The human took one more large inhale and looked over at Arthur who, despite his politeness was clearly very uncomfortable and stuff in the current situation. He shifted uncomfortably in his reclining chair as if it were a pew in church and he had much to confess.

Looking at Barry, Allen registered the badgers constant attention. He was sad and upset and calm all in the same look. What had happened to Allen also upset him greatly and that was very apparent. He kept offering food and drink. Bed and comfort. A phone to make calls. Anything a college student could supply on the ready was made available to Allen, even a few beers. Allen smiled at the badger, the first real motion he had towards either of his saviors.

"I'm ok." He replied to the Badgers more recent offer of snacks. Just him talking had cut the palpable tension down from a choking flood to a bearable sweat. It still clung to them, but there was hope now of the great storm passing. The look on Barry's smiling muzzle was worth every syllable.

~~~

Mike didn't have a hope of falling asleep. He didn't even bother trying. His dorm room was too empty and quiet to even pretend that sleeping there was possible. He had went to the police station on campus in his mad dash home, reported Allen as missing possibly hurt. They pulled up records of his recent activity in which he was reported to have been interrogated in Lot K about an attack. He did not receive medical attention, and had been on site with a Barry Heistner, and an Arthur Gallot. Police are apparently not at liberty to hand out addresses.

Mike had practically jumped the counter at the police station in a desperate attempt to find out where he should go next. He huffed out of the station and immediately informed Taylor of the new development. The jaguar had been shouting into his phone in the police station parking lot when Taylor had asked "So he's ok?"

At first Mike retorted with an angry roar of "No he's hurt!" But realized, for the first time since Zack had showed up at the party, that Allen was indeed ok. The police had looked at his injuries and not necessitated a medical report. He had tears in his eyes when he finally told Taylor that yes, Allen was, wherever he was, indeed alright.

That was the only solace he had found in the entire evening. No one seemed to know either Arthur or Barry, except Amber who seemed to remember meeting a badger that morning named Barry or Barney or something with a 'B'. She regretted to inform Mike she had no idea who he was or where they could find him.

After a short while though Mike realized the search was pointless. The only reason the police station was open at one in the morning was because they never close. Any other sources that could help him were most likely asleep or closed. For the life of him Mike couldn't even imagine what other sources he could go to at the moment. All he had actually accomplished in two hours of frantic living was finding out the names of Barry and Arthur, sending out an email to their student accounts they probably didn't check, and find out Allen was only minimally hurt.

Mike spent the next few hours awake and making phone calls to whomever would answer. Not even Taylor in all of his resources and wisdom was able to turn up anything that evening. Well, morning now Mike realized, watching the night sky fade from its inky blackness to a glowing gray of a cloudy morning. Mike had his fifth cup of coffee in paw as he stood up and started packing for Football practice.

He realized in all that waiting that he needed to distract himself, even if he had to pry himself from his phone with a crowbar. Allen could call back at any time where ever he was to do it from. Mike hated the notion of not being immediately available to his mate in the situation at hand. He already had all night to tell himself that this was all his fault.

Had he been a little more careful with his words....more courteous to Allen and conscientious of his situation and feelings. A little less pig headed about apologizing and more proactive about making his mate feel better. Allen saying he wanted the evening alone was now, more then ever obviously an invitation for the Jaguar to be alone WITH him. He hated his naivety. Despite his boom smarts and his ability to read people, Mike found he often missed the little signals his Mate was capable of sending in all of his awkward tendencies. Allen would have rather fallen down stairs and broken something then come right out and ask Mike to spend the evening away from the party with him. To allow Mike to see that he was in need of attention.

FUCK.

Fucking Flying Flaming Fucks.

Fucking Stupid ass, blind, outrageous, incapable, phenomenally retarded Fucks.

Mike slapped a cup of pencils off his desk not for the first time that evening. He really needed to let loose some of this energy. It was the panicked kind that needed an outlet despite his mind being drained and his eyes being heavy. He was in no physical way ready for morning practice, but he couldn't think of a better way to attack the day either.

Attack the day. Attack Zack was more like it. Mike wanted so hard for Zack to show his fucking face again. He wanted so bad to beat that cocky muzzle into an unidentifiable mess. The jaguar was rarely violent or even angry. This DEFINITELY required a vent.

He said one more prayer that Allen was ok, that he would be located soon and left the room that seemed to big now despite its cramped quarters and low ceilings.

~~`~

Allen woke up for the first time in a long while on his own time. Mike did not shuffle next to him, and alarm was not ringing in his ear and there was no real hurry to it either. It was a refreshing turn of events. He sat there on the unfamiliar couch, wrapped up in a multitude of blankets, thankful that he fell asleep at all. He could hear a bit of movement and the clink of plate and pots and pans in the kitchen to his left behind the couch.

Allen sat up, remembering he was a guest and that he had to act normal. Last night he couldn't manage it, but if he could help it he swore to force an air of normality around him if it killed him. "Barry?" he called quietly, already walking into the kitchen. The badger turned to him with a smile "Morning sleepy head." He said simply, "Feel better?" he dried his paws and turned to face the human.

"A bit yeah." Allen said lamely, "Thank you for showing up and helping Barry." The human tried. He and Barry weren't exactly friends as much as acquaintances, so all of this attention from the rodent was off-putting, not unappreciated. It left Allen unsure how to go about his thanks and the rest of whatever conversation was about to happen.

"No thanks necessary." He waved off with a toothy grin. He was wearing plaid pajama pants and a white tank-top which was about as normally dressed As Allen ever remembered seeing the badger. He still looked puffy with all the fur, but with his arms visible he seemed better proportioned now. "Glad to help."

The host then went back to the dishes he was washing. "We missed math this morning." he said like the circumstances couldn't be any more ordinary. "I'm sure it's nothing you cant catch me up on in a day." he waved a dripping paw over his shoulder, splashing Allen a bit with suds. "You missed breakfast but I was going to make some grilled cheese soon if you want to stick around." he set a pan into the awaiting drying rack and wiped his paws on his shirt once more. "I have ham and tomatoooooes" he sang a little in tempting advertisement.

It was a lot easier for Allen to chuckle at the sing songy voice of Barry the badger than he thought it was going to be. Interaction with another guy was helping distract himself already. "Haven't had grilled cheese in a while." he admitted. "Thank you again." the human looked around then, a bit confused at what to do in the new environment.

"Perfect! Ok, well if you want to shower or use the bathroom or anything its down that hall, the last door on the left." Barry walked just into the living room, Allen had woken up in and pointed down the only hallway. "I'm not sure if we have any other clothes that might fit you, but a nice shower is always a good way to start the day right?" He spoke more in general than to Allen. "The towels are under the bathroom sink. Can I get you anything to drink?" he jumped topics, snapping Allen's focus again from the idea of bathing in the unknown place to something more basic.

"If you have any Orange juice that's be cool. If not water would be fine if its no trouble." He put a conscious effort into being painfully and annoyingly polite. Something about the dramatic change in topic and the rushed feeling of the morning made Allen want to step into the shower quickly. It wasn't that Barry was annoying he just felt...hurried almost. Like thinking too much about the fact he was in...well not a strangers, but a mere acquaintances home, was going to seem strange.

"OJ it is." the badger had a cup set down and was already fishing into the fridge. "I'll get lunch underway while you shower." he smiled again.

"Thank you." Allen said again, sipping from the glass daintily then in larger gulps. He didn't realize how dry his throat was until he had the cup in his hand. He hadn't had anything to drink since Gino's the night before.

He looked around the small bathroom and flicked on the light, noting a few holes in he wall about antler height and grinned again. It was definitely not Moose sized, but it smelled and appeared clean anyway. He turned on the shower and got undressed in a hurry. It was chilly in the small bathroom, sending a shiver up his spine, but he did not enter the shower before glancing in awe at the mirror.

Allen's body was riff with fresh bruising. The shades of blue varied in shade and size along his middle, to his shoulder and arms. Under his arms was a disturbingly fresh looking red from where he had been pinned, arms behind his back as the rest had happened. Allen felt a wave of light nausea hit him and he looked away and entered the shower as to not be sick all over Barry's bathroom.

Despite his efforts to shake it off, Allen was still thinking about the night before under the steady stream of the shower. How vulnerable he felt now, how much he was angry at Mike while knowing he could not blame the jaguar anymore. It was a confusing mess of feelings that clung to him even as the rest of the grime washed away. He tried foolishly to rub away the bruising and was only met with a dull wave of pain in retribution for his attempt.

Despite every reasonable thought in his system he could not forgive Mike so quickly despite not blaming him in the first place. It was not mikes fault that any of what happened the night before. It was not Mike's fault that he could not relate to how Allen felt on a similar level. It was not his fault that Zack had been lurking in the parking lot. None of it was his fault, and yet Allen felt a rage boiling in him that he tried desperately to let go of.

His feelings of Zack were all around justified though. He was angry and terrified of the lion and his group. They had managed so quickly and so easily to hurt Allen on multiple levels that it put him in a sort of shock the previous night. Any 'solutions' involved being a snitch or an actual body guard unit. It wasn't the type of thoughts he was hoping to have in college, surrounded by potential adults, but he couldn't pretend he wasn't having them. The problem was not going away.

Allen was going through the motions, washing his hair, scrubbing his body clean; honestly it did feel better. Probably some psychological thing about showers. Taylor could probably write a paper on some garbage like that. Allen grinned to himself and stopped, mid scrub. Where was his phone? Usually it was the thing that woke him up, sat in his pocket all day. He didn't remember feeling it that morning.

He turned off the water and toweled off, changing back into his clothes. Yep, definitely no phone in those pockets. He really hoped it hadn't been stolen by one of the soccer guys or left out in the parking lot last night, that was the last thing he needed. He groaned and finished drying off his hair and helped himself to a Q-tip.

The air outside the bathroom already smelled like delicious cheese and tomato soup. Allen realized again only as the temptation was within his reach that his stomach felt empty. "Find everything all right?" Barry asked before Allen was even in the kitchen.

"Yeah I did. Thanks for letting me shower, I do feel load better." Allen said in the kitchen now. Barry was already pouring a second bowl of soup and placing it down at the empty place mat.

"Dude you went through hell, stop thanking me." the badger said simply, "It's all really the least I can do." He was already back to the stove scooping two sandwiches up onto a plate. "I'm also here to talk dude. You really did go through some serious shit." in a flash he was seated now, four sandwiches on a plate between them, two bowls of soup in front of either of them and some butter in the middle as well.

Allen stopped, then realizing that was NOT something a normal person did, he resumed sitting and took a sandwich without saying a word. Totally normal.

"Or we could talk about something else." Barry said again, with just as much thrill in his voice. "Also a viable option."

Allen broke apart the two pieces of sandwich and watched the liquidy cheese fall apart in delicious yellow strings. "Do you know where my phone is?" he tried making conversion seem normal and not this riff with tension. Allen had to hand it to the badger though, he couldn't factor for the life of him, but he knew how to handle interesting situations.

"I think Arthur put it on the shelf in the living room. It should be charging." Barry pointed a black claw before taking a comically large bite of his sandwich. He was either a very enthusiastic eater or was making a point to make moaning sounds that loud. "I fucking love grilled cheese." he breathed.

"They are delicious." Allen agreed, trying to enjoy the meal at hand and not worry so much. Mike probably though he was mad at him, and while Allen still was, he still felt guilty about the worry he was probably causing the jaguar regardless of the circumstances whomever was or was not responsible.

~~~

Sleep deprived was probably not the best way to show up to a scrimmage. Especially one as important as this one. It was the first time since the first week of school that Mike was to play quarterback against Chase Owens, the current, soon to be graduating quarterback. It was the perfect time to show what he had side by side. Make moves against the powerful Buck play for play. The jaguar had nothing but respect for the deer as an athlete, but it was sportsman respect that kept Mike driven. He wanted nothing more that to be better than Chase in every conceivable way.

But he was so drained before he was even on the field. He felt distant from his own movements; definitely not the best way to be headed into this game at all. He felt a little better after an energy drink and some warm-ups, but definitely not at one hundred percent. Even if he had gotten sleep his mind was not entirely in his actions. He floated in and out of thoughts of Allen. Still, he couldn't miss this opportunity to impress the coach. It was almost the end of the season and he was guaranteed a spot in the first line up the following fall, but he still had a lot of people to wow before that happened. A lot of work to still do.

But Allen. His mate. His friend.

The one person he knew and stuck by through and through, who encouraged him and supported him all the way through his hard work to this point; was a giant mystery right now. It didn't sit well in Mike's stomach.

His friends were polity avoiding the topic after Taylor's first addressing of it. "We are still looking. We haven't heard anything from anyone regarding things so it can't be too bad. He might just need his space right now though dude. He's a tough guy, I'm sure he's ok."

Taylor meant well, but Mike had never wanted to punch him in the face so hard before. Allen was not 'fine'. He was not 'ok' or anything remotely good. He was just attacked at night by a homophobic psychopathic jock with a drinking problem. He was far from 'ok' wherever he was.

Mike tried to distract himself, tried not to seem as upset as he was, tried to focus on the game at hand and not the problems outside the field. It was usually so easy to let everything melt away when he dawned his helmet, like a cubs security blanket that helped them not think about the monsters in the closet. But today, his helmet offered no comfort or distraction. In fact, as he and his friends walked onto the field, waving to the cheerleaders with smug grins on their faces, Mike realized that at that moment no one was out looking for Allen. No one had a phone handy in case he called. No one was there to receive him or available to respond.

His stomach knotted.

Warm-ups passed in a haze. A colorful mix of anxious feelings clouded his vision and swallowed him. It weighed heavily on his already sleep deprived body. He was all reactions at this point. Before he knew it he was lining up for his first play of the scrimmage he had been looking forward too for weeks now. He tried to shake it all off. Tried not to let the game pass as a total waste of time. If he did nothing of value it would be more insulting to Allen that he wasn't there for him.

How often he could not be there for the guy he loved. How regularly he was thrust into events, scheduled away from his mate. How often he was planning his recreation around friends and not his absolute BEST friend. How happily oblivious he was to this fact before and how painfully it sat on his chest now. In his chest. In his head. In his heart. Wheat Allen must think knowing that 5 days a week Mike would wake him up and leave for early morning practice and not be seen again until dinner.

His mate was so alone. He had to feel strained and Mike had never noticed before.

He threw the ball in a practiced spiral to a cheetah who managed only through his own skill to barely catch it.

Sloppy. So sloppy. Not impressive or doing Allen justice.

Mike had another successful play and then one of his throws was intercepted. He stepped off the field to the bench in a huff and chugged as much Gatorade as he could squeeze out of the bottle.

"You feeling ok Stone?" the coach asked in a deep gruff tone. "Your aim is usually miles ahead of that."

"Sorry coach." he replied on reflex. "Just distracted."

"Can't get distracted come game time Stone. Focus huh?" he instructed, giving the felines shoulder a shake with his massive ursine paw.

"Yes Coach."

Mike watched his rival Quarterback make three successful plays and get a touchdown. Fire restored, Mike marched onto the field and signaled a play to his team. They needed him now, Quarterbacks were the leaders in a way. The instrumental play makers. His team needed him. Mike made two more successful plays, covering over sixty yards and only had a handful more until he was in the end zone.

His motions were more acute reflex than actual focus at this point. His body knew what to do even when he wasn't totally in it to give the reflexes finesse. Edgar was open again and Mike made a quick play securing a touchdown.

Not before the hulking mass of a offensive lineman slammed into him. Padding did a lot but the hit still stole the wind from his lungs. Though in his absent mindlessness Mike did the one thing he knew not to do when falling. He stuck out an arm as if he were falling in any other regular situation. The full weight of himself and a beefy gorilla slammed down on his extended arm.

The sound of bones breaking made Mike sick to his stomach before he even registered the pain. Then the pain hit and the wave of feeling that ripped his mind from its haze forced the food from his stomach. Surprisingly enough though, everything went hazy again, albeit for entirely different reasons.

People surrounded him and spoke in strange static-y voices. They lifted him against his wishes and played with his arm. The pain was roaring, but soon, after so much had happened. He was finally focused on something besides Allen. The pain was incredible, and he somehow managed to enjoy its intense sensations. Enjoy the relief it gave him not to be so fuzzy. Everything was in sharp focus now.

~~~

Allen sat on Barry's couch pretending to watch television with the badger. His phone had blown-up. He had over twenty texts waiting in his inbox and over fifty missed calls. His absence was clearly not unnoticed. For a moment he was glad everyone was missing him. Then he felt an overwhelming guilt. They were probably really scared about where he ran off too. He had never really fought with Mike before, and now that he finally had THIS happened. He probably looked like an over-dramatic pre-teen, running away cause their boyfriend yelled at them. "NOBODY UNDERSTAND ME" nonsense.

To be entirely truthful, Allen didn't feel the need to call them back right away either. He was hesitant about even reading the texts. They might compel him to let Mike off easy and he thought the feline could use a good worry after all his nonchalant comments about Allen's sense of self-security. Maybe he would even think about how the human felt, being forced to image Allen on his own.

"So did your boyfriend spend the night worrying?" Barry asked teasingly, nudging Allen with his foot. "I bet he's a real softy if you like him. I don't think you're the kind to go for the strong and silent type."

"What makes you say that?" Allen asked with more than just a little actual curiosity. "What do you think my type is exactly?"

The badger grinned, "Softies."he said simply. "You don't strike me as the kid of guy who can even stand someone unintelligent either, so probably charismatic. And he is a jock after all so he's probably dripping with the stuff." Barry rolled his eyes. "And emotional density not on par with his beefiness."

Allen rolled his eyes now, He and Barry never spoke outside of Math, Hell, Allen hadn't even known the badger was gay until Zack had pushed them down. And Barry was more than a bit flamboyant; the odd clothing all made sense now.

"Close, yeah. They also need to be fun and a nerd and sexy as fuck." Allen added, turning to the television. He had never really talked with another gay guy honestly. Not openly like this anyway. "But yes, to answer your question, I think he is a bit worried. We didn't exactly leave dinner on the best terms."

"Oh." Barry nodded understandingly, "Shit happens, but I hope this doesn't make anything weird for you."

"Weird how?"

"Well you did..imassuming fight a little, and then disappear to another gay furs apartment for the night. I mean if you explain the mugging thing I'm sure it wont seem weird, but he probably just thinks you didn't come back home right? Left cause you were upset or something."

The human felt a lump forming in his throat. It didn't look as reasonable as it actually was did it? He looked back to his phone and over to Barry. The badger just smiled a knowing smile at him. A comforting one. "What do you think I should do?" Allen asked simply, cutting to the chase. "It does look bad."

Barry chuckled, "I'm sure he'll understand, but there is no use prolonging it all really. I'd try and patch things up ASAP but its your prerogative." he shrugged, "Free to hang out here as long as you want." he put an awkward paw on Allen's thigh.

The air was instantly changed. They could both feel it. "Uhh...sorry." Barry withdrew his hand like it had been burned, he realized immediately the lines he overstepped. "That was...inappropriate." he stood up and looked down at Allen a bit flustered. "I'll uhh...sorry." he scurried to the kitchen.

Before he even planned it Allen was out of his chair and following the Badger whom was already turning on the sink to wash the lunch dishes. The human wasn't sure what to do exactly, he wasn't the best people person. So he winged it. There wasn't much more he could honestly do or hope to do. He hugged the badger firmly from behind.

"Thank you Barry. I hope the next time I stop by things will be less tense yeah?" he said simply.

The badger froze up but nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Neither were probably capable of pushing the conversation any more forward, so they didn't try. Allen left quickly and called Mike. He already knew where he was, Barry and Arthur's apartment literally overlooked the campus. What was Allen even going to say? He hoped Mike would lead the conversation because he was honestly at a lose for how to start this one. 'Hey Mike, sorry I ran away, listen, I got mugged by the bully I told you had it out for me." Yeah that would roll over well. Guilt and I told you so's.

Mike wouldn't be running the conversation though. "Allen?" came a different voice. IT was out of breath so Allen could quite place it.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Allen are you ok? It's Mark, Mike's hurt." The Tiger burned through topics quickly.

Allen didn't stop walking. "Mark what do you mean slow down." he said calmly but firmly. "What happened to Mark?"

"What happened to you!?" Mark asked back, "Zack comes and tells us he beat you senseless and then you up and disappear? No phone calls? The fuck is that shit dude? We were worried sick!" he chided like a mother. "Fucking A, and now Mike got hurt in practice and is at the hospital and I'm stuck here grabbing all his shit from the locker room and-"

"Where is he?" Allen interrupted, "What happened?"

"Fucked up his arm dude." Mark said simply, making Allen audibly gasp softly and finally strand still.

"Which one Mark?" the human asked with the severity of a trained predator. Nothing could be more important than this detail.

"Not his throwing arm thank god." Mark huffed, "But he cant play with a cast and they all seem to think its broken."

Allen let out his held breath and pressed his palm into his forehead. Thank fucking christ. Just....oh he couldn't be more relieved. "Mark where are you? Can you take me to the hospital?"

"It was over an hour ago dude, he might already be out."

"Where are you Mark?" Allen asked again, dawning his serious voice again.

"The field. I'm getting his shit from his locker remember?"

~~~`````

Mike sat in the atrium of the hospital drifting off as the assistant coach ran my insurance credentials with the hospital personnel. The Jaguar was already in a cast, not his first and most likely not his last, he grinned a bit at the memory of his mammoth leg cast as a cub. He could hardly navigate a straight hallway in those crutches. Allen had to help him turn corners for DAYS in school.

Of his usual gang only Taylor, Amber, Mitch and Tyler were present, the rest had classes, and none of them could joke with Mike about this properly. He still had all of his thoughts on Allen, whatever strength he was using to stay awake at this point was unknown to him.

The others had been quiet for a while now. They knew, and Mike knew that this might mess with his playing. It wasn't unheard of to continue practice in a cast, but it was going to affect all of his progress for a while. At this point none of them knew what to talk about without it being a painfully obvious distraction.

Assistant coach Carter walked over with a bunch of papers, ending a phone call with someone in the on campus medical offices. "We got your health insurance run through, and it didn't cost a dime out of pocket. We'll have to talk about your immediate practice opportunities later when we've compiled everything and the coach can sit down with us." the German Shepard said tersely. "Your friends have already offered rides back to your room, but if you'd rather I drive you and skip the doating I'd understand."

Mike grinned, or at least tried too. "I'll be fine with them Coach. Just tired." he said simply.

The canine put a paw on his shoulder, "Get some rest Stone."

There wasn't much more to say. Mike had put a fantastic opportunity in jeopardy and neither the Coaches nor Mike would sugar-coat it, but that didn't mean they had to bring it up either.

The car ride back to school was short, but honestly would have been better off with doating. It was just full of awkward silence like Mike had died or been permanently disfigured. There were plenty of ways to handle this injury and Mike had no intention of letting rage and self pity be his primary outlets. Regardless, he did appreciate the quiet a little. He managed to doze off for a minute or two before he was being walked to his room.

"Guys ill call you later ok?" he told them at the door for the dorm. "I haven't broken a leg or anything."

"Well we need to wait for Mark to get here with your bag so you have a room key anyway." Amber said with much less that her average amount of pep. She held the door open for him and the others. The graying clouds didn't look too promising. They found seats in the lounge and it wasn't five minutes before Mike was happily dozing off with the help of some minimal, but effective hospital pharmaceutical assistance.

~`~~

The soreness in Mikes arm was suddenly back with a vengeance. He was being shaken awake and he groaned in his discomfort and unhappiness. He looked up at his smooth skinned assailant who was red in the face and shouting words Mike tried very hard to focus on in his daze.

"You're an asshole!" Allen was shouting, surrounded by all their friends. "I'm gone a day and your in the hospital pulling this Bigfoot shit again?" The human demanded the rapidly blinking Jaguar. "I can't throw a football for you! I could hardly get you to classes in one piece!"

Allen.

It was Allen.

It was his Mate. And he was yelling. He was ok.

Mike shot up faster than he should have and embraced the human as best he could with his large forearm cast. His head rush passed quickly enough and he managed not too fall over. Honestly he couldn't find words. He just stood there for a moment letting his pawpads run through the humans soft hair and forcing his arms as close to his chest as they would allow with a whole body in the way.

"Allen." he finally managed to breath out, a quiver in his lower lip impeding his speech skills further. The floodgates opened. Mike cried out everything he had tried to hold back the last fifteen or so hours. He nuzzled his face into Allen's hair and just cried his tears there. He wasn't sobbing, but he couldn't help but get emotional either.

His mate was safe and sound and back home. Allen was ok.

"Yeah yeah, I hear you missed me." The human mumbled into Mikes firm chest. He couldn't help but hug back and bury his face there. "Hows the arm feeling? Sore still?"

"It did only happen an hour ago." Amber remarked, "And where the hell were you last night?!" she demanded, "Had us worried sick! Zack shows up at the party bragging about how he kicked your sorry ass up and down the street." she went into near hysterics "And you cant pick up a phone? Half the night I was up! Drunk off my ass trying to find you!"

"You fell asleep at eleven thirty babe." Mark retorted, putting an arm over her shoulder.

"Piss off I was worried!"

Allen lifted his head grudgingly from Mikes chest, looking at the small group gathered. They were all looking at him with similar curiosity in their eyes. Similar worry. Similar un targeted frustration. They were all genuinely worried. Drunk at a party late at night with only a single text from another drunk indicating he might show up and these guys were worried that he hadn't. It wasn't that Allen had a question of their friendship, but he had underestimated the quality of the bond they shared.

"So where were you exactly? And what happened?" Taylor asked with characteristic bluntness. "Our only sources of intel were Soccer loving ass hats. Did he actually hurt you? I mean we went to the police and everything and they said no ambulances."

The human wasn't exactly sure how to respond with all eyes on him. His face felt flushed and he managed to just barely turn away from the expectant furs in front of him and look at the one in his arms and whose arms he was in. Mike looked even more pathetically down then he expected. The desperate desire to know, painful on his face. Allen felt like such an asshole for his actions most of the night and morning. How he went out of his way to inadvertently make his friends feel like this. How he didn't consider how his absence would make them feel when its all they could think about.

In his defense he had no idea they knew he got attacked, but that was a minor detail his feelings of guilt overlooked entirely. He began a slow, awkward explanation of the night, revealed the pok-a-dot bruising about his chest, and ended up stopping Tyler and Taylor from marching to Zack's front door. In the end Allen was promised revenge that he felt no immediate need to decline, and the gang left Mike and Allen to their own personal reunions. In no time flat they were alone. There was no way Allen could have told them everything. He wasn't sure he could muster strength for that at this point.

The couple didn't say much at first. It was a quiet, moment that didn't require words to complicate things immediately. They both just wanted to be with the other for a moment before they got to the conversation both knew would happen. A lot had occurred in the last day. They had spoken about delicate topics before Allen's temporary absence and then Mike got hurt and Allen hadn't quite figured out how he felt about his bully victim situation anymore. He had been mad sure, but he didn't have a heart of stone. He was passed anger at this point.

Now he just felt like an asshole.

"Come on Bigfoot." Allen finally said, referring to Mikes other Cast in childhood and the nickname that followed; he stood standing and stretching out his back. "I'll grab your duffel." he picked up the bag as large as he was and waddled over to the elevator. How could he even start all the conversation they needed to have? Anything he said would probably just seem like conceding because of Mike's injury.

Mike's silence wasn't helping much either. He seemed distant and unreachable even as he laced his fingers into Allen's as they entered the elevator. The silence was an ocean eroding Alle'ns usually rock steady calm. What was he expected to say or do? Come out apologizing? Ask about his arm? Could he even bring up the arm right now? It had to be weighing heavily in his mind. Mike's entire college future depended on his sports performance and now that was in jeopardy.

"I'm sure you'll get right back in the game." Allen offered a smile, squeezing Mike's fingers into his own. "A foot cast couldn't keep you out of trouble so no way this will right?"

The jaguar hardly managed a grin. Even that didn't even shadow the emotions it was supposed to display. It was a defeated grin. A physical reaction more than an expression. It hurt to see his mate this way.

"Mike..." he tried again, the elevator letting them off. The jaguar held firm to Allen's hand and made a bee-line for their room. In a swift motion he had the duffel on the ground and was staring down Allen with a glassy look in his eyes. It took Allen a startled moment to realize he was tearing up.

"What happened last night?" He ask simply, his body language somehow imposing yet small. He didn't seem all there.

"What? I already told you guys about everything after Gino's-"

"Don't lie to me." he hissed. "Don't think you can lie to me after all the time we've known each other. You might be telling the truth but not all of it or something but that's not all that happened!"

Allen gulped, retreating a bit. He thought back, forcibly to the previous night. How everything spiraled from bad to worse. How The group had sat there and watched their leader abuse him relentlessly. How people could do that... he got tears in his own eyes.

"Sorry if I don't want to think about being attacked!" he shot back. "Mike I just don't want to talk about it now...Its too fresh ok?" he pleaded now. "Please just suffice to say your right and I wish I were just a bruised mess." It was hard to admit so little he was baffled by the concept of revealing any more.

Allen was in Mikes arms again before he knew it. "I'm so sorry Allen." he said quietly but firmly. His voice shook a bit with emotion. "I did this...I didn't take your situation into account and I'm so so sorry." They stood like that for a moment longer. Holding each other and letting out what they could afford to. "I can't understand how you feel all the time, but I cant stand you not being here with me either. One night and I was a mess. I can't lose you Allen, not now or ever ok? I'll do whatever it takes to try and understand. Anything for you man..." he nuzzled the human hair and separated just far enough from Allen to lean over and kiss him.

It was a very slow and important kiss. It carried great purpose and importance too the couple. It wasn't a quick peck on the lips or the kind with a quick tongue and gropes. It was a kiss between two people who had a lot of love for one another.

Allen wasn't sure exactly what it all meant immediately. He recognized and appreciated Mikes intention. Most of all though he was startled by the focal point of Mike's focus. After the broken arm, the possible loss of a scholarship and his long term success in the balance he chose to focus on a fight he had with his boyfriend? With Allen? It was a powerful realization. One that didn't need words. The very fact that Mike was not near tears for his arm but for Allen's well being was all the indication the human needed that this idea was correct.

The jaguar pressed his forehead into the humans. His beautiful green eyes shimmered even in the shade of the dorm room. "Can you come to bed with me?" he asked then, his castless paw slipped down to the small of Allen's back, but trailed off and into Allen's hand. "I didn't get any sleep last night."

Allen blushed. "Sorry about that." he murmured, following Mike over.

"You don't owe any apologies." Mike established. "Especially not for all of...not for what happened. None of it was your fault."

They lay in each other, the perfect puzzle piece fitting that a word as ridiculous as 'spooning' couldn't quite cover. Silent as statues they both drifted in and out of sleep. For those few hours nothing else mattered more than whom they were with and where they were.

~~~

Mike sat back in his bed, watching the sun set from the window. He was incredibly sick of reading his assignment. The one place he knew he could never read a boring book was in a comfortable bed, but he never failed to miss the appropriate time to use this knowledge.

Allen was not back from classes yet. It was his long day, and since the football season was over and they were in the middle of finals, practices were off and Mike arrived back first. There was still a tinge of panic when Allen was known to be walking anywhere alone. Allen being a minute late made the regular amount of worry multiply exponentially.

It was hard to resist the urge to text him, but Allen made it clear the consistent 'are you ok?' texts were getting annoying. Still, Allen was not without any protection. Mike had a regular shift of people, including himself set up on rotation around Allen's Math class, and the anthropology class in which he shared a building with Zack. As soon as Allen left the rooms he was talking to a football jock more than capable of making a particular lion think twice.

Most of the guys who Allen didn't know didn't speak much, but they did their jobs.

Speak of the devil, a key fumbled with the door. Mikes ears perked up and he let out a soft purr of delight. Allen got in and dropped his bags with a grin. "You plan on napping? You know you cant read while in bed doofus." he teased, powering up both computers. "And you cant type up a paper without the computer on."

"This book is terrible." the feline replied simply, flicking his tail so it drew attention.

With Mike's injury and Allen's attack, sex was awkward for a while. Allen was not the same about certain positions or phrases and Mike didn't ask why on the grounds that Allen was at least talking to a guidance counselor.

What they found though, was something new.

Allen grinned and swatted at the tail, crawling over his partner. They kissed and teased at each other like any healthy young couple. They groped at each other and enjoyed every moment. Then, with a devious grin, Mike removed his shirt and flipped over onto his stomach. Allen grinned and in a quick motion removed Mikes shorts.

The human straddled his boyfriends legs, running experienced fingers over the felines back, tracing the muscles and their defined ridges. Mikes tail danced playfully along Allen's abdomen and torso, flicking under his shirt until he removed it. Allen dropped his hands to the fine rump before him, giving each furry cheek a quick squeeze. Mike purred, Allen laughed and hopped off the bed for a moment, dropping his own pants.

"You're never gunna finish that book are you?" Allen asked.

"Not if you keep me up all night." Mike teased, "So I hope not." he then went about propping himself up on his good arm. His picturesque features all on display with a thigh covering his privates like a censored work of art. He looked like The Statue of David but without the leonine mane or tail tip fluff.

The cocky asshole knew Allen couldn't help but run his eyes up and down his body. The human used to be embarrassed by this knowledge, but he stopped caring a while ago. If anyone was going to ogle Mike it was going to be him!

Mike was getting and eyeful as well. His eyes followed up his partners legs to the bulge in his boxers and up his fit body. Allen didn't have muscles to speak of, but his belly was receding and he just looked so damn cute!

"You're ridiculous." Allen breathed, rolling Mike back onto his belly. What the two had discovered was how much Mike loved to bottom. It had been a realm less explored in their relationship and it was a beautiful place. Allen swatted Mike's rump eliciting a sharp intake of break and a purr. The tip of his tail curved ever so slightly inward like pleasured fingers.

Allen enjoyed the new dynamic to their relationship. It was a strange sort of thing that started as a compromise and ended as a mutual standing. Mike saw Allen's desire to feel like he had more control in the relationship and brought the role reversal up. Much to his initial chagrin, Mike loved it and Allen couldn't get enough. He liked being able to more deeply explore the jaguars body. Found more of his weak points like nibbled ears and spanking.

But his favorite part was being called the 'tail raiser'. It started as a joke, but the name stuck. Allen grinned and ran his fingers down Mikes spine slowly but deliberately. Mike purred, and shivered and rose his rump up and up until Allen was stretching to run his fingers down his tail. And there he sat, purring madly, ass up and presented.

"That's cheating." Mike said dreamily, his face buried in his pillow. He lowered himself and pouted.

"Oh hush up you love it pussy cat." he swatted at Mikes rump again. The cat purred and moaned.

"Shut up..." he mumbled, flicking his tail about blindly, hoping to smack Allen in the face. Judging by the way Allen laughed and once again did the 'tail raiser' Mike had missed, but he was also in heaven. He didn't know what ancient reflex made him do this, but he was happy it stayed and happy it felt so damn good charging down his spine. He felt his sheath fill and the sensation of his cock poking just past the opening. Allen had been a very slow but careful learner the last two weeks. He tested so many things Mike would have never thought of. Granted, Allen had more time online to amass ideas. The human had gone through sorts of checklists to see what worked and what didn't. What buttons, pokes, prods, rubs and nibbles got Mike into the ball of purring fluffy he was now.

He got really good at it.

Just as Mike began lowering the second time in a little huff, despite the fact he loved it more than Allen could understand, he felt the humans hands grip his hanging sack careful, but firmly. Mike let out a little yip of surprise that fell into a purr as Allen stroked all of his sheath and his balls. The attention was too much and Mike felt most of his excited feline prick fall out of its home into Allen's palm.

They were slow, gentle motions. Allen was a happy top, but even at his most aggressive he wasn't too forceful. Just enough to get a point across and a good time had.

"God, what are you doing back there?" Mike moaned. He gripped the comforter gently and pushed his ass higher.

Allen was on the bed now, working Mike's already leaking member with one hand and his muscly ass with the other. "Hush up I said." Allen retorted with a quick squeeze with both hands. The feline squirmed.

Allen's view left very little to the imagination. He had an unfettered view of Mikes beautiful and properly proportioned sack, each of his golf ball sized orbs plenty visible even with the furry coat. His ass was as impressive as always along with his growing member, and even his cute star shaped pucker seemed perfectly placed. Allen made an excited noise and made his next move.

Mike was in heaven before, but Allen had a way with his tongue that tickled in all the right ways as it ran from his sack to his pucker. Mike clenched his cheeks on instincts, but Allen fought his way to his goal and flicked his skilled tongue around.

As usual Allen could never quite tell which levels of eating out he enjoyed, but he knew in the end both parties got rewarded. He tried to time his excited tongue with his eager hand job with varying success.

Mike moaned into his pillow again and sat up as best he could to give Allen easier access. He loved ass play. Despite all his dominatrix with a foot fetish career as a gay fur, he had to admit, going back to the basics did not disappoint. There was a reason every other fur did this.

"Fucking hell..." he breathed.

Allen kept at it for long enough to get the full experience. He had read somewhere that variety was what made a night intense. Keep them guessing. Switch it up and never linger on one pleasure unless it's, quote, 'The fetish', end quote, that your lover enjoys the most.

Allen guided Mike onto his back and got between his firm legs before Mike had a chance to look too certain of himself. Allen had the most of Mikes impressive length in his mouth in moments. He had spent a while working on his gag reflex. It was honestly as simple as telling Mike he wanted to learn to deep throat. Mike was all over the notion and they spent a long while jerking each other off and training Allen's reflexes to disengage.

The pair were plenty happy with the results. Allen had to take the last few inches slow, but he finally was able to take if down into his throat and swallow around it.

That feeling was beyond words. 'Euphoric' felt cliche, 'amazing' was an understatement, and even 'beyond words' felt too Shakespearean. The way Allen's throat closed and moved, the way his tongue dance, the way his hands fondled his full and aching balls...

He didn't know words that could translate the way it felt adequately.

Allen was enjoying himself completely. He was lost now, so quickly in his mates musk and love. He basked in it, finally understanding why Mike found the roll of the dominate and not the dominated so appealing. It was a power that was like a drug. It filled Allen with such confidence in that he could please his mate like this. That Mike, as big as he was, could surrender this time to Allen entirely for the sake of this mutual pleasure. Sex was sex. This was something much more intimate. Nothing this powerful could ever be anything less than intimate. Even mouth full of cock, Allen felt in charge. He had control of every aspect of this interaction.

As always though, Allen felt a little anxious giving head. He didn't comfortably last long and before he let things get out of hand he pulled away and shuffled closer. "Lube?" he asked, the feline grabbing the bottle from the top drawer of the nightstand. Allen bent backwards enough to grab a discarded tee shirt.

Mike propped himself back, tail cocked sideways and spreading his own cheeks. He might have seemed a bit too excited and he might have been. But sex was sex and it felt fucking fantastic to have Allen pound into Him when he got off. Prostate something or other. And Mike always came first, so all the extra pumps as Allen kept going were always a blissful roar of a dull pleasure.

He reveled in the memories. In Allen's most gentle and most aggressive fucks, and Mike had come to call some of them Fucks. Sometimes Allen's powerful stamina was downright impressive, and with a long, if a little thick dick, he was in the business of pleasuring.

Allen had the lube in his hand when they heard a knock at the door. They both shot up and spun their heads around.

"Hey you two! We're headed to Gino's for the end of year deals! Get your asses out here!" A familiar call sounded out.

"Yeah, quit your making out and get too it eh?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Mike stated first.

Allen, despite all of his anticipation burst into a small fit of laughter. Mike saw nothing funny in it. "Be right there!" the human called, looking down at his eager mate. In one last tease he poked the whole of his pointer finger in and out real quick and hopped out of bed. "Lets go sexy." he wicked.

Mike huffed and growled a little under his breath, a bit of pre spilling onto his lower tummy. "I'm gunna die of blue balls." he complained.

"I'm sure you'll be just fine later, if not more eager." Allen noted, wiping the lube off his hand and already in boxers.

"If you swallowed my cock again you wouldn't be hungry enough to go to Gino's." Mike huffed. "I'm gunna freakin kill those guys."