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"Corruption" - Part 1

A lone fox leaned in with an elbow propped up on the windowsill, staring blankly out on the quad, already abuzz with activity despite the early morning hour. From the vantage point of his 5th-story dormitory room, the figures scurrying about the rolling green beneath him seemed much like ants of one monstrous colony, each one with a distinct destination in mind as they scuttled from place to place. What drove them forward, their purpose, was best described as a lack of purpose. They were blind adherents to a common dogma, a cult of fear; they were running, ceaselessly running from the unseen enemy threatening to shatter their fragile constitutions. The threat was but a single word: a question that most sensed, some asked, few pondered, but none could answer. 'Why?'

Unlike the others crawling on the ground below, this fox dared to challenge his invisible creator (or lack thereof) to unveil his ultimate purpose, divine or otherwise. Looking back on the hive, he felt the saliva grow sour on his tongue and grimaced as he swallowed the bile down. He hated them, all of them. He felt nothing but scorn for those who could remain ignorant to the question he asked himself every time he woke up and violent jealousy for the others who seemed contented and justified in living out their lives, equipped only with the faith that there was some meaning behind it all. They had their beliefs, but did any reflect the truth? Was there even such a thing?

This was a curse, a virulent plague of the mind to be in the middle of a persistent existential crisis. Why am I here? I don't want _to be here...this torture is too much to endure. If I have no reason to exist, then...then I..._The fox suddenly brought his fist crashing down against the window, which let out a low thrum as it reverberated. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Come on, Theo. You need to get a hold of yourself. Class is in an hour. Come on, get yourself to the shower. That's it..."

The near-scalding water was a cleansing, healing rain: the dull heat overwhelmed his senses and washed away his thoughts. He felt at peace, and though he knew it would fade as soon as he left the steam-filled stall, it was something to cherish and hold onto for as long as possible. With the hint of a smile on his face, he squirted out a copious amount of his shampoo-conditioner combo (strawberry-scented; he always liked to smell nice) on his wet fur and lathered his coat up in sections. Feeling over his cream-colored middle, the smile faded as he felt his slightly pudgy stomach, but he didn't let his figure distract him and he finished lathering up the fur on his legs. With the foamy bubbles now covering every square inch of his body, Theo stepped back into the shower's steady stream, tilting his head back and spreading his arms out wide in exultation while the hot water swept away the fruity lather, leaving him with the warm glow of thorough cleanliness. Even after the last traces of shampoo had left his fur, he continued to stand beneath the steamy fountain, trying to hold on to that soothing feeling for just a bit longer. When time finally caught up to him and he remembered he had to be all the way on the other side of campus in less than a half hour, Theo turned the water off and shook his body thoroughly to get rid of the clinging droplets of water. A few minutes under the blow dryer finished the job, until finally he stepped out in front of the mirror fully dry, if a bit over-fluffed.

The rest of his morning routine passed without much of a fuss, and soon he was once again looking out on the mall (relatively vacant now that classes were in session) with a bowl of cold cereal in paw. As he absentmindedly munched on his Lucky Charms, his eyes were drawn towards a husky couple sitting on a wooden bench. They kissed, effecting a scowl of disgust from Theo. He wanted nothing more than to look away, but the fox remained transfixed nevertheless; that kiss drew him in, filling him with intrigue and longing. He was too busy staring at the pair to notice the dark, shadowy figure walking, paws in pockets, towards his complex. It slipped inside, unseen.

When the couple finally got up and strolled down towards the middle of campus, Theo was able to glance at the clock again and found, to his chagrin, that he only had a few minutes to get to his class on time. Shit. He had a quiz to take and an assignment due at the beginning of class, but he was still nude and fifteen minutes away from the lecture hall. As he scrambled to get his clothes on, though, he heard few solid knocks at his door. Under his breath, he muttered, "Who in the world...?" Mike, his roommate, wasn't due back for another few hours and neither of them had many friends in this building. Maybe it's some service person here to check on our smoke detector or something. He tried hurriedly to finish dressing and called out, "Just a minute!" to stall for time, but the fox saw his doorknob turn with a soft 'click' and the door swung inward, revealing an unfamiliar figure.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the wolf (for he was unmistakably lupine in appearance) was his coloration: sleek, pitch-black fur covered him from head to toe. If it weren't for his clothing and the annoyingly bright fluorescent lights in the room, he could have been easily mistaken for a shadow. His garb was typical of a college student: a pair of skater-style sneakers, slim-fitting denim jeans, and a black T-shirt with a red inverted pentacle emblazoned on the front. Theo found the insignia oddly amusing. Geez, people will wear anything nowadays just to make a statement. As if any of these punks were actually Satanists. Still, something about the wolf's appearance struck the fox as being a little...off. It was hard to pin down exactly what was wrong, but this stranger didn't seem like a college student. He was tall - taller than Theo, anyway - and his clothing couldn't hide the lupine's well-built form from the fox's discerning eyes. Though not overly muscular, he clearly had definition to his body: a lean, healthy tone. Theo wasn't usually one to stare, but this time he just couldn't help himself. This guy was hot.

When Theo finally looked up at the handsome stranger's face, he let out a sharp gasp as his heart suddenly skipped a beat. The wolf's eyes were a deep, vivid violet and glittered with a cold, calculating intelligence, boring into his own with an expression of amusement on his face. The toothy grin was almost leering, and yet Theo still felt profoundly attracted to this figure, mesmerized by those striking eyes as they gazed inscrutably upon his form. _ _When the wolf finally spoke, it was in a smooth, articulate baritone, as soothing as it was seductive. "Now, now, it seems as though I've come at a bad time. You're barely even dressed." His smile widened.

After a moment more of open-mouthed gawking, Theo's modesty caught up with him and he glanced down at his scantily clad form. He'd only had enough time to throw on a pair of boxers and a tight-fitting white undershirt. With his face flushing profusely, the fox stepped backwards and wrapped himself up in his comforter. "W-who are you?"

The wolf's eyes glinted and he shook his head with a smirk, as though he found the question beneath him. "You can call me Ax..." He paused a moment, bending down to pick up a piece of paper on the floor: Theo's now-overdue homework assignment. "...Theodore, is it? Theo's cuter, I think."

Theo smiled despite himself. "Well, that's what I go by, usually."

"How convenient." Ax glanced up and caught the fox's grin, returning it with one of his own. The sight of those gleaming, white teeth sent a chill down the fox's spine, and yet the fear only seemed to heighten the dark wolf's allure. Theo knew he should withdraw, pick up his cell phone, and find a way to sneak away, yet he found himself painfully stricken with another bout of intense longing and remained riveted to the spot. Why don't you just get up? What is he-

As if reading his thoughts, the wolf stepped closer and quietly closed the door behind him. "You're cuter than I expected. This will be fun."

Theo felt the cold pang of fear pierce his heart once again. "W-what do you want with me, Ax? This really isn't a good time. I've got class and this quiz and-"

Ax gracefully closed the distance between them in a short, silent bound and pressed a finger up to his lips. He sniffed audibly a couple of times, smiled again, then pushed the tip of his muzzle in one of the fox's sable-tipped ears. "Shh, shh...hush. I've been looking for you a long time, Theo...someone with your scent. I know you better than you might think, much better than anyone else you've met, I'm sure." He took a moment to indulge in another toothy smile before continuing, "I know why you only get B's and C's at this school when you could easily pull straight A's with little effort. I know why there's no one you consider a friend in a sea of distant acquaintances. I know why you spend hours a day scouring those philosophy texts on your desk. You're confused, you feel you have no purpose, and..." - Ax suddenly reached out with his tongue and silkily licked the inside of Theo's ear - "...I want to help."

You've got to run, you need to run now! His mind was screaming at him, and yet the touch of the wolf's smooth tongue in such a sensitive spot had Theo practically melting. Shuddering, the fox let out a soft moan and his eyelids fluttered shut. As he felt Ax's paw gently tipping his muzzle upwards, though, he opened his eyes and looked up at the wolf, biting his lip. Those purple irises continued to gleam warmly down at him, yet what truly lay behind Ax's persistent grin was a mystery. He wanted to ask, but the words wouldn't come. Theo couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't breathe; the wolf's riveting gaze had ensnared him and the noose was tightening. Finally, he choked out, "Ax, h-how do you know so much about me? C-can...can you read my mind?"

The dark wolf snickered softly, then suddenly wrapped his arms around the blanketed fox in a firm embrace. "I can't read your mind, Theo, but I don't have to. This..." - he tapped the tip of his nose suggestively - "...tells me all I need to know. Most people nowadays can't use and therefore underestimate the true power of the sense of smell. If sensitive enough, it can detect emotion far more accurately than simply staring at a facial expression. I can sense your depression, your loneliness, your jealousy, your resentment, your boredom, your anxiety, and, most obvious of all, your lust." He didn't speak the last word so much as breathe it, sending a puff of moist air wafting sensually past Theo's nostrils.

The voice in his head screaming for escape was quickly becoming part of the ignored background noise as the fox slumped comfortably in Ax's arms and snaked his own out from beneath the covers to loop around the wolf's trim waist. His body was so welcoming, emanating a soft, sensual heat, and his scent...it was so lusciously masculine. Letting out a deep, contented sigh, Theo resigned himself to simply enjoying the hug and rested his chin on the black wolf's shoulder. Surely someone so wondrously comforting couldn't mean him any harm? No one had ever held him, not like this. It was as though with his warm embrace, Ax was shielding him, protecting him from the cold, starkly unforgiving reality of the outside world. Releasing the last of his inhibitions and worries in another sigh, Theo clutched Ax even tighter and let out a small chirp of contentment as he allowed his eyes to close. To his surprise, he suddenly felt the wolf's paw tenderly stroking his head and heard him whisper, "There, that's a good fox..."

Is this what physical intimacy means?_ Is this what I've been missing out on for all these years_?

When he was younger, Theo had been too shy and self-conscious to let anyone touch him in a sensual manner, let alone have sex with him. His homosexuality had once prevented him from feeling comfortable enough to initiate encounters, but after a while, those feelings of shame and embarrassment were replaced by obstinacy, a refusal to admit that such encounters could be important to achieve that sense of fulfillment he so deeply desired. Of course, he couldn't help the occasional lurid fantasy about what it would feel like from floating through his mind, nor could he stave off the occasional bout of longing, but he inwardly denied that it could mean anything aside from the gratification of a physical urge. With a strong enough will, any such drive, especially one with as base a nature as sex, should be able to be quelled. Even masturbation was an act of abject submission of the mind to the body in which he refused to indulge. After years of chastity, the fantasies became fewer and less frequent, until finally he had almost completely repressed his libido.

Only now was Theo realizing how foolish he'd been. Throughout his self-imposed solitude, he could never have guessed how undeniably emotional the experience was; along with the strong desire the dark figure holding him had uprooted, he also felt a powerful sense of affection, trust, and attachment. He never imagined that it could be so warping on a psychological level, that a single, sensual gesture could usurp every bit of his conscious mind and render him completely defenseless. It was an overwhelming wave of what could only be described as supreme comfort that sedated him as he rested in the wolf's arms. Still, the wanton desire for something more continued to cloud his senses in a thick fog, and before he could stop himself, one of his paws slipped down and began to lightly squeeze at Ax's denim-clad rump. Apparently caught by surprise, the wolf shuddered and released him, and Theo found himself looking at the ground, blushing sheepishly as he wrung his paws together. "Ax...I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. Maybe you should just go..."

Unexpectedly, Theo heard the wolf let out a hearty chuckle and felt his jet-black muzzle lean in and nuzzle against his cheek. "Theo, it's perfectly natural to feel these things. It's the most beautiful thing about being alive. I'm here because I want to enlighten you, to show you what your years of contemplation have robbed you of. I'm going to make you mine, and you're going to love every single second of it. You've chained yourself up in a personal torture chamber of 'why's and 'what if's; let me in, and I will undo those restraints and show you a place you couldn't even dream about." His voice was so dark and silky-smooth, and his words set loose a sublime rush of excitement as his heart thumped madly in his chest.

Ax covertly slipped a paw between them and began to grope lewdly at Theo's groin, where his member was already plumped to fullness and yearning for this kind of attention. As the thick shaft throbbed in wolf's paw through the thin fabric of his undergarments, Theo took a step back and let out a large gasp of surprise; a wondrous, tingly feeling was emanating from his spine and spreading throughout his entire body. His eyes were wide open in a combination of shock and ecstasy, blankly staring at the ceiling until finally the intensely pleasurable sensation subsided and his eyelids fluttered shut once more. As Ax continued to paw around in Theo's nether regions, Theo felt himself slump in the wolf's grasp, a helpless victim to Ax's shameless fondling as he rested his head on his shoulder, panting lightly. Desperately, the fox whispered, "Ax...I..." but couldn't finish; a particularly firm squeeze around his shaft caused him to spurt out a bit of seed and consequently choked off his voice.

"Hush...hush. That's a good boy." The wolf paused in his pleasure giving and resumed his tight, comforting hold around the fox's middle. "Just relax now. I'm going to take good care of you." With the quickness and assuredness of a seasoned veteran, Ax thrust the blanket aside and smoothly removed Theo's two pieces of clothing. Smirking, the wolf then gave Theo a hard shove, forcing the nude fox to clumsily fall onto his back in the middle of his bed. Looking up rather bashfully at the black wolf, Theo saw those glimmering violet gems thoroughly examining every inch of his body, his arousal painfully apparent as his cock remained firm and erect. Finally, Ax flashed his flawless teeth in an amused half-smile as he said, "Beautiful, simply beautiful. A little overfed perhaps," -Theo's blush grew deeper - "but certainly a fine male specimen. To think that no one's ever beheld this sight before..." A frown crossed the black wolf's lips for a moment, but it was quickly displaced with the more-familiar grin. "But, of course, that's all going to be different from now on." After taking a moment to stretch his back and crack a few joints, Ax slid onto the mattress with the fluid ease of a fine athlete. Coming to rest on his knees and lightly straddling the fox's supple thighs, he allowed his paws to come to rest on either side of Theo's soft belly. "I know what you need, Theo. And I'm going to give it to you."

The anticipation alone was far more stimulating to the fox than even his wildest fantasies. Christ, he was practically wagging his tail. The excitement of not knowing what Ax had planned next and the deep fear of where this unexpected encounter might lead him were almost enough to push him to climax without Ax's tender fondling. However, in a sincere effort to keep himself calm, the fox took a deep breath and allowed his body to relax, closing his eyes as his head rested on his pillow. That relaxation lasted for only a fleeting instant, though; as something hot and wet suddenly began to coil around his exposed shaft, a cold, jarring shiver ran down his spine and his body went fully tense. Mouth agape and eyes wide in blissful shock, Theo took a moment to look down: Ax's full attention was on the fox's throbbing pink member as he slowly and succulently wrapped his long, dexterous tongue about his malehood, occasionally letting out a few pleasured grunts. The fox looked down and Ax's eyelids slid open, amethysts meeting emeralds in a knowing gaze. Taking a deep breath, the wolf engulfed Theo's full length with his elongated muzzle. A low, guttural moan escaped the wolf's chest as Ax began to apply a light pressure with his moistened lips, gradually sliding his muzzle up and down the saliva-lubricated shaft. His tongue, though unseen, remained hard at work, gingerly swirling around and caressing every inch of tender fox-cock.

Theo was literally writhing atop his bed, squirming to escape the clutches of this sexual demon as each successive lick drew him closer to climax, the sensations so intense that the fox couldn't remember any experience that had come close to matching it. How...how...Is this real? Only in the back of his head was he considering the incredulity of being so intimate with a complete, albeit devilishly attractive, stranger; most of his energy was being spent on forcing himself to endure this blissful torture, holding in his orgasm for as long as possible, wanting to make it last, make it mean something. As Ax continued, however, Theo found it impossible to restrain himself from thrusting upwards with his hips, acting on an instinct he didn't even know he had. Eyes shut as he gritted his teeth with the single-minded resolve to hold on, to cling to the edge of the precipice as long as he possibly could, the fox tried to get his body to relax. _Please...please...I need...to...stop...now..._But Ax was relentless; his tongue's once slow, purposeful slurps all around Theo's member became frenzied, the wet appendage wrapping and unwrapping itself around his pulsating shaft in a serpentine fashion while continuing to slather copious amounts of what seemed to be an endless supply of lupine saliva. Just as the wolf gripped just a touch tighter with his lips and squeezed around the fox's desperately throbbing cock, Theo let out a loud cry and thrust hard into Ax's ready maw, letting a few ribbons of cum erupt from his tip to be gathered up by that eager tongue. As soon as his orgasm came, however, he felt something sharp painfully dig into his stomach and heard a sharp, angry grunt; the wolf was gripping him with his paw, allowing his keen claws to sink into his belly, as if in a warning. Frightened, Theo used all the self-control he had left to keep himself from finishing, relaxing his body so that the rest of his seed could be stored away for some unknown purpose. As his body grew limp in Ax's grasp, the black wolf sighed deeply, removed his lips from the fox's softening member, and smiled at up at him, licking his lips.

"I'm sorry about that, but I want you to hold on as much as you can. Can't have you climaxing prematurely, can we?" Ax chided. Theo took a moment to glance down, and to his shock, there were three sharp parallel lines of red along his stomach, each one leaking thin trickles of blood. Mouth open wide, the fox stared up at Ax; was that a predatory glint in his eye? The look was fleeting, though; one blink and his eyes were kind once again.

Lips upturning in a fond smile, the wolf cooed, "You know, it's impressive that you lasted as long as you did. You're trying so hard. I know you want this ever so badly." Theo found himself nodding slowly, the afterglow dulling his thoughts and numbing his tongue. "Are you ready for the next part?" Again the fox nodded; he wanted this more than anything in the world.

Humming contentedly, Ax began to remove his clothes. Unlike the way he'd quickly and efficiently stripped Theo, however, the wolf was taking his time now, accentuating every ripple of his musculature as he methodically removed his shirt, pants, and finally undergarments. The teasing had its intended effect: the fox sat up straight, eyes wide and mouth agape as he ogled Ax's nude figure. Despite the smug look on the wolf's face and the twinge of guilt he felt over the shameful spectacle he was making of himself, Theo's awe and intrigue were just too overpowering to resist. The hard-edged definition of the wolf's arms and chest; the way his chiseled abdomen flexed with each breath; the overt display of lust in the form of his impressively large, fully erect penis...he was too entranced to look away. Someone this gorgeous would have been able to sleep with just about anyone on campus, and yet Ax was choosing him? It didn't seem possible, but here he was, standing before him in all his glory.

Chuckling softly, Ax leaned in close, putting much of his sculpted body in paw's reach. Boorishly, Theo didn't even wait for his permission before he started fondling him, tracing around the dark wolf's lean, well-toned body with his eager paws. He first sampled his firm, sinewy biceps, next his shoulders, then the hard lines of his pectorals and abs, and finally the smooth, pulsating flesh of his throbbing member. It was pitiful: he'd put in so much effort over the past few years to stay chaste, and here he was, panting like a dog and practically shivering with anticipation as if he were some horny teenager. Maybe that was the reason he was so overcome now; Ax had lifted the barricade holding back the sum of years of sexual repression and now all those feelings were hitting him at once. Either way, as if it wasn't already painfully obvious to both of them just how excited he was, the fox's cock was starting to swell again, inadvertently prodding the wolf's thigh as he reached full mast. After a few blinks, Ax glanced down at the protrusion, then back up at furious blush on Theo's face. Smirking, he said sardonically, "I agree. I also think you're ready now."

As the wolf laid Theo on his back and assumed the position, the fox felt a chill of panic travel down his spine. This was all happening so fast and there were so many things he didn't know. What exactly do people do during sex? What if he did something wrong? When he felt the forceful plunge of Ax's sizable shaft deep within his bowels, though, all his worries instantly vanished. Intense didn't even begin to describe how it felt to have the wolf inside him. Reflexively he arched his back and tipped his head back against his pillow, and though his mouth was gaping open as if he were about to yelp, all he could muster given the tightness of his chest and throat were a couple of nigh-inaudible squeaks. It was totally new, this feeling of penetration; too new and too strong to even evaluate it as being a positive or negative experience. Still, as the wolf began to rock back and forth, sliding his member in and out, in and out at a nice, steady pace, Theo found the buzz of newness wearing away, replaced with a feeling of deep satisfaction with each thrust. He knew he was panting, he knew his cock was hard and dribbling, but none of it mattered; he was beyond caring, beyond thinking. Even when he heard Ax growl loudly and felt a sudden pain in his side, that sensation was so distant that he barely even noticed it. This was true bliss.

How long the wolf continued to roughly assault his anus with his impressive length, Theo had no idea. However, he did know, long after the last trickle of cum had dribbled out of his cock, Ax had made one final plunge and let out a low howl, a singularly pure and ringing sound. Then came the rush, a warm, tingly feeling as the wolf unloaded his stores of seed deep within his bowels. It was like a precious gift, being able to slake one's lust so absolutely, and Theo's heart swelled with contented gratitude as the entirety of his exhaustion finally caught up with him. Closing his eyes, he slipped into a world of velvety blackness.

* * *

When he awoke, Theo found himself neatly wrapped up under his covers and saw that Ax was sitting across from him at the edge of his roommate's bed. Though the fox's modesty was protected by nothing aside than the blanket, the wolf had apparently felt more comfortable dressed; he was fully clothed save for his shirt, which was still lying crumpled on the floor. For a while, Theo contented himself with the sight of Ax's sculpted torso as each evenly spaced breath caused his chest to swell and collapse. Those violet eyes, in turn, were gazing upon the fox's form with fondness, his facial muscles relaxed into a soft smile. As he lazed in bed, Theo felt surprisingly light and at ease with himself; after so much exertion and a solid period of rest, everything seemed wonderful. That satisfaction disappeared when he suddenly felt a sharp, searing pain in his side as he tried to reposition himself on the bed. Throwing aside the blanket, Theo looked down he let out a loud gasp of shock as he gazed down at his midsection: another set of parallel gashes had been etched into his side, these much longer and deeper than the ones on his stomach. They looked as though they had been crudely cleaned, at least, but still...those dark splotches staining his sheets remained disturbingly large. With a look of incredulity on his face, Theo glanced over in the wolf's direction, vaguely remembering feeling his claws rake into his side earlier. An expression of fondness remained fixed on Ax's face, though as he stood up and strode over to Theo's bed, the fox thought he saw the hint of a dangerous gleam in his eyes again. Nonchalantly, he said, "Don't worry, Theo. Those scratches won't bother you for long."

The fox's bewilderment turned to indignation. How could Ax be so calm and self-assured after inflicting such a painful wound on him? Even if he'd given him the most incredible experience in his entire life, his earlier satisfaction couldn't temper the righteous anger now surging in his chest. Not even bothering to mask the low growl caught in his throat, Theo shouted, "Was that really necessary? This really hurts, you know, you...you brute!" As he spat out the last word he felt a tear come to his eye; how could he reproach Ax after the wolf had made him soar to these unimagined heights? How important was a slight injury in light of that irreplaceable experience?

The black wolf took a seat on the edge of Theo's bed and looked down at the wound he'd rendered, the expression on his face an unusual mix of apology and pity. As those eyes rose to meet his own once again, though, the fox felt a sudden surge of panic, not unlike the paralyzing fear of a trapped animal watching a predator slowly closing in on it. The wolf was smiling toothily, his malign intent now painfully obvious. Theo had to escape, now. The fox started to open his mouth to cry out, but just then Ax sensuously pressed his ebony muzzle to the fox's lips. The scream was caught in his throat and dissipated. Oh...god..._No amount of willpower could override this tidal wave of pleasure and comfort. Ax was so lusciously warm and vibrant, more alive than anyone he had ever met before. What's more, this kiss _meant_something; Theo felt his whole body tingle with a giddy excitement that only grew stronger with each passing second of their tender lip-lock. Even though he knew that Ax was dangerous; even though he was inexpressibly afraid of him, he just...didn't care. He couldn't _allow himself to care. To care would be to allow his survival instinct take over, to save himself from the influence Ax was exerting over him. What, though, would he be saving himself for? For a broken shard of a life in which he would probably never experience such satisfaction of his most basic of desires again? Who else would take him? He needed_this. Ax wanted him too, he was sure of it, and together they'd be able to live in this state of perpetual physical nirvana. Such physicality was as close to holiness as he had ever experienced in his entire life, more intuitively gratifying and _right than any of his forays into religion had ever been. What did it matter if the wolf had some ulterior motive? Whatever he wanted from him in return, Theo was ready to give. Nothing else could possibly bring him more of a feeling of purpose or belonging than to be desired by another like this.

Still...Theo knew he couldn't see into the future and all the possible paths his life could take. Maybe he was wrong and he could find something that would give him the same sense of fulfillment.

With a soft sigh, Ax finally broke the kiss, staring down at Theo with a sparkle of curiosity his eyes. Smirking, he said, "I can sense you're conflicted."

"What?" Theo stammered, flabbergasted. How could he know what he was thinking? "What are you talking about?"

Ax's smile widened and he tapped his nose. "I told you already that I can smell your every emotion, however small and insignificant a role it plays in your cognition. Every thought has an emotion attached to it. From the pattern of emotions you feel, I can get quite a good sense of what you're thinking about. And even if something slightly escapes my grasp by scent alone, I can use the subtleties of more mundane features, such as posture and facial expressions, to deduce someone's thoughts." The wolf's eyes flashed maliciously. "Even things you aren't aware you're thinking are within my reach. With every thought you betray yourself to me."

Still incapacitated by the wound to his side, Theo couldn't get up and try to escape. At least, that was the excuse he was giving himself for his complacency. He was drawn to that satiny voice like a moth to the flame, except that he knew full well what the consequences of getting too close were. He didn't _want_Ax to leave, or to leave Ax; he held the key to his happiness. Still, he remained undecided, and the indecision was beginning to gnaw at his insides painfully. With an exasperated sigh, he asked bluntly, "Why are you here? What do you want with me?"

Ax laughed coldly. "So bold."

It took every ounce of willpower he had to maintain eye contact, challenging the wolf to give him a real answer. Finally, he acquiesced with a blink and a nod, apparently satisfied with Theo's show of resolve. "It's really not so complicated. As I said before, I'm here to enlighten you." The black wolf reached out and tenderly stroked Theo's cheek with the back of his paw. No, no!_ Don't let yourself give in_! A part of him was shouting at him, telling him to slash at the wolf's smug face and run away. But it was already too late; Ax's soothing touch had Theo closing his eyes and letting out a sigh of deep contentment. Even now, after experiencing the height of physical ecstasy, this simple gesture had the fox reeling. He was being touched by another, sensuously warm being, a person who meant for him to feel this way. Was that not the utmost sign of care and affection? Pain, cruelty, derision...he could steel himself against these things. He had a fair amount of experience in dealing with them, in fact. However, there was nothing in his twenty-year-long life that could have given him the tools necessary to defend himself from sensuality. It was nothing less than a drug, something so powerfully addicting that no logic or reason could stop him from fully embracing this divinely intimate experience. And the one who provided it; he was a demon, and yet he was so beautiful, so warm. When Theo's eyes finally opened, he saw Ax looking down at him with genuine fondness, though his affect was also tinged with a hint of condescension.

In that moment, Theo felt a pang of bitter hatred towards the black wolf. Not because he was potentially dangerous, but because he had him beat, backed into a corner with his teeth and nails ready to strike but no will left to use them. Had Ax said that he wanted a personal slave, or for him to commit a crime, Theo wouldn't have hesitated to agree, if only it meant that the wolf would touch him like that just one more time. As pathetic and low as that made him feel, though, the urge was just too powerful to resist. Ax had won. Tears of guilt, anger, and desperation began to well up as his green eyes stared at the dark wolf woefully. "I..."

Ax looked back with an expression of intrigue on his face. "You...what?"

"I..." Never before had Theo been so unsure of whether he wanted to use the word 'love' or 'hate' to describe his emotions. A silent rivulet of silvery tears began to trickle down his face, the angst of deciding to which of these two opposites he wanted to commit himself becoming too much to contain. Don't...give...in...

The wolf began to gently pet the top of the fox's head. Softly, supportively, he said, "Come on, you can say it."

That last gesture of affection sent him over the edge. Theo buried his face in his paws as he began to sob, the torrential stream pouring out of his eyes and moistening his blanket. Brokenly, he let it all go:

"Ax...I love you..." His tears flowed freely as he began to wail piteously. "I love you! Oh god, I have no idea what that even means. You...you don't...you couldn't...I am so goddamn lonely! There's no one, not a single one...they're all too busy. Too busy with jobs, too busy with schoolwork, too busy with girlfriends, too busy with whatever it is they think they have to do. It's whatever they can do to get away from me! Don't you see that? They just don't care at all! They take one look at me and go: 'Oh, he's quiet...' or 'Oh, he's boring.' or 'Oh, he's fat!' or 'Oh, he's antisocial.' No one thinks: 'Oh, he looks like he could use a friend, maybe I should see what's wrong.' No one reaches out! Ever!"

Theo clenched his teeth, tears ebbing for the moment. "So I say: 'You know what? Screw them!' I don't need them; all they're doing is running a rat race anyway. What are they doing that's so worthwhile? I've devoted_years_ trying to figure out what truly_is_ worthwhile. I thought that maybe, if I studied religion and philosophy, I would know the right path. But it was all a waste! There's nothing in any of these books of any value to anyone! None of it is satisfying...it's all either horribly depressing or hopelessly optimistic or just plain old bullshit. Worthless!"

He reached over despite the searing pain in his side to grab one of the texts off his desk and flung it against the far wall. As it crashed to the floor, he began to cry once again, eyes averted to avoid Ax's, fearful that they would be blankly implacable like the rest. "No one has ever understood...I care _so_deeply about things, so deeply that I can't even allow myself to care about any one thing, or else I might get hopelessly wrapped up in something that's not worth my time. So I've waited and waited for the right cause, ignoring all the others despite knowing they're all there, each one demanding my attention...God, it's been forever!"

Overwrought, Theo began to sob too hard to speak. When he finally was able to regain control of himself, his eyes were wide and he spoke in a soft and hollow tone of voice, terrified of the very words he was uttering. "I never told anyone...I know that I'm rubbish, that I'm worthless. I'm worse than the people I hate so much. At least they do something. I think that if I left the world, it would be just as well off without me. Every time I cross a street, I think that it would be nice if I just got plowed over by some moron driving too fast. Of course, I wouldn't step into the car's path," - he laughed dryly - "because I'm such a goddamn coward. But if some accident befell me and ended my life, I think that would be all right; good, even. It would probably be better that way..."

There were no more tears left to cry. Theo felt like an empty shell, a withering husk that had once held something precious and special but was now filled with only black emptiness. He thought if he just opened up, he would feel better, but instead he felt terrible, worse than he thought he could ever feel. Is it even worth it?_ Why_ haven't I just offed myself already?_ What could be worth_ this? However, when Ax leaned in, brushed a paw tenderly across his cheek, and gave him a sweet, consoling kiss on the lips, he remembered. Ax was the linchpin. Ax knew how to make him feel happy, feel free, feel important, feel like he belonged. There was no reason to be sad; this was a new beginning! Ax understood him and could fill the gaping voids within; he didn't need anyone else! When Theo finally met the wolf's eyes, his green eyes were glittering hopefully and there was the faintest hint of a smile on his face. "Ax...I-"

The black wolf placed a finger to the fox's lips, silencing him. "Hush foxy, I know. I'm going to help you." The look on Theo's face changed to one of desperate longing, and Ax leaned in and held him close, burying the fox's face in his hard-lined yet comforting bosom. "Are you ready to become mine?"

Without hesitation, Theo nodded, smiling; this was it, the moment of deliverance. "Yes, I am."

Ax smiled fondly and lightly raked his claws against Theo's back, coaxing out a slight shudder of pleasure from the fox. "Good. Then there are a few things you need to hear before I bestow my last gift upon you. They may not make sense now and you won't want to accept them, but in time, you will come to understand them as truth and live by them as I do." He paused, waited for a nod of comprehension from Theo, and then continued, "What you need to understand is that there is only nothing. It's no fault of yours that you couldn't find what you were looking for in those books, because it does not exist. You cling to the idea that there is some gilded path of life to follow, that everyone is meant for something, or at least that there is some common ideal to strive toward. Wishful thinking. All of these high-minded notions of morality and justice boil down to little more than the fragile foundation of a self-imposed construct of rules and laws. You see, it's the system itself that's important, not the philosophical principles supposedly holding it together. People need law and order in order to function, so they allow themselves to be shackled, even if the structure within which they imprison themselves is about as stable as a house of cards." The wolf smiled ironically. "The truth is, all rules are a lie, a self-defense mechanism to escape from the ultimate fear that there is no plan or meaning to their lives. People always run from what scares them. In this case, the fear is so great that they simply pretend it doesn't exist. They cannot accept that the only stabilizing force in this world is the destabilizing force of chaos."

The wolf's eyes bored into Theo's intently and the fox swallowed hard, mouth growing dry. Nothing Ax said was revelatory - these were the same ideas he'd tossed around just a few hours ago - but the wolf's unfaltering conviction left him feeling somewhat dejected. He'd hoped for so long that he would find something else and thought that Ax might be the one to lead the way. After a short pause, Ax continued, "You need to understand this. You see through the lies, but still you long to compromise your logic and your reason for a life lived in delusion. Don't. They're saps, and when they eventually realize the hypocrisy of living under an imaginary, flimsy code in a world where only chaos reigns, they will crack. But not you, Theo. You will rise above them. Don't you see? There is only nothing. Your eyes are tearing; stop crying. Look past your disappointment and give up the burden of needing rules to live. Nothingness is the most freeing, most amazing aspect of existence. The only unbreakable laws in this universe are physical. Anything else is within your grasp. Anything. You no longer need to justify your actions to yourself or anyone else. You're free, free to live your life the way you want to live it. You want to love me? Show me your passion and your fire unbridled by the reins of propriety. Live on a whim, for rules are mere whimsy. Submit to the absoluteness of chaos, and it will take you places you could only dream of."

Theo looked up. Ax was licking his lips as he idly stared down at him, watching him whimper softly as he tossed around this perspective in his head._ It...makes sense...but..._ Snickering in understanding, the wolf leaned in, pressing his moist lips to the side of his neck. He heard that silky smooth voice cooing up at him, "You know, Theo, I think I love you too."

Theo suddenly squeezed at Ax desperately. All the feeling he had repressed for so long he let loose in his tight embrace, pouring everything he had to give into the comforting being holding him. Ax loved him back. Knowing that was all the assurance he needed, and even as he felt the sharp sting of the wolf's set of razor-sharp fangs clamping into his tender neck, he refused to cry out. The pain was beyond intense, beyond bearable, and yet somehow Theo managed to quiet his urges to struggle and fight back. When those long incisors finally released their death-grip, Theo distantly felt the hot splashes of blood - his blood - gushing out of his neck and into the demon's waiting maw. Slumping, his arms fell to his sides and his body lost all tension, all blood needed to maintain muscle tautness leaving him as Ax ravenously suckled at the twin pinpricks in his neck. The world began to slip out of focus, becoming a blur of color swirling around him dizzyingly. For a while, all that existed was the downy softness of his pillow and the eager slurping sounds at his neck; the even rhythm was almost soothing. After an indeterminate amount of time, though, he knew his blood flow had nearly abated; his whole body was paralyzed with weakness and Ax had finally stopped drinking at his neck. Instead, he felt the wolf sensually licking the wounds, as though to lap up the last few droplets of life-fluid and initiate the healing process. He couldn't see and he could barely hear; there was no world anymore, only black. Yet, reaching out to him in the darkness were the jarring yet oddly satisfying sounds of the wolf letting out a soft, contented belch and his chocolate voice. The words were colors in an endless, shifting sea of ebony, shapeless tendrils rippling inside his eardrums and piercing the hazy nothingness of his mind, stroking what little consciousness still awake to peaceful slumber: "Sleep deeply and dream well, my love. We will meet again. Until then, adieu." Theo instantly succumbed to the oppressive blanket of blackness.

* * *

When he awoke, Theo felt much better; in fact, he had never felt so spry. Not only was he completely rejuvenated physically, but he could see and hear everything so much more clearly than usual. It was uncanny: from across the room, he could count the hairline scratches in his aged wooden door just as easily as he could tune in to the quiet conversation two friends were having in the room below despite the thick layer of insulation separating them. Whoa, what's happened to me? He took a deep breath, and instantly, his mind felt like it received a massive jolt as the incredible amount of sensory information flooded in through his nostrils. Every object seemed to have its own distinctive scent, an invisible blueprint revealing its composition, ownership, and history. This is amazing! Sitting upright, Theo closed his eyes and lightly sniffed towards each corner of his room in turn, savoring the subtle and delicate symphony of smell. Though the fox couldn't discern what each scent trail meant, he knew that a whole new world of sensation had been opened up to him with a language and vocabulary he had yet to learn.

As if this wasn't exciting enough in and of itself, when Theo pulled off his blanket he was met with another surprise. His body had underwent a complete metamorphosis while he had been knocked out; instead of the soft layer of flesh covering his shapeless form, he found hard, sharp lines of muscle etched beneath his velvety fur. Amazed, he slowly felt over his arms, legs, and torso, finding to his delight that from the shoulders down his whole body was adorned with smooth, sinewy definition. Never had he thought that he would be able to cast of the burden of chubbiness, let alone get 'ripped'. Giddy, he leapt out of bed and dashed over to the tall mirror mounted on the far wall, giving him an onlooker's perspective of his appearance. Each step to get there felt so light and easy, an incredible shift from the smothering sluggishness he usually felt as he moved about. Glancing in the silvery sheen of the glass before him, he gasped in awe as his eyes drank in his handsome form. Every inch of him seemed to gleam, as though exuding an aura of vivacity. Even the wounds Ax had inflicted had vanished, not even leaving any traces of scarring. Most striking of all, however, were his eyes; though the same emerald hue, they sparkled back at him like jewels, each one harboring a strange inner fire of what was unmistakably his newly realized passion and verve. They're just like Ax's. Heart aglow in his chest, he hugged himself as a silent tear of jubilation streaked down his cheek. This is what it means to be alive.

Suddenly, Theo caught a new scent. It wasn't particularly strong yet, but it was moving in his direction. It was the scent of another living creature. Everything changed in an instant: grave seriousness quashed his previous joy and frivolity as every bit of his consciousness honed in on the approaching body. Unexpectedly, his stomach began to roar and he reflexively clutched his midsection as he got a bout of some of the worst hunger pangs he'd ever experienced. This was different from any hunger he had felt before. He felt...uncannily predatory. It was pure agony and it was pure lust, a ubiquitous feeling of extreme, unquenched desire whose only outlet was ripping apart this nearby being and taking in its flesh as his own. _Thump, thump..._each successive step resounded louder and louder in his ears as he drew his tongue across his lips, swiping away some of the drool trailing out from the corners of his panting maw. He desperately needed to kill, to literally rip this creature apart and utterly erase it from existence. The feeling wasn't quite hatred, or fury, but something more primitive and more powerful.

As the footsteps drew nearer, the scent began to take on a familiar tinge. It's Mike!_ He must be coming back from class_. Theo couldn't suppress a cold snicker; his prey was coming straight to him! Silent as a wraith, the fox hugged the wall, standing only a few inches from the door. He's so close...he's all mine. The savory smell was now so potent it was overpowering; his whole body tensed, ready to spring.

Theo heard the key turn in the doorknob and the oak door slowly swung in. Unable to contain his mixed feelings of glee and viciousness, he found himself grinning toothily, his pronounced eyeteeth dripping with saliva. After all, there was only nothing.