FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

The dull roar of the city filled my ears, the sounds akin to background noise as I slowly plodded along the sidewalk. Eyes slightly cast downward, I did my best to weave my way through the afternoon crowds, making my way home at the end of the school day. Honking horns from the traffic and the sounds of construction work down the street echoed around me, coupled with the ever-present drone of many people moving to-and-fro as they went about their days.

Stopping at a street corner as I waited for the light to change, I closed my eyes and cleared my thoughts. Slowly, the sounds of the city faded away and in my mind I could hear the droning of cicadas, the whisper of the breeze through the trees, and even the gentle rushing of a river. I felt my chest grow heavy and my heart get pulled into my memories, and a small, nearly silent sigh escaped my lips.

More than two months later, and I can still feel the hot summer air on my skin.

My summer vacation back to my hometown of Waterfront Village was a month I will never forget. For the first time in the five years I had moved away, I reunited and reconnected with all my childhood friends for 30 unforgettable days. From energetic Torahiko, to playful Shun...kind and quiet Kyouji, to the loud and boisterous Tatsuki. Juuichi, Shin, and Soutarou...all my friends had turned out to welcome me home. It was just like I had never left, being around them all. Some things had never changed, and when we laughed, it felt like we were young again. Then again, many things had changed as well. We all grew up, and had started to explore different paths in life. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other waiting for the light, and the movement caused the small pendant under my shirt to caress my skin.

Kouya...

Just thinking his name brought back another painful wave of memories from summer, and I fought down the wetness building in my eyes as the light changed and I moved forward. The mass of people around me made me shiver, and long for the simple comfort of his embrace. My feet led me down the sidewalk without even really thinking, my eyes looking ahead, but only seeing the summer nights in Waterfront. The gentle kiss of the metal pendant beneath my shirt felt like a weight dragging me down into the solace of those memories. Every time I caught a glimpse of pale yellow, I would stop and stare, no matter what the color was on. It didn't matter. All I could see in it were his eyes.

Kouya...

Without realizing, I was ascending the stairs to my family's flat, having walked nearly all the way from school to home in a daze. Sighing, I removed my shoes as I entered the familiar door, and made my way to my room, depositing my school bag in the corner as I slumped face down on my bed. Staring out the window I watched what little clouds I could see roll by, reminded of the clear and wide sky back in Waterfront, so open and pure as opposed to the tall buildings here in the city. A gentle knock came to my door and I rolled over, blearily looking at the figure there.

"How was school, Hiro?" Mom asked gently. Her soft eyes showed she knew exactly what was on my mind, but she didn't bring it up. She rarely did.

"It was fine," I mumbled, rolling onto my back to stare at the ceiling.

"Do you have much homework?"

I shook my head gently, still staring off into space. "No..." It had been a slow few weeks at school.

"Well, make sure you get started on it anyways. Dinner will be ready in an hour." With that, she turned and left quietly, shutting my door as gently as she could. I remained laying on my bed staring upwards for a time, before my brain finally made my body move, and I got up with a sigh. Pulling my books from my bag, I spread out my school work across my desk and began scratching away at the assigned problems for the night. My hand moved of its own accord, my mind only half-focused on the pages in front of me. In the back of my mind, I returned to a night just a few weeks ago, when the phone had rang...

//////////Three Weeks Ago//////////

The shrill ring of the phone cut over the evening news, and my mother got up from the dinner table to answer it. I remained sitting along with my father, picking away at the sashimi and other dishes before me. It was unusual for someone to phone during dinnertime, but not unheard of. My attention was on the newscast when my mother poked her head back into the dinning room. "Hiro, it is for you."

Me? I wondered. Who would b-

......

Could it be?

Was it him?

Trying to maintain a somewhat calm demeanor, I rose from the table and entered the hallway, taking the phone receiver from my mother. She gave me a small, but knowing smile as she returned to the dinning room. Pressing the receiver to my ear, I managed to get out; "H-hello? This is Hiroyuki..."

"_Hello, Hiro,"_came a familiar rich voice, the tone indicating a smile. Instantly, my heart leaped into my throat and began racing.

"Kouya..." I whispered, blinking back the moisture in my ears. My face broke into a smile as I gripped the phone tighter.

"How are you?"_the Husky on the other end asked. "_Are you doing well?"

Nodding, even though he couldn't see me, I answered back, "Yeah...yeah I am." For a moment, I was at a loss of just what to say. So many things raced through my mind, so many things I wanted to say. Instead, I forced myself to calm down, and added, "How about you? How is your band?"

"We're doing alright," he said. "Practising every day we can. We wrote a few new songs, and they sound pretty good." Pause. "I'm sorry I haven't called much before now..." Truly, this was maybe only the third time he had called since I had returned from Waterfront. Every time he apologized, but I shook my head, knowing it wasn't for lack of trying.

"No...don't apologize," I murmured. "Its okay. You have your job, and the band...you're busy." My finger gently stroked the edge of the receiver as I pictured his face. For a moment, we just sat there, listening to the sounds of each other breathe. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," came the immediate reply, and again, I could hear the smile in his voice. If I listened hard enough, I could almost believe I could hear the gentle swish of his tail wagging.

We spoke for several minutes about random things, not truly caring what the topic was, just revelling in hearing each others voice. It was hard to say some of the things I wanted to, what with my parents so close by. It wasn't that I was hiding my orientation or my feelings for Kouya from them; they knew ever since I returned home and poured my heart out about my month back at the village. It was just...awkward speaking like that to Kouya if others were around. From the noises in the background, I gathered he wasn't really alone either. Especially after one such pause, followed by a loud murmur in the background. I could hear Kouya sigh, fighting back both a look of exasperation and a smile at the same time. "Keisuke and the others say hi as well."

"The band ain't the same without you!" came a loud, boisterous voice from the background.

"Seriously...give Kouya some peace, why don't you?" another voice sighed.

Kouya let out a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh. "Well...uh...I should get back to practice. We're playing in the park this weekend." Another pause. "Everyone else is going to be there to watch..."

At those words, my heart fell and knotted in on itself. "I wish I could be there," I whispered.

"You _ are _here, Hiro," he murmured, and I heard the gentle click of his claws as they brushed his dogtags. The same dogtags he gave me when I left Waterfront. In response, I curled my other hand around my own pendant. If I held on tight enough, I could feel his paw gripping back. "I have to go," he said softly. The last pause on the other end of the line, and I knew he was fighting to make the words come. "I-I love you."

"And I you," I choked out, blinking back the wetness in my eyes. We said our farewells after that, and I hung up, slowly heading back to the table. Along the way, I fingered the shining pendant he gave me, tracing the words inscribed on its surface.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I barely noticed when I had finished the problems on the page, and my hand just continued scribbling random doodles in my notebook, my mind completely elsewhere. Even through dinner I was on automatic pilot, just going through the motions. Thinking back on that phone call just made me miss Kouya all the more. Some of my friends here at school constantly asked me why I was so spaced out during the day, or what I was thinking about. Every time I told them I was thinking about Waterfront Village and my friends back there, they would just shrug it off and dismiss it as typical teenage longing for non-school freedom. I doubt any of them could truly understand what I felt. Had they reconnected with a life they left behind five years ago? Re-met old friends for a painfully brief time and made some new memories....ones that drifted across their mind every day since?

Had they fallen in love and been forced to leave?

Laying in bed that night, just like I did every night, I curled the blankets around myself and imagined with all my power that it was him holding me. That night we spent together in his apartment, our bodies still damp from the sweat of our love-making...how could anyone move on after leaving that? Kouya was my first, and the way my heart was pining away, my only. Sometimes, when I was alone in my room, I would close my eyes and relive that night. The night we became one. Remembering hard enough, I could still feel the heat of him inside me, the passion of our bodies moving together, the bliss of our climax. I remember the fear when first presented with his manhood, in awe at its size and the canine knot at its base. Kouya never tied with me that night, but his essence filled me all the same, making us one as he gave himself to me, and I to him.

We'll meet again, he had said that day at the bus stop. Tapping the pendant he had given me, he smiled. We are forever with.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Another day of my normal routine came and went, although being a Friday, my mood was considerably lighter than it had been. The prospect of the weekend lifted my spirits, if only for the fact I could spend the day doing something other than sitting in a desk and staring at a board as the teach droned on. Trading the usual farewells to my classmates, I gathered by book bag and headed down my usual route home. At the bus stop nearest school, I caught wind of scattered conversations here and there. One group of girls nearby were loudly discussing some act at a club nearby that they were anxious to go see this Saturday. Something about 'country boys' or whatever. I wasn't really paying attention as I watched a billboard advertise some new video game. Thinking of games made me smile and think of Shun, the happy little wolf back in Waterfront, and I wondered if he ever got the game he had been waiting for.

After the half-hour bus ride to the stop nearest my home, my feet carried me down the same old route that they did every day, passing by a small shopping center and several restaurants and cafes. My building complex was not right downtown, but it wasn't out in the suburbs either. My parents had picked it out as it was a perfect distance of a commute for my father, giving him close access to the city core, but far enough out we weren't as cramped as we could have been.

Before long, I was climbing the familiar stairs, idly wondering what to fill my weekend with. Homework was on the light side, so that I might finish all tonight. Coming in through the door, I removed my shoes and placed them in the rack beside another pair I didn't recognize. Mentally shrugging it off as soon as the thought occurred, I poked my head in the kitchen to greet my mother. However, when I did that, I found she was already halfway out to meet me. "Oh, Hiro," Mom exclaimed, her mouth twitching like she was fighting an odd expression. "You're home!"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I asked, confused.

Mom looked at me for a moment, and her mouth twitched again. "Someone dropped by earlier to see you," she said as smoothly as she could. "I told them you would be home from school, so I invited them to wait in your room."

Puzzled, I turned from the kitchen and went towards my room, my mind wandering as I wondered who it could be. Someone from school perhaps? We did have a biology project coming up in a week, and had just been assigned into groups today, so that wasn't out of the question. Resting my hand on the doorknob, I made my face up into as polite a smile as I could, ready to meet whomever the guest was, and opened the door.

When my room was revealed, my smile dropped as did my bag, and I froze in the hallway.

Greyish fur shone in the light from the window, almost hiding the brilliant pale yellow eyes beneath those bangs. A hint of white gleamed from a half turned up smile, the same smile that stopped my heart before. The usual black tank top had been replaced with a dark grey long-sleeve, but those faded denim jeans remained the same. His poise was relaxed, but anxious all the same, as I could see his muscles tense beneath the fur and clothing when the door opened. Then, I heard that rich voice call out in a simple exclamation. "Yo,"

"KOUYA!!"

I launched myself from the doorway at him, colliding with his solid form as he yelled out in surprise, tumbling back onto my bed under my weight. Instantly, my memories merged with my present as I felt his warmth surround me, and felt his strong arms squeeze my back, pressing me into him. The tears raced down my face before I even knew they were there, and I buried my face into his neck, taking in the rich scent I had memorized all those weeks ago. Time passed unnoticed as we lay there on my bed, wrapped in each others embrace. It could have been hours, or just mere seconds, I didn't care. All that mattered was that it was him.

I felt him pull away slightly and I lifted my head from his shoulder to look at him, our faces so close I could feel his breath. We sat up on the bed as I pulled my legs under me, half-kneeling beside him. He touched under my chin with a soft hand and lifted my face up to his, that gentle smile crossing his muzzle. "Hi," he said softly.

"Hi," I whispered back, smiling widely now as I wiped my eyes with the back of my wrist.

"What's with the waterworks?" he asked, still smiling that half-smile of his. All I could do was chuckle at the Husky in front of me, acting so aloof and cool like he always did. His eyes gave it away though, and in those pools of pale gold, I could see every ounce of emotion I displayed shining right back at me. I looked into those eyes, and then down at his mouth as I felt myself leaning forward, drawn to him like a magnet, when a voice came from the doorway.

"Ahem," my mother coughed delicately. Blushing hotter than the summer sun, I turned from Kouya back to the entrance of my room, and saw my mother standing there. There was a small smile on her face, but like Kouya, her expression was in her eyes as they sparkled. "Aren't you going to introduce us properly, Hiro?"

Fighting the heat in my face, I stood back up, taking Kouya's hand in mine pulling him to his feet. "Erm....Mother...this is Kouya Aotsuki, from Waterfront Village. You..ah...probably don't remember him from so long ago...but....er..."

My mother stepped into my room with her hand extended, the smile on her face having gotten larger. "A pleasure to see you, Kouya. My, how you've grown." My Husky placed his hand in my mother's, dipping his head in a bow.

"Nishimura-san," Kouya murmured respectfully. "Thank you for inviting me into your home."

"Will you be staying for dinner?"

Kouya glanced at me, then back to my mother. "I do not wish to intrude..."

"Nonsense," my mother said, waving her hand. "Hiroyuki must be dying to see you after all this time. It is our pleasure to take care of you."

Kouya smiled softly and bowed again. "My thanks." With that, my mother closed my door and left us alone, and I turned towards Kouya. For a moment, we just stared at one another, before my feelings got the better of me and I lunged forward into his arms once more. Instantly, they wrapped around me and held me tight, the hard muscles of my Husky firm against my body. My own arms encircled his broad frame, holding him as tight as I could.

We stood there like that for several minutes, no words passing between us, the action saying all that needed to be said. I felt his muzzle rest atop my head and heard the beat of his heart through his chest. "I missed you," he finally said.

"I missed you too," I managed to choke out, my throat still tight with emotion at seeing him after all this time. I wiped the fresh tears from my eyes as we pulled apart, and invited him to sit on the bed with me. So many things I wanted to say to him, to ask him, to tell him how I'd felt all these weeks away from him. Every time I tried to start, my tongue would go numb and my voice would die in my throat. Finally, I managed to cobble together a few words. "What are you doing here?"

His chest puffed out a bit as he smiled. "Well, it seems all the hard work the band has been putting in is starting to pay off. Remember I told you we were playing in the park in Fuunari?" I nodded, drinking in every word as his voice resonated within me. "Well, apparently someone in the crowd took notice." His smile grew wider, and with it, mine did too. I couldn't help it; being around him was infectious. "He owns a club here in the city, and offered us a one-night gig this weekend. Wanted to see some 'fresh talent', or so he said." He smiled at me, the insides of his ears showing a bit of pink. "Anyways....I didn't call you and tell you this because, well, I thought I'd surprise you..."

"That you did," I beamed, grabbing his hand in both of mine. "And congratulations on getting the show! I knew you guys would hit it big!"

His cheek ruffs filled with a reddish color, and he looked away while rubbing his nose with his free thumb. "Ah, well, its nothing spectacular, Hiro...just one gig..."

"Does it matter?" I countered, still smiling. "You guys are getting noticed. Its how it all starts." I squeezed his hand in both of mine, and his smile returned as his other hand came over top of mine. We stared back at one another in silence for another small span of moments, before my voice found itself again. "So, where are you staying?"

Kouya let go of my hands but didn't move away, instead, he slid closer and draped his right arm around my waist. "A hotel nearby. Its not too far from the club, and we managed to spilt the cost between the four of us. Its nothing fancy, but..." He shrugged nonchalantly.

I leaned against him, taking in that rich scent I missed so much, and rested my head on his right shoulder. Almost immediately, I felt his head atop mine as he moved just that little bit closer. His left hand reached across our laps to hold my hand, and I let out a small sigh that had been building in my chest. Our time together in Waterfront flashed through my mind's eye, and for a minute, I began to look forward to a time like that here in the city with Kouya. Unbidden, my mouth worked before I could catch it. "How long are you here?"

Kouya stiffened slightly against me, and this time, he was the one to sigh heavily. "Just for the weekend," he said softly. "Its a one-night thing at the club, so come Sunday, we have to take the bus back to Waterfront."

Right away, I knew I didn't want to think of that, but my heart tugged in my chest at the thought of watching Kouya ride away in a bus. It would be a cruel twist on events three months ago when I left Waterfront Village, and he was forced to watch me leave the same way. I banished the thoughts from my mind as best I could, forcing myself to enjoy what time with Kouya I had right here and now. I shuffled closer into his side, and sensing this, he pulled me tighter against him. I felt his head rub softly against mine, the usually reserved and inexpressive Husky letting go of his reservation just a bit to show me that little hint of affection. I brushed my nose against his jaw, tilting my head up towards his. Again, my mouth ran away from me before my brain could catch it. "Stay with me."

"Hmm?" Kouya pulled back slightly to look down at me. I looked right back up at him, eye to eye as I chased down my errant thoughts.

Wrestling my emotions back before I blurted something else out, I repeated, "Stay with me. Here. At my house. Please?" I want to spend every moment I can with you.

Kouya shuffled in on the bed, a slight frown touching his muzzle. "Shouldn't you clear that with your parents first? I mean, how would they feel about some guy staying the night in your room, sharing your bed?"

I couldn't help it. "Who said we'd be sharing a bed? Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, mister?" It worked, and Kouya's face flushed with embarrassment. Even the insides of his ears tinged red as he look away, muttering under his breath.

"Uhh..."

Chuckling, I leaned over and knocked my head gently against his, earning a smile and a soft laugh. "Firstly," I smiled, "my parents know about you...my interests...and us." He blushed again at those words, but I went on. "But, you are right. I should go ask Mom." Patting his leg, I stood up, keeping my hand in contact with his as long as I could as I left the room.

In the kitchen, Mom was preparing meat and other ingredients for tonight's meal, the radio playing softly from the upper shelf. Seeing me enter, she turned with a inquisitive look on her face, yet the gleam in her eyes led me to believe she already knew what I was going to ask. "Mom, would it be alright for Kouya to stay here while he is in town? It's only for the weekend," I added, biting back the sour taste those last words left in my mouth. Whether or not Mom noticed, I couldn't tell.

She tapped her chin as she thought, giving a quick glance to the clock. "Well, I shall have to run it by your father ultimately when he arrives shortly, but I don't see why not. We can move the guest futon into your room."

I felt my face heating up even as the words were forming in my mind. "Ahh...we probably don't really need that..." I mumbled, my eyes struggling to keep from falling to the floor in embarrassment.

My mother let out a soft chuckle. "No, something tells me not," she said gently. Her expression became a tiny bit harder then. "Still, as much as your father and I accept your lifestyle, Hiro, I do not believe...that...would be appropriate in the house while we are here."

If my face was hot before, now it was positively scalding. "N-no!" I squeaked, shaking slightly. "I mean...we weren't...uh....it wasn't-"

"Alright then," my mother cut in before I would devolve into a gibbering mess. The gleam in her eyes told me there was more teasing than strictness in her words, but just then, the door opened and Father entered the flat. Both Mother and I greeted him, and Mom brought up the question of Kouya staying here. I immediately wanted to pray to whatever gods were looking over at the time, but before my mind could even form the words, my father nodded and smiled at me. I hugged him tightly and bounded back to my room, my grin threatening to spilt my face in half.

Kouya smiled as wide as I did when I told him, and I found myself wrapped in his warmth once more as he hugged me. I tilted my head up and touched my lips to his softly, and we both froze at the contact. The kiss was short and relatively tame, but it spoke volume. Kouya's hands curled around my waist and pulled me close as our lips separated, only to touch together another three times quickly. My heart longed to press into him and kiss him deeply, like we had back in his apartment our first night together as more than friends. However, we were interrupted when we were called for dinner, and reluctantly pulled apart. The smiles remained however, as did his hand in mine as we headed for the dinning room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Laying in bed that night, I wanted to do anything but sleep. Next to me under the covers was my handsome Husky, his head propped up on his right arm as he looked at me. A smile graced his features in the dark, and I knew I had a matching one myself. We had gone to bed nearly a half-hour ago, and yet still we lay here together.

After dinner, Kouya and I had returned to my room where I quickly worked through what homework I had while he sat on the bed. We talked about everything from the band to how our friends were doing back in Waterfront. Kouya chuckled as he told me about how Torahiko pouted with indignation when Kouya told them all he would be seeing me this weekend. I laughed too, but in the back of my mind I made a reminder to write them all another letter soon. I had written to each and every one of my friends after a month of returning from Waterfront, but I knew it was time for another. Without internet or cell phones, it made it harder to keep in contact, and long distance phone bills restricted how much we could correspond that way.

When it came time to turn in for the night, I stepped up close to Kouya as his hands roamed over my frame. Smiling at one another, we slowly undressed one another, our hands getting familiar with each others body once more. As we slipped beneath the covers, Kouya curled his arms around me, holding me close as I snuggled into his warmth. More than once I felt the bulge in his bikini briefs press against my leg, making us both blush and grin. As much as a part of me longed to feel _that_with him again, I knew my parents would frown upon it, despite their letting Kouya stay with us. I respected my parents wishes, but the urges were strong.

A gentle hand traced the side of my head, pulling me from my thoughts, as Kouya brushed a strand of hair from my face. I rubbed my cheek against his warm hand, his thumb gliding over my skin. My hand slid under the covers to rub up his flank, my touch gentle yet firm as I felt the muscle underneath his fur. Kouya shivered slightly, but not from any cold, and he leaned in to press his lips to my forehead. Looking at him, I saw his eyes asking a silent question, and I moved closer to respond.

Pressing against his chest with my own, I rolled the Husky onto his back as my lips met his, and this time we didn't stop at a gentle peck. I felt his long tongue caress my lips and I parted them eagerly, reaching to meet his appendage with my own. His hands slipped down my back and grabbed by rump firmly, holding me atop him as we kissed. Our tongues writhed and danced between out mouths, the actions and movements of our bodies saying what we could never put into words. I could feel the tightness in my boxers as my arousal made itself known, pressing against that of Kouya's own excitement protruding from the tight black garments he wore.

"Mmf....Kou-ya..." I mumbled as our tongues wrestled, my hands tracing his chest and shoulders. My body filled with heat as my heart pounded in my chest, his arms and hands gripping me tight. His legs entwined with my own and I couldn't pull away if I tried....not that I would ever want to. Puffs of breath exited his nose, tickling my face as we continued to kiss, writing together as we rubbed our bodies against one another. My lust was building in the back on my mind, yearning to get free, but I ignored it for tonight. No...tonight was just about this; him and me, here together once again.

Pulling back ever so slightly from the kiss, Kouya nibbled on my bottom lip as he nuzzled my face. We both panted from the several minute long kiss, only to cover up our mouths with another as we went right back to it. I could stay here forever with him, underneath my sheets, our bodies pressed together in the moonlight. His hands raked down my back, causing me to arch and moan out softly, biting my lip to keep from being to loud. He chuckled in that low tone of his, deep in his chest, grinning up at me as I panted, looking down at him. Our hips were pressed tightly together, and at the same time, we gave a few soft movements against one another, smiling as we laughed softly.

He leaned up then, pressing his lips to mine once more. This time was softer, and our tongues only touched briefly before he laid back, pulling me with him. I lay atop his chest, listening to his heartbeat as his hands stroked my head tenderly. I reached out with my left hand, intertwining my fingers with those of his right hand, and I felt more than heard his tail swish under the covers. "I love you, Hiroyuki," he whispered, bringing his lips down to my ear before kissing it gently.

"I love you, Kouya," I murmured back, closing my eyes and falling asleep to the sound of his beating heart, floating in his embrace as he held me close.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Normally, most kids put off having to get out of bed on a Saturday as long as they can mostly due to the fact they can sleep in now that the weekend is here. While that was also true for myself, I had another reason as well. That reason being the handsome, muscular Husky beastman that was curled around me tight.

Heaven? Close enough.

Murmuring under my breath, I felt a firm warmth against my back, as well as wrapped around my stomach as I slowly pulled from my land of slumber. The sunlight filtered in through my window, casting warm rays across our bodies, but the warmth from Kouya was more than enough for me to want to sleep the day away. Something warm and slightly wet nudged the back of my neck, trailed down along my jaw, before ending up on my cheek, and I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me. Turning my head, I kissed that soft nose, earning a chuckle, before I felt his lips gently touch against mine. "Morning," I whispered.

"Morning," Kouya echoed back, looking at me through half-lidded eyes. His furry and strong arms pulled me closer under the sheets, seemingly as reluctant to leave the bed as I was. We spent a few minutes just staring at one another as we cuddled in bed, before Kouya finally sat up and stretched. "So, what do you do for fun around here?"

"Eh?" I mumbled, stretching my own sleepy limbs as he slid out of bed and began dressing.

My Husky shot me one of his trademark grins. "You came back to Waterfront and I showed you all my places. Now, since I'm in your city, isn't it fair you do the same?"

He had a point. Although part of me was seriously considering asking him just to stay in here with me all day, I couldn't deny my childhood friend a chance to see where I lived now. Grumbling insincerely under my breath, I too rolled from the bed and began reaching for some clothes. "Well, what time do you and the others have to be at this club? I imagine you have to set up and all that."

Kouya nodded. "Keisuke wants us to meet up for a 'pep talk'-" here he made quotation marks with his fingers - "around 6ish. So, we have some time to kill," he finished, glancing at the clock on my bedside table. The digital display showed it was only shortly after 8 o'clock in the morning.

I nodded as I finished grabbing a set of clothes for the day, laying them out on the bed. "Fair enough. In that case, I'm going to hop in for a quick shower, and then we can go." At the mention of a shower, his grin turned cheeky, and I fought down a small blush as his eyes roamed over my mostly bare form. "Alone, I think," I teased, heading out the door. I'm pretty sure I knew where his eyes were as I left my room.

A few hours later, after having breakfast at home, Kouya and I were walking through the small shopping center browsing the various shops and stores. Despite his act of remaining aloof and 'whatever', I could still see him looking around in wonder and curiosity. His tail even wagged a few times here and there as well, making me hide a smile at the overgrown puppy. When we would pass by a store that caught his eye, his pace would slow and his ears would tilt in that direction. After the third time this happened, I finally spoke up. "Do you want to go in?" I asked, giving the music store we stopped in front of a glance.

Kouya looked back at me, and I could see the slight hesitation in his gaze. "Well...if you don't want to, we can keep going," came the soft response.

I couldn't help but smile and laugh slightly, taking his wrist and tugging him towards the store. "Oh, come on. Let's take a look." He followed along compliantly, not outwardly saying anything, but I could feel the small smile that crossed his muzzle. We entered the music shop, and began looking around. Predictably, Kouya gravitated towards the guitar section, his eyes roving over the selection of instruments. I followed him quietly, smiling at the sight of his gently wagging tail. "See anything you like?"

My Husky nodded, passing by a model of guitar that looked similar to the one I've seen him play. "New model," he said simply, although his eyes betrayed his appreciation.

"Thinking of upgrading?"

"Nah," Kouya shook his head, stepping back from the display. "My guitars are just fine. Besides," he gave me a sidelong glance and grin. "I've got better things to spend money on right now."

I felt the blush color my cheeks as he spoke. "W-wha-?"

"How about lunch?" Kouya said suddenly, turning and leading me from the store as we headed towards the food-court. Unable to formulate a rebuttal, or any words for that matter, I followed the Husky as we left the store. The smells of the food-court assaulted my nose as we entered the center of the mall, and I smiled again as I saw Kouya tip his nose to the air to take a sniff. We looked around at all the different stalls, weighing our options as we tried to decide on here to go. Finally, Kouya spoke up. "So, any ideas?"

"Umm..." I stammered, not really prepared for such a turn of events.

"Come on, my treat," my Husky winked at me.

When he gave his usual grin, full of calm coolness, I mentally swooned and finally nodded. "O-okay, thanks." We wandered the circular food court for a few minutes, browsing the various stands, before deciding on one and getting our food. Sitting down at a table, Kouya sat and smiled at me for a moment, long enough to make me blush and duck my head. "What?" I asked softly.

The Husky across from me just shrugged and smirked, mixing some of his vegetables and sauce together on his plate. "I'm just happy to see you, Hiroyuki" he said softly. "I really missed you."

Aware that we were in a very public place, I subtly reached across the table and patted his hand. "I missed you too, Kouya."

"I mean it," he continued in a low voice, looking down at his plate. "Would you believe this is the first meal in three months I've actually looked forward to eating?"

"Huh...why?"

Kouya's ears drooped slightly, before he flicked them and sat a little straighter. "Because looking across my empty table sucked," he said simply. "The week after you left, I would just sit there and stare at the seat opposite me."

"Kouya..."

He waved and hand dismissively, picking up his fork once again and digging into his dish. "You just get used to something, you know? And when its gone...well...you really notice it at first."

My heart fell slightly in my chest, knowing my childhood friend had felt so alone after I had left him and the others back at Waterfront Village. My brain tried to rationalize it all, saying it couldn't have really been helped; I had to return to the city because of school and my family. Still, I couldn't help but feel bad with the knowledge that Kouya was left with that empty apartment all over again. It made me think of just how limited our time together here was, and I fought back a frown. It may only be today, and he leaves tomorrow...but we'll make every minute count, I promised myself. Unable to get the words out of my mouth, I gripped his hand tightly in mine and I saw him smile, understanding the meaning behind the gesture.

We ate our lunch, talking about happier things to keep our minds occupied. Kouya laughed as he talked about Keisuke and some of the stuff he had started doing at band practice in order to keep the morale high, like the time the stallion had decided to bring everyone's favorite snack as a surprise, and then promptly got them all mixed up. I laughed with him, and for the time, everything felt like it had three months ago when it was just me and him.

After lunch, we walked around the mall some more, browsing shops and simply enjoying the companionship we missed so much. It was after two o'clock when my Husky friend surprised me out of the blue by asking, "Hey...wanna go see a movie?"

"A movie?" I asked, not expecting the idea.

Kouya grinned at me out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, you know, those moving pictures with sound? I hear they're a big hit these days." He snorted and laughed as I elbowed him in the ribs, hoping my blush wasn't too evident.

"Smartass."

He chuckled a bit more, still looking at me sideways. After a moment or two, he asked, "So...do you?"

Smiling back at him, I nodded. "Sure, I'd love to go to a movie with you." This time, he blushed slightly, and I laughed, the tables turned. Brushing his hand with mine, I turned a corner and led the way out of the mall to a nearby theatre down the street. Being midday, it wasn't terribly busy, so we didn't have to worry about long lines.

We bought our tickets for our chosen movie; something about a struggling songwriter who gets a job at a bar when she moves out on her own to follow her dream. Picking some seats near the top row of the theatre, Kouya and I sat down while we waited for the previews to begin. Our timing had been almost perfect, as not two minutes after we sat down, the lights dimmed and the previews began. My Husky and I quietly chatted through the trailers, commenting on ones we'd think about seeing, or others that just looked awful. Kouya stuck his tongue out as a preview for a cheesy romance played on screen, and I tried not to chuckle too loudly.

When the movie finally began, the normal hush fell over the theatre, only to occasional cough or sneeze breaking the silence. I had to admit, the film was actually quite good; it reminded me of Kouya and his band, and all the hardships they must have fought when they were just beginning. Watching the character on-screen struggle with her life on her own, it gave me an all new appreciation for just how strong Kouya was.

Halfway through the film, I felt something slide around my shoulders, and Kouya's musky scent filled my nose, making me shiver slightly. I looked over to see my Husky draping his arm around me, trying to look casual but I could tell by the slight droop in his ears that he had to be blushing in the darkness as well. Smiling, I leaned over towards him more, resting my head against his shoulder. Right away, the arm around me tightened, and I felt his thumb caressing my shoulder. Glancing up, I saw the smile across his muzzle and I tried to snuggle as close as I could given the chairs we were in. I rested my hand on his thigh, giving a gentle squeeze to reciprocate the affection, and I could have sworn I could hear his tail wagging off to his opposite side.

The movie continued on, but my attention was only partially there. My ear that was against Kouya's shoulder and chest picked up the faint rhythm of his heartbeat, and I sighed happily. Every so often, his head would dip down and his muzzle would rub against my head softly, his warm breath washing over me. With not a great many people in the theatre with us, it was like we had the place to ourselves, and my heart soared.

Unfortunately, the movie came to an end, and I was forced to sit back up from my warm and comfy Husky pillow with a grumble. Kouya chuckled, and with a quick glance around, darted his head down and kissed my cheek just before the lights came back on. My face immediately burned and I tripped over my tongue, staring at him as he gave me that cocky grin. "What?" he asked, smirking as he helped me from my seat.

"Y-you..." I growled, trying to force my blush to go down as we left the theatre. Kouya just kept that grin on his muzzle all the way out, his tail swishing behind him as we walked out of the cinema. I was sorely tempted to grab his tail, like I back at the beach during the summer.See how calm and cool he is then, I thought to myself. My hand was actually inching that way when Kouya spoke up once more.

"Well, its getting close to six," he said, looking at his watch. Indeed, we had almost spent the entire day just wandering around and hanging out. Those gorgeous yellow eyes turned towards me, and my stomach rolled again. "We should probably get back to your place so you can tell your parents where you are going." His ears folded back and he looked away. "Er....that is....if you want to come to the show..."

Snorting, I wrapped my arms around his midsection, causing him to blush and stammer as we stood in the middle of a sidewalk. I smiling up at him, I gave his back a gentle rub as I said, "You think I would miss my Husky's big show?"

"H-Hiroyuki....what are you..."

Chuckling, I let him go and we resumed walking, the lighter fur on his cheeks showing the deep red of his blush. I could see his eyes dart around slightly, as if trying to see if people had caught us. "That's payback for the surprise kiss in the theater," I said in a low voice. Kouya grunted, but he quickly regained his composure, even giving me a grin of acknowledgement as if to say 'Touché'. "And yes, of course I'm coming to watch you perform, silly."

"Cool," came the simply reply as we headed back to my place to get ready. Still, I heard the ever present sound of that fluffy tail wagging, and we both smiled at one another.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The club was called the Blue Moon, and surprisingly enough, it was only a fifteen minute bus ride from the stop nearest my home. It was a large club, but by no means huge. There was a good-sized stage at the head of the dance floor where various acts could perform. Lining the perimeter of the dance floor were smaller tables, and the larger tables and booths were set along the walls and towards the rear of the club. The brightly lit and well-stocked bar was directly opposite the stage, ensuring that even the employees working the floor had a great view of whatever act was playing.

Considering we were rather early before the club got busy, there were only a few patrons mulling around the place when Kouya and I got there. We had briefly returned to my house to inform my parents of our plans, and I had taken the opportunity to ask if I could stay with Kouya at the hotel tonight, as he had to leave tomorrow. My parents were hesitant at first, but they eventually relented, and we left for the club with bright smiles on our faces.

I noticed a slight tilt in the Husky dogman's ears as we entered, just having flashed our I.D to the doorman, and I could tell Kouya was nervous, despite how much he tried to hide it. As we moved towards the hallway along the side of the main floor, I gave his hand a gentle squeeze of encouragement, and I felt him squeeze right back. I rubbed my thumb along the back of his hand, trying to tell him it would be okay. I got a bright grin from my Husky for that.

We went to the backroom just off the main stage, where Kouya told me Keisuke and the others would be waiting. It was a good thing he told me the rest of the band was already here, otherwise I would have died of fright as soon as we opened the door, and were greeted with a loud, "HEEEYYY!"

Before I could even register the words, I was lifted up and compacted into a solid wall of fur and muscle. Big, strong arms were wrapped tightly around my back and for a moment, I flailed in surprise. "Woohoo!" came the loud, boisterous voice. "Alright, the Musikus are all back together!"

"Keisuke!" another voice cried out. "You're going to crush him!"

I was promptly set back to the floor, and I gasped for breath, looking up at my 'attacker'. With a smile nearly as large as he was, the broad-framed figure of the band's leader and drummer, Keisuke Hirama laughed and patted me on the shoulder with one of his large, meaty hands. "Haha! Sorry about that, Hiroyuki!" the horseman boomed in his big voice. "Its just great to have our manager back with the band!"

"Honestly, don't you think its bad luck to crush our manager before a show?" the lithe birdman to Keisuke's right remarked dryly. The band's vocalist, Yuuki Torii smiled and me and held out his hand, which I happily shook and returned his smile. "Forgive the big lug, Hiroyuki. We're really happy to see you again."

"Me too," I replied, smiling up at Keisuke as well. "I missed hearing you guys play."

"Well, we missed playing for ya!" Keisuke boomed, his smile still as wide as his muzzle.

A soft sigh came from the other side of the large horse, and a shorter Calico cat shook his head slightly. "Keep shouting like that, and he won't be_able_ to hear us play." Jun Nekonishi gave me a gentle nod of his head, and the ghost of a smile graced his lips. "Hello again, Hiroyuki."

"Good to see you, Jun." I nodded in reply.

Seeing their three faces smiling happily at me, I knew my own smile was stretching across my face. The atmosphere was infectious. Keisuke looked like he was practically bouncing on his feet with excitement. "So, our Kouya didn't bore you all day, did he?" the large horseman teased.

I chuckled. "I managed to amuse myself all day," I grinned back, giving Kouya a look out of the corner of my eye. I could see the insides of his ears were red and he was pointedly avoiding everyone's eyes.

"Haha, thats good news!" Keisuke laughed. "We could barely keep him still on the bus ride up here. His tail was wagging all over the place, and he actually started smiling, and then-"

"Anyways," Kouya coughed loudly, his ears now a deep shade of scarlet. He made a show of turning his shoulder to Keisuke and addressed me and the others, to keep from seeing the large stallion's teasing grin. "We should probably get set up, right?"

"Yeah," Yuuki agreed, although it seemed he was fighting a grin of his own. "We can get a good sound-check in before we're due to go on." Kouya nodded and moved over to where the band's equipment was stored, then froze as Yuuki added slyly, "If we can all focus on the music, that is." I have to admit, seeing Kouya's furry tail fluff out in embarrassment is rather amusing...and cute.

Despite the jabs, the band all began to unpack and set up their equipment, taking some of it straight out onto the stage to set up. I tried to make myself useful by helping out where needed, but after a while, I started to feel I was more in the way than anything. Of course, it didn't help that every time I looked over, Keisuke had this huge, knowing grin on his face, which only served to annoy Kouya even more. Finally, I asked, "Umm...is there anything else I can do to help?"

Keisuke looked around at what equipment was left, and gave me an apologetic shrug. "Eh...I think we got it all, Hiroyuki, thanks."

He looked over the band once more, and it seemed like he was trying to find the right words to use, but I shook my head and smiled. "Its alright. I should leave you guys to your warm-up anyways," I said, heading for the door.

"Oh, wait!"

"Eh?" I turned around just in time to get a lanyard thrust into my face by the burly horseman. "What's this?"

"Almost forgot," Keisuke laughed, shaking the little card on the end. "Your VIP pass! Can't have our manager out there with the common crowd!"

My cheeks flushed slightly as I smiled, and took the all-access pass. "You guys didn't-"

"Of course we did," Yuuki piped up from where he was going over some things with Jun. "We made you a part of the band, so naturally, we want you around with us." The catman next to him simply nodded in agreement. I held onto the little pass card tightly, a warmth blossoming in my chest at the gesture as I smiled and nodded back.

Before I could add any words to my sentiment, however, the door to the offices opened up and a well-dressed leopard came out. He was slightly taller than Kouya, but had a pretty lean build. His short, spiky hair had been dyed a dark blue and there was a stud earring in his left ear. His clothes were very nice looking, a perfect blend between casual and formal, his collared shirt accenting his form nicely. "Alrighty then guys, just about set up?" he said cheerfully in a definitely Western accent, clapping his paws together. His bright green eyes passed over to me, and he smiled in greeting. "Oh, hello there. I don't believe we've been introduced." His paw shot out towards me, and I paused, slightly surprised.

Thankfully, Keisuke was right there to help. "Ah, right. Hiroyuki, this is Ryan Vyrel, the owner of the club. Mr. Vyrel, this is Hiroyuki Nishimura, our band's de facto fifth member." The leopard and I shook hands and I smiled at the man, nodding my head to affirm Keisuke's words.

"Pleased to meet you!" the leopard man purred, smiling. "Your friends told me about you, and I see they gave you your pass," he said, nodding at the card around my neck. "Excellent, excellent. Anyways," Mr. Vyrel turned back to the band, his energetic attitude permeating the room. "We're due to have you start in a little over an hour, so if you guys want to get a sound-check in, now's the time!"

"Right, you heard him, guys," Keisuke said, grabbing his drumsticks. "Lets pump out some sound to get good and ready." He headed out onto the stage, followed closely by Yuuki and Jun. Mr. Vyrel headed off onto the main floor of the club, no doubt to attend to other business, leaving just Kouya and I in the back room. The sudden silence made my stomach knot.

Kouya rubbed the back of his neck with a hand. "Well, guess I should go warm up," he said softly, his eyes looking down slightly. I nodded, my own gaze drifting around the room, trying to think of something to say. A few more moments of silence passed, and we could hear the others setting up on stage. My heart was beating fast, knowing how big of a moment this was for Kouya and his band. Heck, I was nervous and excited to...and I wasn't even on stage! I wanted to say something, some words of encouragement, but my voice kept dying in my throat every time I tried to form a syllable.

Kouya looked like he was about to just head off, seeing as how there were no words between us any more. Realizing my inaction was very well holding things up, I swallowed my nerves for a second and quickly leaned in to give him a kiss on the side of his muzzle. Kouya's fur fluffed out and he instantly blushed, his eyes darting around to check and see if anyone had saw that, before they rested on me and he visibly calmed down a bit. "Good luck, Kouya," I smiled.

"Thanks," he said softly. He hesitated, then gave me a quick peck on the lips in return, one of his rare smiles creeping across his features. "I gotta go," he said, jerking his thumb towards the stage.

"I'll be watching."

He smiled at me one last time, then turned and darted for the stage, his tail wagging behind him. My stomach knotted and twisted with excitement as I heard them begin to tune their instruments, and I headed out to the main floor. All these nerves had gotten me thirsty. I needed something to drink to take my mind off things, and to occupy my hands so I would stop wringing them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When the lights in the club dimmed, I swear my stomach dropped out of my gut. The little glass of cranberry club soda I held shook in my hands as I heard the crowd begin to grow quiet, and I tightened my grip to will it to stop, lest the people hear it over Mr. Vyrel's introduction for the band. Over the past hour, people had started filling the club, first in small groups and then, it became an uninterrupted stream. The club was packed and everyone was eagerly gathered around the main dance floor and stage as they awaited the night's big act.

I looked out at the crowd and mentally thanked Keisuke and the others for the VIP pass that hung around my neck. The mosh pit of bodies were all crammed together, and I had no doubt I would have been smothered down there. As it was, I was just off to the side of the main stage, my backstage pass allowing me to watch the show from here just like a real manager would. On stage, I could just make out the dark outlines of Kouya and the others as they awaited the signal to start. Even though I couldn't see their features, I had to guess they were just as nervous as me.

The curtain slowly parted on silent strings and the crowd's gentle din fell into a hush. At once, the main stage lights came on and the four beastmen appeared to the crowd. The club-goers cheered as the show's start was upon them. I looked out at the four band members and saw this unified aura of zen and peace wash over them as they put their 'game faces' on, and my stomach started jumping in excitement. Keisuke raised his arms to the air and clicked his sticks together once...twice...three times.

And then they started playing.

At once, I recognized one of the songs I had heard them play during my summer vacation, and my smile grew without even realizing it. I started tapping my foot and moving with the beat, watching as Kouya and the others lost themselves to their music. Out on the floor, people shouted and cheered, starting to dance and move as well. As the song went on, the atmosphere grew louder and more energetic, and I felt like shouting alongside the crowd.

The band's next song was one I hadn't heard before, but I instantly liked, as it was cheery and upbeat. Yuuki's amazing voice rang out clear across the club, accented by the harmonized tunes of Kouya's and Jun's guitars, as well as the constant thumping beats of Keisuke and his drums. Before I knew it, I had set my glass down on a stool and I was grooving in the shadows. The second song began to wrap up, and just like that, they swung into a new rhythm and a new tune.

With each new song they played, the crowed simply loved it. People were up by the stage, dancing and jumping to the beat. I didn't see an unhappy face on the entire dance floor. Even in the back where the tables were, people were watching and cheering. At this point I knew I was dancing and cheering from the sides of the stage, but I didn't care who saw me. The energy in the place was electric, and I was caught up in the rush of it all. Throughout the entire performance, I saw just how much Kouya and the others were enjoying themselves. Their eyes were shining and smiles lit up their faces as the crowd cheered them on and on. I remembered back on my vacation that they had said when they were having fun, the band played better. Clearly, they were having a blast because I had never heard such great music.

After over an hour of nearly non-stop playing, the band finally wrapped up their last song, and the crowd went ballistic. The cheers were deafening as Kouya and his friends waved and bowed to the audience. Shouts of "Encore! Encore!" rang out across the floor, and I spotted Mr. Vyrel rushing up onto the stage to applaud the band and shake their hands. As the crowd kept cheering and cheering, the leopard man led Kouya and the others off stage to the ready-room they had been in before. Leaving my little viewing area, I went around the long way past the offices in the back hallway towards the ready-room myself, practically bouncing with excitement. I just knew in my heart the band had been a smash hit. I could still hear the cheers and such of the people through all the walls.

I came to the door that led to the ready-room and pushed it open, coming in just as Mr. Vyrel was in the middle of talking. "-didn't expect the show to be such a hit! You guys had the entire club jumping and rocking!" Looking past the owner, I could see the fatigued but bright-eyed faces of the band, their smiles splitting their heads despite the sheen of sweat that ran down their foreheads. Even normally quiet and shy Jun had a smile on that would rival Shun's. I stayed back out of the light so as not to interrupt, and listened to the conversation. "I'm really glad I took a chance and booked you," Mr. Vyrel went on. "I think this is one of the best nights we've had in weeks!"

"Well, we thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Vyrel," Keisuke said, bowing his head slightly, even though his grin was plastered across his face. "We had a lot of fun playing tonight." Kouya and the others quickly nodded in agreement.

"In that case, I can't wait to see how much fun you guys have next time!" the leopard owner beamed.

For a moment, the faces of the band members faltered as they tried to register the words, and my heart skipped a beat as I leaned in. "Erm...excuse me?" Yuuki croaked slightly. "Next time?"

Mr. Vyrel nodded and folded his arms with a smile. "Yep. I want to sign up your band as a semi-regular act here at the Blue Moon."

I could have sworn I heard pin drop, before Keisuke boomed out. "You serious?!"

"You bet your drumsticks I'm serious!" the leopard laughed. He pointed out towards the main floor. "Did you hear the crowd? They loved you! Heck, I loved you!" The owner chuckled a bit more and smiled at the band members before him. "You guys are just the kind of act I'm looking for; fresh, young and with a great sound. That's why I was out scouting all these small-town performances."

"You...you want to sign us on?" Kouya stammered, the normally stoic and aloof Husky's eyes were wide with shock. "No jokes?"

"No jokes. I'm thinking two or three nights a week I'll have you and your band perform...all paid gigs, of course. I do have one little condition, though," the leopard said, holding his thumb and finger an inch apart. "You guys have that fresh sound, and I want to make sure it stays that way. Hearing the same music after so long will get stale," the owner bobbed his head from side to side a bit. "So, I'm hoping to get maybe one or two new songs from the band each month...keep it fresh and new, y'know? Think you guys can handle that?" Keisuke and the others nodded vigorously, while Kouya just kinda of stared off to the side.

"Our first contract..." Keisuke whispered, his eyes shining. For a moment, I was sacred the boisterous horseman would tackle the leopard owner and crush him in a massive bear hug.

Mr. Vyrel nodded. "Yep...and maybe a little something else to sweeten the pot." The leopard grinned and I thought the band would fall over from shock. I know I was pretty darn close. "The Blue Moon is also a restaurant during the day, and I'm looking for some more hands on staff. I figure if you guys are a part-time act here, why not be part-time employees too?"

"I gotta sit down," the burly horseman muttered, steadying himself on Kouya's shoulder.

Jun stared off into space for a moment, before he spoke up in his soft tone, looking at his band-mates. "This sounds all very good...but this would mean taking the bus back and forth to Fuunari nearly everyday. Unless..."

"You think we should move here?" Yuuki asked. My heart stopped, and I held my breath. Kouya and the others....moving here?

The Calico catman shrugged. "I'm just saying that if we take this offer, wouldn't it make sense to eliminate the travel?"

"True..."

Mr. Vyrel cleared his throat politely. "I..may be able to assist in that matter as well. A colleague of mine owns real-estate, and currently finished remodelling an apartment complex not to far from here." The leopard shrugged lightly. "It isn't anything overly extravagant, but it is affordable...especially if you were to split the rent four ways."

I could see each of the band members thinking it over in their heads, and I myself began to consider the possibilities. Yes, it would mean leaving their current jobs and residences to move here, but Mr. Vyrel was offering something huge for a band like them. On the one hand, I knew it would be hard for Kouya and the others to just uproot themselves and move to the city like that. But on the other hand...the idea of Kouya moving to the city...my city...

"Well," Keisuke spoke up after a few minutes of silent thinking. "Before we make a decision, its only fair everyone get a say and a vote." He looked at Jun. "Jun?"

The catman met Keisuke's eyes, and simply nodded, a small smile gracing his features.

Keisuke grinned and nodded back, before turning to his birdman vocalist. "Yuuki?"

"I'm in," the avian beastman said, his beak split in a grin.

"Alright....well, I know I'm in," the burly horse laughed. He turned his gaze to Kouya. "That just leaves you, man. What do you say?" I leaned forward in the shadows, straining to hear my Husky's answer. Would he choose to stay in Waterfront? Or would he take the leap on his dream?

Kouya looked down and to the side as he contemplated it all. My heart was racing even though my mind had frozen. For a moment, I saw his shoulders slump and I honestly thought he would say no. I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing at that point.

Finally, the words came. "I guess I can't really say no," Kouya murmured. "Not after you all had made up your minds to go for it." He lifted his head, and I saw that too-cool smile on his muzzle, the one he used to hide behind when he was actually really happy. "I'm in."

Keisuke cheered and slapped him on the back, nearly causing the dogman to stagger and fall over. Mr. Vyrel the leopard clapped his hands together and smiled. "Well, alright then! I'll speak to my secretary to have some contracts drawn up for you to sign. I'll also get in touch with my colleague, see if he can't show you guys one of the lofts on Monday. But for now, enjoy your night, guys! You've earned it!" Mr. Vyrel then made sure to shake each of their hands, smiling the entire time, before excusing himself and heading off towards the offices.

The band just stood there after the leopard departed, speechless from the shock and the waning adrenaline in their blood from the performance. Even ever-loud Keisuke was tongue tied, unable to do much but pant and grin. I finally regained the feeling in my limbs, and slowly stepped into the room, beaming at them. One by one, they all registered my presence and returned my smile. I tried to find something to say, but my words died in my throat and my gaze fell. I wanted to say how proud I was of all of them...to say how much they deserved this. When my brain finally started piecing together some thoughts, I looked up to speak, but I was cut off by a grey blur.

Kouya surged past his band mates and swept me up in his arms, spinning me around by my waist as I gasped in shock. When we stopped spinning, our eyes met and my heart skipped a beat or two. Without another thought, Kouya pressed his lips to mine and I melted into his embrace. I felt his tongue dart out and poke at my lips, and I eagerly granted him passage, his thick appendage wrapping around my own. The passion of the kiss exploded between us, and I could have sworn the heat in the room went up several degrees. It was every ounce as deep as the time we kissed back in his apartment, and all my restraint faded away. For a moment, the room and the club just washed away, and all I could register was him. His scent, his touch, and the beat of his heart against my chest. I don't know how long we held the kiss, but when we finally broke apart, we were both panting, gazing back at one another. Slowly, my other senses returned and the room came back into focus.

"Well its about time, lover boy!" Keisuke hooted, pumping a fist to the ceiling. I felt my face turn scarlet and I just knew Kouya's ears did the same. The large horseman and the others were staring at us with even bigger grins than when they had come off stage. Even quiet Jun had a wide smile on his face.

"Seriously," Yuuki laughed, joining in. "I thought you'd never come out and admit it."

"Uhh.." Kouya's ears went back and his tail curled up. "What are you-"

"Oh come on!" Keisuke crowed. "I may be slow, but I'm not blind!" He waved at the two of us, and then I realized Kouya and I were still holding each other in our arms. My face went from burning to scalding was we pulled apart, even though he still held onto my hand tightly. "Anyone could see you have a thing for our manager, Kouya!"

Jun spoke up in his soft tone before the large stallion could go on. "It was obvious he was more than a friend. Your mood would always improve at the mere mention of him, and you would smile for no reason."

"Your tail would take off wagging," Keisuke went on, laughing. "And you'd get this dreamy look on your face when you thought we weren't looking." The horseman grinned widely. "You are so in love, dude."

I had never before seen Kouya so embarrassed as he dropped his gaze to the floor. Part of me wanted to comfort him out of instinct, but another part of me wanted to hold him close because it was so cute. "So...uhh," the Husky spoke up, his face showing red through his fur. "You guys are okay...?"

"Of course we are," Yuuki said, smiling. "Why wouldn't we be?" He shook his head and sighed. "You're our friend, Kouya. You too, Hiroyuki. We are happy that the two of your are happy together."

Jun bowed his head slightly towards us. "We wish you many, many days of happiness ahead."

"Yeah...jus' let us know when Hiroyuki's coming over," Keisuke leered playfully. He elbowed Yuuki, who just rolled his eyes and chuckled. "We'll all go out shopping for a few hours...y'know..." Scalding was no long appropriate. I'm pretty sure my face was about to melt from the heat. Kouya was in no better shape, but at least his ears had started to rise back up, and his tail began to wag. Keisuke noticed us starting to perk up a bit, so he nudged Jun and Yuuki. "Say, why don't we three worry about packing up, and let those two have some time?"

"Wow...I'm actually impressed this time," Yuuku teased, patting the big stallion's arm. Jun just let out a soft chuckle and followed the two of them as they went back to get their equipment from the stage.

Once again, Kouya and I were left alone in the room. I felt that his hand was still holding mine and I gave it a squeeze. He squeezed back almost immediately as he turned to look at me. "So..." he said, his mouth twitching in a smile.

"So..." I agreed, finally willing the blood to leave my face. The silence stretched for several heartbeats as neither of us knew what to say. The, Kouya leaned over and cupped my jaw with his free hand, pulling me into another kiss. This one was softer than before, but it was every bit as meaningful. I lifted my arms up and looped them around his neck as we kissed, our mouths moulding to one another, and I let out a soft moan, echoed by the Husky that held me. I rubbed up the back of his neck and head, pressing myself against him as his strong arms held me close.

Our lips parted softly, but Kouya kept his head pressed against mine. "Hey...wanna get out of here?"

"Yeah..."

* * * * * * * * * * *

The door to the hotel room had barely swung shut before I was wrapped in cocoon of fur and musk. I pressed myself against the Husky dogman that held me tight, lifting my head to catch his descending lips on mine. Our mouths met and parted, allowing our tongues to touch and begin another dance, as our feet shuffled clumsily forward towards the bed. Kouya tossed the key on the bedside table as I struggled to remove my jacket, which was hard when I only hand one hand free. The other was wrapped around the back of Kouya's neck, holding our heads close as we kissed again and again.

We had left the club a half hour ago, after quickly speaking to Keisuke and the others, telling them we wanted to head back early and...well...have a little time to ourselves. The other members of the band just chuckled and waved us off, saying they would hang out in the second hotel room until they were sure we had finished up. The four of them had rented a pair of rooms, with two members in each, so it wasn't like all three of them were put out when Kouya asked if we could have the room to ourselves to a while. Both our faces were burning red when we asked, but we knew it was better than potentially having them walk in on an inopportune moment. After enduring a few minutes of good-natured teasing from his band-mates, Kouya took my hand and led me from the club to a waiting bus stop. The next twenty minutes were near torture as we could do no more than hold hands...but even that gave me a thrill like no other.

Now, securely in Kouya's hotel room where we finally had some privacy from the world, our hesitation and inhibitions dropped as soon as the door clicked closed.

I felt the back of my legs bump into the bed, letting out a soft cry of surprise as I fell backwards, dragging the Husky mauling my tongue with his own along with me. Landing on my back, I quickly scooted up and further onto the bed as Kouya crawled up after me, our lips barely breaking contact the entire way. I finally removed my pesky jacket and tossed it at the chair in the corner, wrapping both arms securely around my Husky. Once we had made in onto the bed fully, Kouya laid down beside me, his arm draped across my chest as we broke our passionate kiss, his nose nuzzling the crook of my neck.

Panting, I licked my lips, tasting Kouya as I pushed my head against his. My heart was beating strong and fast in my chest, and I could feel the flush of warmth raving through my body. My desire was running hot, and I could tell his was to, the way Kouya ran his hand over my chest slow and firm, tracing the lines of my lean musculature. "I missed you so much," he whispered, kissing my collar bone.

I drew my fingers along his neck and firm jawline. "I missed you too, Kouya," my soft voice answered back. I gave him a few quick kisses along his muzzle, ending with a longer one as our lips met once more. "I'm really proud of you," I said when I came back up for air.

"You are?" his gorgeous yellow eyes searched mine, and I could hear his tail swishing along the sheets behind us.

"Yeah....I am," I said happily. Nuzzling my head against his, I let my arm drop so I could entwine my fingers with those on his hand. "You never gave up, no matter how tough the road got. And it paid off." Truly, I was both proud and inspired by Kouya's strength and determination. I don't know if I could have ever been as strong as him had I run away from home and had to live on my own. "You're amazing, Kouya."

His ears tilted back and grew red as he shuffled, his eyes falling to the side. "No...I'm only as good as the people who support me," he said softly. His eyes came back up and locked with mine. "You gave me my strength, Hiroyuki. You believed in me, and promised to support me no matter what I did." I wanted to protest, saying I had nothing to do with it, but a quick peck on my lips shut me up. "Its because of you I knew I could keep going. If nothing else, I kept going for you...to be worthy of your support."

Sighing, I placed my forehead against his, my arms holding him close as we lay on the bed together. "You will always be worthy of my support," I murmured. "And my love." He smiled one of his brilliant smiles then, and our lips met once again. I closed my eyes and just like before in the club, the world faded away, and it was just us. Kouya and I. Together.

We spent the next several minutes just laying there, our bodies in close contact, no words needing to be said. Our lips touched fairly often, making me giggle when his nose would tickle my neck or jaw. Simply laying with Kouya like this, it made the nearly three month wait worth it. More than that, the knowledge that he wouldn't have to leave anymore made my heart soar in delight. Admittedly, I felt bad for our friends back in Waterfront Village, knowing that having another one of their childhood friends move away would be hard. "We'll have to go back often," I had said on the way over here, to which Kouya had eagerly agreed. After all, it was only an hour's bus ride, and there were plenty of weekends and holidays in the year.

Thinking about the time we would have ahead of us, no longer separated by distance, my chest began to grow tight as I started to consider things between Kouya and I. I knew the things we had shared, and everything we had said to each other as our feelings became clear, but still, I couldn't remember if we had ever put anything truly into words. My gaze became vacant as I pondered this, as did my attention, up to the point Kouya pulled away slightly and asked, "Hiroyuku? Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." I mumbled, blinking and returning my gaze to him. He looked at me curiously for a moment, before shrugging ever so slightly and returning his head to where it lay against my shoulder. My thoughts still wandered, though, and my hand idly traced his shoulder as we held each other close. Finally, my persistent brain convinced my mouth to speak. "Hey...Kouya..?"

"Hm?" I felt him shift slightly against me.

Part of me felt kind of silly for asking this, but I steeled my determination. "Are we...boyfriends?"

The Husky lifted his head from my shoulder so he could look me directly in the eyes. "Why do you have to ask that? I mean...isn't it kind of obvious?" he said, his eyebrow raised in question.

"But are we?" I persevered firmly. "We never really put it into words." Why was this such a big issue for me? I felt like a child, needing to be told the answer to a question, but still, my heart wouldn't let the matter drop.

"Huh..." Kouya said, his face lifting into a state of surprise. "Well, I thought it was pretty straightforward when we did that thing back at my place-"

"Kouya..."

"Alright," he grinned, looking at me sideways with that teasing look of his. Then, he features became serious and the playful tone fell away. His eyes bored into mine, sending slight shivers up my spine as I felt the intensity of Kouya's rarely expressed emotions. He took a deep breath, then leaned in slightly closer to me, to where our noses almost touched. "Hiroyuki?" he asked softly. "Will you...go out with me?"

I smiled as my heart did somersaults, and opened my mouth to answer, when inspiration struck, and I couldn't keep the cheeky grin off my face. "I want to be your boyfriend," I said evenly, keeping eye contact the whole time. "But only if you're okay with that. Or do you...not like that idea?"

Kouya blinked, then frowned at me. "That was terrible."

The smile was still on my face. "So...that's a no then?"

He shook his head, before grinning at me. "You're so lucky I'm in love with you," he growled playfully, leaning in to steal a quick kiss. My face flushed as he said he loved me, and my smile became warm and genuine. He chuckled as he leaned back, meeting my eyes once more. "Yeah, I want you to be my boyfriend, Hiroyuki, and I want to be yours."

"Good...because I'm in love with you too, Kouya," I whispered, pressing our foreheads together once more so I could stare into his eyes. Almost automatically, our lips met and we shared another soft, passionate kiss, my arms looping around his neck as he held me close.

We lay there for a short time, just simply relishing in the close companionship, Kouya resting his head on my shoulder as I stroked his arms. Hours could have passed unnoticed, and I doubt either of us would have cared. The blessed silence was broken by my Husky's soft voice after a while. "Hiroyuki?"

"Mmm?"

I turned my head slightly to look at him. Kouya's ears were flattened slightly and his eyes were downcast as I saw the redness in his cheeks. "Do you...." he began softly, biting his lip as he seemed to struggle with the words. "I mean...would you like to...."

"Kouya?"

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. Then, he touched his nose to mine as he reopened them, finding some inner strength. "Would you like to....go all the way again?"

I felt all the blood rush out of my face at the soft, yet direct, question. Which was an odd sensation to be sure as I'm positive I went scarlet in the span of a few seconds. "Here?" I squeaked quietly.

"We have the room to ourselves," Kouya said slowly. "Keisuke and the others won't intrude, I'm sure of it. Heck...the probably think we're already doing it." His ears were red inside, but his voice was level and his eyes stayed on my face. "So...do you want to?" In my mind, I weighed the options and my own feelings. While I had longed to feel that again with Kouya after all this time, suddenly being confronted with it once again made me hesitate. Part of me was scared we would be interrupted by the others, while another part was just plain nervous, since it would only be our second time.

Still, if I had to listen to one part of myself.....

"Yeah," I whispered, rubbing his nose with my own.

His face lit up slightly, and he smiled. "You sure? I don't want to force y-" I cut Kouya off by covering his mouth with mine, and his last syllables died as mumbles as my tongue slid along his canine one. With that as confirmation, our hands began exploring one another again, his soft furred paws creeping up under my shirt to caress my chest as mine reached around his thick thighs, softly groping his hard muscles.

Kouya rolled slightly atop me as our kissing grew more heated, and he slowly began to work my shirt upwards, revealing more of my fair skin. My own hands worked along his waist, tugging slightly at his belt and waistband. I had to pull back as Kouya finally lifted my shirt off completely, staring down at my bare torso with a hungry grin. I blushed again as he looked at me with such intensity in his eyes. I had never really considered myself overly attractive before - more average, really - but the way Kouya stared down at me gave me a glow like none other. My Husky growled softly and leaned back down, nipping and licking along my shoulder and collar bone as his paws roamed over my bare chest. My hands drifted over the toned muscles in his lower back, sliding around his bushy tail as I gave his firm rear a grope. Kouya giggled in my ear as he licked my neck, his fingers brushing over my nipples.

My beastman lover sat back on his legs as he straddled me, peeling off his own shirt with a little show. I grinned and hungrily as he had when Kouya's firm chest and abdomen were revealed, running my hands through his short, soft fur. His nose dipped down and he planted little teasing kisses along my stomach, making me squirm and laugh slightly as his hands worked the button on my jeans. I ran a hand across the top of his head, scratching his ears playfully. He growled in mock offense as I pet him, before making me squawk in surprise as my jeans were unfastened and his nose pushed into the bulge in my underwear. "K-Kouya..." I breathed, feeling the sensations along my private area through the cotton. He took a deep breath of my scent as he wriggled my jeans down my legs, and I could heas his tail whipping back and forth behind him.

"Mmm...I missed your scent, Hiroyuki," Kouya rumbled in a low tone, kissing my abdomen again.

"I-its nothing special," I mumbled, my cheeks going red again.

Kouya chuckled as he finally pulled my jeans off, running a paw over the bulge in my briefs, my arousal quite evident. "Its the scent of the one I love, so it is special," he smiled, looking down on me. We stared at each other for a few moments, just smiling, before Kouya took the initiative and tugged my underwear off. Freed from its cloth prison, my aching five-and-a-half inch erection stood from my groin throbbing and hard, and I couldn't help but blush again at the way Kouya gazed at it. Without much hesitation, he stooped down again and nosed my balls, making me shiver and moan at the cool and wet touch. My moan grew louder as he then ran his tongue up the length of my shaft, circling its head, then plunged his mouth down overtop of it.

"G-gah..!" I groaned, feeling my cock surrounded by the warm wet cavern. Instantly, my hands went to Kouya's head as I half-held him against my groin. His thick tongue swirled around my shaft as he pulled back, only to suck a little harder and go back down. "Nnnyahh..." I squirmed and stuttered, the sensations racing up my aching cock, having only experienced this once before. I gripped Kouya's ears gently as he began to bob slowly, seemingly enjoying the sounds he was getting me to make as he pleasured me.

For several intense minutes, I was treated to Kouya's skilled mouth on my dick, making me pant and flush with heated arousal. My cock throbbed almost painfully in his maw as he sucked and worked on it. My body had a definite sheen of sweat to it when Kouya finally pulled off with a pop, and looked up at me grinning. "So...do I still have it?"

"Wh...you...nnngh..." was all I could managed to pant out.

His paws rubbed my bare thighs as he smiled and chuckled. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, but I think its time I got to join in," Kouya teased, sitting back on his legs as he looked pointedly at me. It took me a moment to register his meaning, and a new blush formed on my face as I sat up. My hands shook slightly from a combination of the pleasure and nerves, but they reached Kouya's abdomen and caressed his hard muscles nevertheless. Swallowing some of my nerves, I pulled my legs towards myself and sat up straighter, leaning in to nuzzle my Husky's firm chest. The last time we lay together, Kouya did basically everything due to my inexperience. But now...I felt the urge to assert myself more than I had, to show Kouya I wanted him just as much as he wanted me.

Pushing him back gently, we switched positions on the bed as I now straddled his legs, working his belt with my still slightly shaking fingers. Getting his belt undone, I then unfastened his cargo shorts, pulling the zipper down slowly as his pants loosened. Flicking my eyes up, I saw Kouya grinning at me as he rested on on of his arms, the other reached forward to gently stroke my side. Sucking in a breath to calm my nerves a bit more, I mirrored Kouya's actions from before and leaned forward to kiss a trail along his toned abdomen. My hands worked on their own to slowly slide his pants off as my lips slipped lower, teasing right along his belt line, and I felt a throb against my jaw, making me giggle slightly.

Tossing his pants aside, I ran my hands up his toned legs until I met the prize concealed in those tight black bikini briefs Kouya always wore. A shudder run up the Husky's frame from my touch, and that spurred me on even more. I rubbed the protruding bulge a few times, earning a soft whimper, before leaning forward to greet my target as my hands removed the final garment. As the cloth was peeled away, a thick shaft of canine maleness sprang forth, hitting my nose as it jutted from Kouya's groin, surprising my slightly. I heard Kouya chuckle above me at the sight, and I leered up at him. "Yeah yeah....I forgot how big it was." I grinned at the rush of red that filled his ears, a mixture of pride and embarrassment washing over Kouya. My Husky always had a a 'cool' face and attitude around others, even around me when we were together. But here, laid bare before me in more ways than one, I got to see the real Kouya, and that more than anything made me smile.

Looking down to my prize, I felt a slight knot in my stomach as I gazed upon my Husky's - my boyfriend's - manhood once again. Deep red and tapered, it was a testament to canine masculinity. If I had to guess, I would say it had to be at least eight inches long, and a good two or so thick. Its base bulged out with the traditional canine knot, although it was soft and unswollen for now, throbbing free of his sheath. Taking a slow breath, I leaned in towards it, letting the hot shaft touch my lips. That simply action made Kouya gasp and shiver, and I couldn't help but smile as I gather my nerve and slipped my lips over his tapered cock.

It was warm, throbbing with Kouya's heartbeat as I lowered my mouth around it, darting my tongue out to run along its length. Again, my Husky shuddered and gasped at the feelings, urging me on as his hand rubbed the top of my head. I slowly worked my way further down, his thick canine manhood filling my mouth. I swallowed around the tapered head, getting another inch or so down before it hit the back of my throat. Kouya moaned softly above me and twitched his hips, moving the hot shaft along my tongue. I wasn't prepared for the combination of sensations, and I swallowed in reflex...only to have Kouya's whole shaft slide into my throat!

My nose pushed against his pubes as Kouya stuttered out a yelp of surprise, his hands coming to hold my head as I gulped and struggled not to choke. Pulling back quickly, I felt his thick shaft slide out of my mouth across my tongue and I gasped for air as soon as it left. "Hiroyuki! Are you okay?" Kouya panted, sitting up as he held my head in his paws. His eyes were filled with sudden worry. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."

"I'm...*cough*...I'm okay, Kouya," I murmured, swallowing once again to calm my throat. "It was an accident."

His eyes softened as he stroked my cheek, and a smile was unable to keep from spreading across his face. "I didn't think you'd be able to do that," he whispered, blushing.

"Me either," I chuckled. Rubbing my throat slightly, I felt a little adventurous and dove back between Kouya's legs, going down on his shaft again. His gasp of surprise rang out in my ears as I sucked hard, remembering all that I had learned from our first time. That, and the knowledge of my new little trick...and Kouya's thick shaft slid straight into the back of my throat, causing the Husky above me to whine in pleasure as I swallowed around his dick. His hands grasped my head again as I slowly bobbed on his member, using my tongue like he did as I sucked steadily. Were I to look up, I would have seen Kouya's tongue loll out of his mouth as a dreamy expression crossed his face, and he rubbed my head as I continued to work on him.

His taste was salty and slightly musky, the same taste I knew from having Kouya's mouth entwined with my own, and it drove me to keep my actions up. I was rewarded with several splashes of stick pre as Kouya's cock throbbed in my mouth and throat. I went into a sort of automatic mode as I pleased my Husky lover, his hot member sliding across my tongue again and again.

Finally, I felt Kouya pull my head up and I reluctantly let his member slide free from my mouth. He was panting hard as he drew me up into his arms and pressed his lips to mine. Instantly, our tongues met and writhed against one another and we both whimpered with a mixture of passion and need. I climbed into Kouya's lap, holding myself against him as our aching erections pressed against one another, our hips sliding back and forth. We pulled back from our heated kiss just a bit, enough so that our eyes could meet, and I saw the unspoken question asked in Kouya's gaze. I nodded, and he pulled me back with him as he laid back onto the bed.

I straddled Kouya's waist, breathing heavily from our combined arousal and felt his thick member ride up between my butt cheeks. We were both blushing now, but neither of us even considered stopping. Kouya's hands held me gently but firmly around the waist as I got into position, and I reached back with a trembling hand to grasp his throbbing cock. It was slick with heavy amounts of his canine pre, providing ample lubrication for what we were about to do. I took a few calming breaths as I felt it come into contact with its target, and Kouya closed his eyes in anticipation. Holding his shaft in place I slowly eased myself back onto it, and opened my mouth in a silent moan as it pressed into my tight entrance.

There was a twinge of pain as my passage was spread slowly by Kouya's thick tip, and I could feel another jet of his precum lance up inside me. I tried to keep myself relaxed as I eased downward, knowing that if I tensed up it would only make the pain worse. Kouya showed remarkable restraint as he held himself still, even though he whined in pleasure and his hands gripped me slightly harder. Another inch or two slide inside of me, and I finally found the moan rising in my throat as my insides spread and stretched around his member. "Oh Kouya," I panted, feeling the heat from his cock pressing up into me. Another spurt of his natural lubricant jetted inside of me, and I pushed down once more, another few inches sliding along my sensitive passage.

Kouya bit his lower lip and arched his back, groaning as his hot member was wrapped in my tight walls. His hips gave an involuntary buck upwards, making me gasp as more of his shaft was forced inside me. I rose up slightly in surprise, only to fall back and end up pushing the remainder of his large cock into me, his soft knot pressing against my entrance as we both gasped. "Nnff...ah!" Kouya panted, staring upwards as his tongue lolled out the side of his mouth. His hands held me steady atop his waist as we held still, letting me get used to having the large tool inside me once again. I felt full, but not uncomfortably so, what little pain there had been was slowly washing away. I could feel Kouya's legs twitching beneath me from the sensations, and I ran my hands over his chest in what I hoped was a calming gesture.

"A-ah..." Kouya whimpered, kneading my hips with his hands. "Gods Hiroyuki....I...you...so good...". He was finally able to sit up slightly and look at me, his eyes shining with love and passion. Sensing what he wanted, I leaned forward as best I could without pulling off him, and he met me halfway, our mouths colliding once more as my arms looped around his neck. He moved gently under me, shifting his cock inside me ever so slightly, making me gasp and groan into his kiss.

"Wow..." I whispered as we broke the kiss, shifting my weight atop his thighs a bit. Even that slight movement made him shudder and groan. Kouya shivered and kissed my neck as his paws groped my sides, and I could just feel the barely-restrained want in my Husky's body. I rubbed his shoulders and back as best I could from my position, my lips tracing along his cheek and jaw. "You okay?" I asked softly. "You're trembling..."

"Y-yeah," he stammered, giving another soft thrust upwards. "Its just...I haven't, well...."

The figurative lightbulb went on inside my head as I felt the tremors in his body and against my own. "All this time? Not even once?"

"No. I...I was waiting for you."

"Kouya," I whispered, kissing the side of his muzzle as I clenched my internal muscles. His loud groan and twitch said it all, and I tried not to chuckle at seeing the normally so-composed Kouya on the edge of losing control. I planted soft kisses along his muzzle until we were nose to nose again, and we kissed several times quickly as I caressed his head softly. My eyes met his and told him it was okay, and his hands returned to my hips to hold them firmly.

We moved together then; me lifting myself upwards slightly before letting my body fall back down, and as I did that, Kouya would thrust upwards, pushing himself deep inside me. I moaned and let my head drop back as the sensation of his thick manhood rubbing my insides raced up through my body. We repeated the action once...twice...three more times before a rhythm was established, and with a pair of passionate gasps, I began to make love with my boyfriend, Kouya.

The Husky's throbbing member slid up into me again and again, our thighs slapping together as our pace quickened. I tightened my abdomen as I rode Kouya, making him growl loudly as he thrust up into me. He had laid back on the bed fully once more, holding my hips as I worked myself atop his muscled frame. Sweat covered both our bodies now, and our pleasured gasps and moans filled the room. He bucked up into me as I rocked back and forth, feeling his large shaft fill me over and over again. My own arousal bobbed and swayed in front of me, ignored for the time being as I braced myself on Kouya's hard stomach. Every so often we would pant out each others name, followed by the tightening of our grip on the others' body.

Kouya pushed upwards with one particularly hard thrust, surprising me as his hands moved up my back and pulled me to the side even as he rolled over. I found myself on my back against the bed with him over top of me, his lust-filled gaze staring down at me as we panted. My legs wrapped around his waist on their own as he thrust again, getting us into this new position as he braced himself with arms up my my head. With our bodies situated like this, it was easier for him to press against me and ravage my mouth with his own as his hips banged into mine. I arched my back and clenched my stomach again, rewarding my efforts with a deep growl from Kouya's chest. His weight atop me pressed me into the bed as his pace increased, and my shouts of pleasure became louder. "Kou-ya! Oh! Mmf!"

My Husky nipped my neck as we mated, and I could feel the swollen base of his cock ramming into me with each thrust. In my lust-addled mind, the realization of what we were inadvertently trying to do finally surfaced, and I cried out his name once more. His pace faltered and slowed, and it seemed the sensations had registered with Kouya as well, for his thrusts became softer and softer until he was simply grinding atop me and holding me tightly in his arms. "Hiroyuki," he panted breathlessly. "I-I'm getting close."

"Nnngh..."

Kouya's bright eyes found mine as we gulped for air, and his paw brushed my cheek. We stared at each other wordlessly for a moment or two, our hearts racing. I could feel his knot pressing against the entrance to my passage, and it sent shivers up my spine. The first time we had sex, Kouya had been careful not to push it in, knowing I wouldn't have been ready for it. I could see the same concern in his eyes now as he gazed down at me, and it made my heart swell all the more to know Kouya was still thinking of me above all else. His lips twitched with half-formed words as he brushed my cheek. In my gut, I was as nervous now as I had been the first time we had lain together in his apartment. What we were considering was no small matter; aside from the physical implications of tying with someone, pushing a knot into a lover was seen as an act of very deep commitment among the canine and lupine beastmen of the world. It was not something a couple took lightly. Kouya's mouth finally managed to find its voice, and he asked in the softest voice. "Can...I...?"

Taking a few breaths, I found the last vestiges of strength in my body to lift my arm and loop it around his neck, pulling myself up level with him. My lips met his and I kissed Kouya with every ounce of passion and love I could muster, feeling his body shiver against mine as he melted into the kiss. My legs tightened around his waist as I broke the kiss, and I traced his jaw with a finger. "I want you to," I whispered. "I know it will hurt...but I want to be yours, Kouya."

"You already are," he murmured, touching his lips to mine softly once more. "I want you to be sure, about this, Hiroyuki. Once I start...I won't be able to stop. I don't want to hurt you..."

"Kouya," I said gently, pressing my forehead against his. I held him tightly with my arms as I used my legs to pull him into me, feeling that bulging bulb of flesh press against my entrance. "Mate with me."

We kissed once more, before Kouya pulled his hips back and thrust into me again, causing me to cry out in pleasure once more. Our bodies resumed their tempo from before, only this time, we knew it could end only one way. Kouya's thick shaft speared into me over and over again, my body shaking from his heavy thrusts as I held myself against him on the bed. His eyes were closed and he was gritting his teeth as he really started putting his back into his movements. I knew the bed was quaking from our heavy love-making, and I really hoped anyone in the adjoining rooms couldn't hear us. But those thoughts vanished rather quickly when I became aware of a stretching sensation at my entrance, and a gasp escaped my throat.

Kouya's thick knot was pushing into me again and again as he thrust, his copious amounts of precum leaking from my battered passage as he struggled to complete the mating act. I bit my lip and arched my back as pain started to blossom from my rear, the thick bulb of flesh stretching me wider every time Kouya pushed into me. I cried out continuously on each thrust as it got deeper and deeper, to the point I felt like I would split in half. Kouya was so big! "K-Kou-ya!" I moaned, my legs locking around his waist as I surrendered to the powerful Husky.

"Rrr...nnngh...almost....I...." Kouya growled and grunted, holding me firmly beneath him as his hips slammed into me. I could feel it pressing deeper and deeper as I stretched around it, the pain mixing with pleasure until my head spun and my vision swam. I think Kouya bit my shoulder once in a hard nip, but I don't quite remember. What do remember is his voice straining as his hips bashed into me again and again.

"Hiroyuki...I-I...nngh!"

"K-Kouya..ah..ahh!"

My entrance started to give way as he thrust once more....

"Mmmff...oh...oh sh-!"

"K-Kouya....AHHH!"

With a wet _squelch_and a throb of pain, Kouya's knot slipped into me and I cried out. My body spasmed and jerked as the large bulge of flesh pressed up inside me against my most sensitive spots. My cock started spraying my seed all across our bellies without even being touched, the sheer intensity of the feelings enough to set me off.

Kouya shouted and yelped as his sensitive flesh sank into me, and he bucked hard. My Husky rammed me into the bed as every inch of his throbbing manhood was buried into my tight passage, unable to control himself any longer. I was forced to ride out Kouya's thrusts as he pushed in as deep as he could and cried out in his own orgasm. I could feel the thick jets of his hot seed racing up into my bowels, the sheer volume of it making me feel so very full. With his knot securely inside me, there was no place else for it to go, and I felt a small hard bump on my lower belly as Kouya released all his pent up essence into me.

We writhed together for what must have been several minutes, riding out a euphoria that I don't think I could even put properly into words. When it finally ceased, we collapsed onto the bed heavily, panting and gasping for breath as if we had just run several miles flat out. Kouya's body shuddered and shook atop my own as he emptied himself into me, and all I could do was hold him as he held me tightly.

It was another several minutes before either of us had the strength to lift our heads. I was just able to lift my neck enough to where I could press my forehead against the side of Kouya's own head, my Husky still limp atop me. I could feel his hot and heavy breath against my neck, and one of his paws shakily slid down to grasp my hand, squeezing it softly. Our breathing was still coming in ragged gulps as Kouya's tongue darted out against my neck, and he finally used his free hand to push himself up. His face was mere inches from mine as we struggled to catch out breath, his nose bumping into mine now and then. His fur was matted from the sweat, but I was sure I didn't look much better. Those golden eyes of his were lidded, but I saw his mouth twitch into a soft smile. "I love you, Hiroyuki" he whispered.

"I love you, Kouya," I answered back, pressing my lips to his. This kiss was our softest yet, due only to the fact we were so exhausted. Kouya tugged his hips backward gently, and I grunted, feeling the large ball of flesh inside me try to move. "Unnff....yeah...." I groaned. "Its in there..." Kouya rolled us onto our sides as his arms went around my back and he held me close to his chest to get more comfortable. My arms went around his neck as I buried my face into the soft fur under his jaw, and we basked in the amazing afterglow.

Kouya rumbled softly, kissing my neck. "You're amazing," he murmured.

"No," I whispered huskily as I rubbed my nose against his and kissed him again. "I'm yours." I pressed my hand against his chest were his pendant rested, and he mirrored the gesture on mine, his eyes glistening with tears. "And you are mine."

"We are forever with."