Chapter 4: Jared's Tears
#4 of The Sheperd and the Tod: A Love Story
About a month passed since Jared proposed to Vince. The two would spend the majority of their evenings after work thinking of different marriage arrangements such as where it would be and when it would be and all that other stuff. Jared would hold Vince around the waist and look at the arrangements over the tod's shoulder, nuzzling into the love of his life.
"So...our wedding's going to be about two months from tomorrow, right?" the German sheperd asked.
Vince nodded, giving his fiance a kiss on the cheek, "Yeah. It's going to be so great. Hmm, there's only one thing we haven't done yet, though."
Jared tilted his head, "And what's that? I thought we ran through just about everything. We have our suits all picked out, got the flower arrangements (though I really hope we don't have to do that again)," he chuckles and nuzzles, letting Vince know he was just kidding, "We got the Justice of the Peace all ready for it, too. What else is there?"
Vince scritched Jared's chin, making the sheperd murr softly as he says, "That's why you have me around, sweety. The one thing we haven't thought of is this: guests. We haven't invited anyone to the wedding."
Jared blinked and rubbed his temple, "Ah, damn...I knew there had to be something else to all this," he sighs a bit and thinks a moment, "Who do we know would want to go to the wedding?"
The tod grinned, "I have a few friends that would want to go. My parents are a definate no. They're not...open, you know."
The German sheperd nodded and kissed Vince's cheek warmly, "Don't worry. You're not marrying them, are you?"
The tod giggled and shook his head, "Hell no."
Jared chuckled and nodded, "Exactly. So, don't worry about them. Who else is there? I don't really have any friends who are open about gay marriage either, so...yeah, I could ask, but I think I already know the answer."
They thought for a moment longer, both giving a soft hmm as they inquired to themselves. Then Vince's ears shot up as he says, "How about Greg? That tiger who's a waitress at the Dewdrop? He's very nice and he's been such a great friend."
The sheperd smiled and nodded, "Oh, of course. Why I didn't think of asking him is beyond me. Thanks for thinking of it, honey."
Just then, as if on queue, the telephone rang. Jared stood up and answered the phone, "Hello?"
On the other end, a familiar voice said, "Heya, Jared! How're you and the cute tod doing?"
The German sheperd couldn't help but chuckle, "Is that you, Greg? We were actually just talking about you."
"Heheh. Well, I do hope it's something good."
Jared shook his head, "No, no. It's all good. In fact, what we were talking about might be of interest to you."
Greg's voice chuckled and replied, "Oh, really? What would that be?"
"Well, we were actually talking about inviting you to our wedding."
"Oh! I would so love to come! Thank you so much. Me and Bernie would love to be there!"
The German sheperd turned from the phone a moment to smile to Vince, "He's able to come and he says his boyfriend would most likely want to come, too." To this, Vince smiled warmly, glad to hear it. Jared turned back to the phone, "Vince is happy to hear that, same as me."
"Good, good. We wouldn't miss it. It's a very odd coincidence. We were fixing to ask you for something, too."
Jared smiled, "Ask away."
Greg chuckled and said, "Well, me and Bernie were talking just a few minutes ago about how we would actually want to have a good time with you guys. Maybe go on...I guess it'd be a called a double date? We think it'd be fun, you know, just hang out at the Dewdrop. Just enjoy some good time with friends, you know."
Jared nodded, "Yeah, that actually does sound fun. Hang on just a sec, okay?"
"All right."
Jared turned away from the phone again and turned to Vince, "Honey, would you like to go on a double date with Greg and Bernie? I personally think it'd be fun, but it's up to you."
Vince walked up to Jared and kissed his lips, "Sure. I actually want to see Greg's boyfriend. I've never seen him before."
Jared chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, I remember you haven't. You'd like him, he's a very nice guy, same as Greg."
The tod nodded and smiled, "I do hope so. I don't like rough types."
The sheperd tilted his head, "Then why on earth did you get me?"
Vince giggled and kissed his lips once more, "Because you're too much of a softy to be all tough-guy around me, and you know it."
Jared actually blushed a bit before he heard Greg snickering over the phone, the tiger whispering to his boyfriend on the other end, "They sound so cute together, don't they?"
The German sheperd chuckled a bit and said to the receiving end, "Yeah, we're coming. When would you like to meet?"
"Oh, about a quarter past five in the evening would be fine with us. Make it a dinner date."
"Okay, then. We'll see you there."
"Looking forward to seeing you two!"
"Same here. Bye."
"Bye."
Jared hung up the phone with Vince leaning against the sheperd's chest. He ran his fingers through Vince's fur, "Mmmm, sounds like it'd be a fun time, don't you?"
The tod nuzzled against Jared's chest and smiled, "Yeah. It'd be a little different than just being at home, you know."
Knowing Vince really liked it when he does it, Jared scooped him up in his strong arms and nuzzled his lover, "Yeah, but I always like to view when you're around."
Vince awws and playfully flicked one of Jared's ears, which flittered reactively, which made him giggle, "Same could be said for me, my dear," he said as Jared sat down on the couch with Vince laying across his lap.
"Mmm, I love you so much, Vince."
"I love you, too, Jared. With all my heart. I'm so lucky to be your future husband."
At around a 5:15 PM, Vince's car arrived at the Dewdrop with Jared in the passenger seat. They stepped out and smiled as they are greeted by the slim tiger and his boyfriend Bernie, a plump brown bear dressed in shorts and a t-shirt that said "Sorry girls, I'm gay" across the chest.
Vince saw the shirt and giggled a bit, "He is kinda cute. I can see why he would wear that shirt."
Jared cocked an eyebrow and said in a joking manner, "Are you looking at other guys, honey?"
The tod giggled again and playfully shoved the German sheperd, "You know you're the only one for me, silly thing!"
The German sheperd chuckled and held the tod's paw as they approached Greg and Bernie as Jared greeted them, "Hey there, you two!"
Greg smiled and shook Jared's paw and Vince's as well, "Glad to see you two could make it. Bernie's been wanting to meet you. He doesn't come to the bar often because he doesn't drink."
The bear shrugged a bit and chuckled, "Just never liked the taste of liquor, you know," he smiles to the German sheperd, "You're Jared, right? I heard quite a bit about you. Sorry to hear that business is giving you hell."
Jared nodded, but kept a smile on his muzzle, "Ah, don't worry. Everything's doing fine still. Vince's firm is doing rather well and hopefully construction will rise during these months, so we'll both be bringing home the money soon enough."
Bernie smiled, "Good to hear."
The fox gently squeezed Jared's paw before he said jokingly, "We better. I can't handle the bills all by myself, you know."
Jared put on a face of injured innocence, "What? I'm trying, aren't I?"
The bear and the tiger chuckled softly before they took each other's paws, "Well," said Greg, "Lets go on inside. Food and drinks are on me tonight."
Bernie squinted at his boyfriend, "I thought we agreed that I was paying."
Greg grinned and playfully nudged the plump bear, "Yeah, we did. But I'm your boyfriend, that means I can underpaw you whenever I like," he winks and they both chuckle as the four made their way into the Dewdrop.
Surprisingly, the Dewdrop wasn't very full that night. Just a couple of furs in one booth and that was about it and it looked like they were fixing to depart. The waiter now that Greg was off-duty was a rabbit, slim and shirtless, showing off a well-done six-pack on his trim abs who gives Greg a nod, "Heya, Greg! What are you up to?"
The tiger smiled, "Hey, Jeffrey. We're actually wanting a booth for four. Me and Bernie are treating Jared and Vince to dinner."
Jeffrey nodded, his lop-ears tied in almost a ponytail fashion as he turns around, "Follow me, then." He takes the four to a booth, placing a couple of menus down, "Anything to drink?"
Greg and Bernie let Jared and Vince sit before Greg gave his order, "I'll have a Smirnoff Ice, if you would."
Bernie smiled, "I'll just have some ice water."
Vince ordered, "I'll take a Smirnoff as well."
Jared scratched his head a bit before he decided, "Give me a Malibu, Jeffrey. Thank you."
The bunny nodded and wrote the orders down before going over to the bar. The cook, a raccoon standing at about five-foot-three stepped out and smiled, apparently happy that he's finally got someone wanting things to eat. It's a bar, yes, but there's also eats to be had. Not a lot order, though.
Greg looked to Jared and Vince, "So, you two are getting closer and closer to being newly-weds, huh? That sounds so exciting."
Jared shrugged a bit, "It's the best of times, it's the worst of times--OW!" he says as Vince nips the sheperd's neck.
"Worst of times?" The tod frowned playfully, looking like he's pouting.
Jared wrapped his arm around the tod and kissed him, "It's the planning part that's the worst, hun, not you."
Bernie chuckled, "You two act as if you're already newly-weds. At least from what I see of how newly-weds act. But that's a good thing. Means that you two truly do love each other."
Greg smiled and took Bernie's paw in his own, "We've talked about getting married shortly after hearing you two getting hitched. We're just not sure when. We both agreed that if one of us asked, we'd say yes, though."
Vince hmm'd and scratched his chin, "Well...we could always have a double-wedding. You and Bernie with me and Jared. It'd be fun!"
Bernie shook his head, "No, no. It's your wedding, you should enjoy it for yourselves. Yes, it would be fun, but you two should have it for yourselves. It's your moment."
Jeffrey came to the table, carrying the drinks and distributing them to the four before giving them a nod, "Order when you're ready."
The four looked at each other and the Jared looked to the lop-earred rabbit, "I think it'll be a while."
The tiger nodded, "Yes, we might just enjoy a drink or two and some chat."
The bunny giggled, "Arnold's not going to like it. He's been wanting to cook all day and not one customer, you know."
"Ah, yes, poor Arnold," Greg chuckled and said, "Well, to make him happy, let's get some clam-strips, huh? Everyone all right with that?" And the other three nodded, confirming the order.
Jeffrey wrote it down and smiled, "There we go. Now he won't whine anymore....or at least we can all hope," he giggled and walked over and handed the order to the raccoon, who smiled and headed to the back into the kitchen.
Popping off the top of his Smirnoff, Vince took a sip of the bubbly alcohol and asked Greg, "When did you two meet?"
The bear smiled to Greg and squeezed the tiger's paw lovingly, "We met online, actually. I used to live a couple of states away. We met in a gay singles chatroom and...well, I was just barely moving out of my parent's place and thought that I should come down, at least for a few days, and meet him. We hit it off ever since."
The tiger nodded and kissed the bear's lips before saying, "Yep. And he works at the computer repair place here in town. He's been called the best employee there."
Jared nodded, "Well, that's really good for you two."
"Yep," Bernie said before asking, "What about you two?"
Vince giggled a bit and said, "Well, I met him when I just barely moved here to join the firm. He was so nice and everything for such a big guy. I didn't even know he was gay, to be honest," he smiled to his lover and nuzzled his arm, "And then I asked if there was a gay bar in town. I was kind of expecting the usual reaction from people, you know. The 'oh, my god, you're gay' look? Yeah, but...instead, he smiled and told me about the Dewdrop and how he goes there often. It surprised me, but nothing surprised me more than him asking me out. I accepted...then here we are."
Jared nodded and stroked along the tod's cheekfur, "Yes, here we are."
Greg smiled, "I'm happy to see Jared finally finding the man for him. You can't believe how many dates he's had that had gone rotten for him. Did I tell you that Jared's latest ex works for the competing construction company?"
Vince blinked a moment, "He...he does?"
Jared sighed and nodded, "Yeah. David. Ever since I broke up with him, he's been holding a bad grudge against me. He doesn't even come to the bar anymore. Ever since our break-up, he's been working hard to take all business away from me, and it's working. If worst comes to worse, I'll have to work for the guy."
Bernie shook his head slowly, "That's pretty bad."
Vince looked to Jared, "That's why you haven't been getting any sort of business, baby?"
The German sheperd nodded, "Yeah, but don't worry. Once he's gotten his share of control, he'll knock it off. If not, then I'll have to pay him a visit, and he won't like it."
Greg shook his head, "And woe betide him, too. I've seen Jared fight before when those cage-fights used to come to town. You remember them, Bern?"
The bear nodded, "I was actually scared of Jared a while before I met him. Undefeated. Wow, you talk about brutal!"
Jared shook his head slowly and raised a paw, "Now, that's enough. I'm done with fighting, you both know that. It does nothing but hurt people, nothing else. I just want to have a good life with Vince right now."
Greg chuckled, "I know, Jared. Was just thinking about you getting so pissed off at David that you hunt him down and put him into that figure-four leglock you used to do that would break legs."
Vince winced, "Ouch..."
The night went on. They enjoyed good conversation and drink and the clam-strips were absolutely wonderful. After paying compliments to Arnold, the raccoon chef, and getting the check paid for the four stepped out and said their good-byes before getting into their respective vehicles.
Vince smiled to his fiance from the passenger seat, "You never told me you were a cage-fighter."
Jared started the vehicle, "Yeah. Was for a few years. They used to call me the Crippler because of how many furs I've put in the hospital. I was...I was kind of a hot-head back then. Was angry and bottled-up, you might say."
The tod's hand took Jared's and held it, "Why?"
Jared hung his head a bit, "Can we talk about it when we get home?"
The tod nodded and leaned over, kissing Jared's cheek. It always touched him to know how soft his big lover was. That he could open up so nicely to the tod made him feel like he was truly meant for him.
When they got home, they sat on the couch, Jared holding Vince's paw in his own before he said, "Now...I was a very angry pup. Nothing like I am now. I was...I was raised a Chirstian. When I discovered I was gay, I didn't know who to tell. I felt like whoever I was going to tell, they'd all say I'm going to hell or something," he sniffled a bit and Vince frowned sadly, "I didn't want to tell my parents because...I didn't want them to think any worse of me than they already did...my dad would beat me....my mom actually tried to choke me to death when I was seven..."
Vince blinked and saw a series of tears flow from the sheperd's eyes as he continued, "I couldn't bear the thought of what they'd do if they knew..." he squeezed Vince's hand gently, "I came to my pastor and asked about it. He gave me the usual lecture of God's grace and everything. But he said something that made me feel so much better, but it didn't really help. He said that it is a sin, but I was forgiven for it...but then he tried to have me turn from being gay. I didn't want to. I know it's not a sin. How could something so wonderful be so evil?"
Vince stayed silent, listening as his fiance wept, "I didn't understand. I still don't understand. He said I was all right, but yet he was on a mission to have me become straight. I finally just stopped going to church," he sniffled and he felt Vince's tender hand against his cheek.
"Good choice."
Jared hugged the tod close, his tears still flowing as his lover kissed his cheek, "Sssh, hush, baby..."
The German sheperd said softly behind his crying, "If I wasn't gay, I wouldn't have met such a beautiful tod...I wouldn't have found who I was meant to be with. I would have been so miserable..."
Vince shushed him silently and carressed the sheperd's face and looked into his eyes, "Honey, sssh. Breathe and relax. You don't have to deal with that anymore. You're here with me, understand? You are where you belong," he leaned forward, kissing Jared's lips before he said, "I'll get a shower started. We can both take a nice, warm shower so you can relax, then we'll head to bed, okay?"
Jared nodded slowly, "That...that sounds nice...thank you, baby..."
The tod kissed him once more, then went to the bathroom, turning the water on to a nice, warm temperature. Jared came up behind him, wiping his eyes, his shirt off, "I'm sorry for...seeming so weak to you..."
Vince turned to him and put a finger on the sheperd's lips to quiet him, "You never were weak to me, Jared. Nor will you ever be. In fact, just having you tell me all that proves that you're a stronger man than most others. Instead of keeping it bottled up and letting it come to a head in the worst possible way, you let it out and told me. I love you, and that's not going to change," he nuzzles his muzzle against the sheperd's, "You will always be strong to me, Jared."
And with that, their lips met, holding each other in an embrace that was so familiar, yet new every time. Jared's hands crept under Vince's shirt, feeling the soft fur. Vince brought his paws to Jared's hard chest, feeling the strong pectorals before he started to remove his pants and panties, standing there half-naked save his shirt which was being slowly pulled up and away, the lovers' lips slipping away for a moment as the tod's shirt was taken off.
Jared smiled softly and whispered, "You are so beautiful to me, Vince...I am so lucky to have someone like you."
The tod's fingers carressed the German sheperd's chest and abs as he replies, "And so am I to have you." He turns to look at the running water in the shower, "Whoops...we're kinda wasting hot water..."
Jared grinned, "Let it run..." he pressed his lips to the tod's, murring tenderly as a hand reached down, rubbing along his fiance's sheath, feeling it swell as he brought his tongue into Vince's mouth, wrestling with the tod's tongue as he hears him moan and Vince's eyes close, the steam from the water soon taking the room.
Vince fingered at Jared's jeans, undoing the button and the zipper and letting them fall, reaching his hand into the sheperd's boxers and feeling the hard cock underneath, grabbing it gently and rubbing it up and down as his own cock was given the same treatment as it swelled and rose from his sheath.
The lovers rubbed their tongues together inside each other's muzzles as the moment engulfed them like the steam that arose from the shower. But it wasn't the heat of the steam that was getting to them. Such a beautiful scene could only be described as making love.
Standing up and facing each other, their lips never parting, Jared's hard cock found itself against Vince's tailhole, making the tod moan lightly in the sheperd's muzzle before a slow series of thrusts pushed it inside the velvety embrace of his love's bowels. It was slow, long...and grand to both. It was the sort of love-making that most would say never existed, that only movies portray. But they were living it, a slow and wonderful art.
Jared's cock was pushed in and pulled out in such slow, strong strokes that Vince's hotspot was rubbed in just the right fashion for him to release as tender moan with each inward push of the sheperd's cock. Their eyes closed, the two embraced each other as they shivered with delight and ecstasy, their love for each other needing no words to be spoken in this act. The knot of the tod's love met his anal ring, pressing tenderly against it as the tod's cock throbbed against Jared's belly, wanting so bad to release.
Slipping inside, the knot secured the sheperd's member and heavy jets of warm seed spilled inside Vince's bowels. That warm feeling encompassed the tod's being, sending such a great sense of bliss that his throbbing cock released white strings of his own cum into the abs of his fiance, smearing the steam-sweated fur of Jared's stomach.
Tense from such a brilliant climax, they froze in time for a moment. To the outside world, it may have been a moment. To them, it was an eternity. An eternity with one another, in that sole moment of love, where they were one. A union.
It didn't matter what the world said. They were meant for each other. No matter what.