{"sf1_id":798948,"sf2_id":"dePJNX0n","title":"Blue-Eyed Diamond","author":"DwayneTimberland","words":6469,"posted_at":"2014-12-23T03:27:00.000Z","tags":["Blue-eyed diamond","Fantasy","Feline","Gay","M/M","Nightcat","Romance","Sci-Fi","Story"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/798948-blue-eyed-diamond","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/dePJNX0n","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/15/a0/15a0843f-9aa4-4c40-8c46-e1d483b7d7b5","description":"#1 of Various Stories\n\nOne of the first stories I ever posted. I was 16 when I wrote it, back in 1996. I was so eager, and wanted to be loved so much.","content":"© 1996\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;NightCat  \n  \nAuthor's Note: This was originally written for a friend of mine,  \nsomeone with a lot of fire, who stuck with me even when I wasn't  \nan easy person to deal with.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He inspired me to write this, and  \nI want to thank him for making me think enough to do it.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He  \nknows who he is, I believe.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n(Background information: The Kel and the Raahk are two races of  \nfelines.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Imagine a domestic housecat from earth, and cross it  \nwith the body of a twenty one year old man.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;This is Cilain, one  \nof the Kel.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago, a Raahk\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;citizen, is a cross between a  \nSiberian white tiger, and a man five years\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;older with a  \ngenerously muscled physique-- a gymnast, perhaps.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The Kel and   \nthe Raahk have been at war for centuries, battling over the  \nlargest continent on the planet.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Neither has mastered space  \ntravel, nor even advanced sailing-- what cat likes to be over  \nwater?)  \n  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Blue-eyed Diamond\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; by NightCat  \n  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain stepped into the tavern, and sat at the bar.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It wasn't  \nan especially attractive place; the floor was hard wood, as were  \nthe tables, though the latter had warped a little with age and  \nmoisture.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The air was thick, filled with the scents of alcohol  \nand cheap catnip.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was quiet there, with only a few people,  \nmostly Kel civilians, drinking and chatting.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was nothing remarkable about that day, besides meeting  \nAreago. Cilain had no other friends, and he had no family.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The  \nlatter had been killed years ago by the Gra'el, and the former  \nhad never existed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It wasn't something new; he was used to  \nliving alone.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;So, other than meeting his one friend in the  \nworld, nothing really set that day apart from the rest.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; His was a race of felines, descendants of a splice between  \ndomesticated\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;cats and humanoids.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They were the Kel, a peaceful  \nrace, seeking more the security of hearth and home than conquest.   \nOver the centuries, the Kel had developed more value in medicines  \nand philosophies than most others on their world.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They were a  \nvery docile, gentle race of creatures, though when angered they  \nbecame quite violent and unstable.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Over the years, Cilain had made several friends, and had  \nbecome very close to them.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Each time he'd grown close to  \nsomeone, they became the center of his life, his very reason for  \nhappiness.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;A few gave the illusion that they'd felt the same for  \nhim, but over time that had died out.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They had been interested  \nin his inborn ability, his natural rapport with the elements.   \nOne by one they would all gain a fascination with his talents,  \nand, subsequently, each in turn would become angry and leave him  \nthe moment he refused to make his powers\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;work for them.'\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He'd  \nbeen born with a very strong source of energy, more intense than  \nthat of his peers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;What he had mistaken for love was simple  \nusery.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Love does not come easy, and Cilain learned this with such  \npainful, agonizing repetition.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Several times when he'd actually  \nfallen for someone, only to find out that those feelings could  \nnever be returned.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Years of pain and betrayal had jaded his  \nemotions, memories that hurt him even now, as a\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;matured' feline.  \nTears had fallen like gentle rain, until there were none left.   \nThe skies were emptied, and when one has no more tears to cry, he  \ncries acid-- burning drops of wretched cynicism.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Then someone came along, and changed everything.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago was quiet, with a proud face, as a feline's would tend  \nto be.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He was of a hybrid species, with a father from the Raahk  \nempire, and a Kellan mother.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Born with traits of both races,  \nAreago was rather muscular, and white-furred, as Cilain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His  \ncoloration and large stature gave him away to the Raahk people,  \nand they rejected him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The tigerstripes which clung to his body  \nmeant instant hatred from the Kel.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Universally he was known as a   \nnameless' feline.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Both of his parents were known as traitors to  \ntheir own people for falling in love, and therefore he was  \nimmediately classified as the spawn of conspiracy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The Raahk and  \nKel, being at war, did not look kindly upon children of traitors.   \nIt was one of the few things they agreed on.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Yet to those who  \nknew him, (in other words, to Cilain alone) he was known as  \nAreago.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They met by chance, in a neutral bar, a place right on the  \nborder between their warring homelands.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was known for being a  \nhaven for 'deviants,' and both felt they belonged there.  \nConversation was made one evening, a drink was offered, and they  \nbegan talking.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Talking is different from speaking, for when you really talk  \nto someone, you don't just speak with your mouth.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;You don't just  \nsay words; you express yourself.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;You convey something to  \nsomeone, and, in a way, you open up to them, if only a little.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A little of Cilain was all Areago needed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He had simply  \nopened the door, when the sunlight burst in, and warmed his soul.   \nHe fanned out for Cilain like a flower to the morning sunrise.   \nCilain was attractive, especially for a Housecat (as they were  \nreferred to by the Raahk).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His eyes as blue as   \nsapphires in the sky.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They seemed to see into Areago, with a  \ngaze so penetrating they broke through any barriers before he  \ncould put them up, and yet such warmth and compassion that they  \nseemed to hypnotize, entrance.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They met weekly at first, in the  \nsame bar, at the same table.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;For both of them, it quickly became  \nthe only thing they looked forward to in their lonely lives.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They spoke of Areago's past, of the inadequacy he felt,  \nwithout the massive, tigerish strength of his father or the  \nelemental powers of his mother.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain had insisted that he was  \nbeautiful regardless, more so than anyone he'd ever met.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Had it been anyone else giving such a complement, Areago would  \nhave believed they were simply trying to flatter him, or get  \nsomething from him, but there was something in those eyes that  \nreassured him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Perhaps he noticed perfect sight, or was it  \nperfect honesty?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;In the end he found both and more in those  \neyes, more than he could ever have imagined.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; As the weeks passed, Areago found himself thinking about  \nCilain more and more.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He would yearn for their meetings while  \nthey were apart, and would rush back to the bar every week to see  \nhim.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Something was so pure and strong about that feline, and it  \nintrigued Areago intensely. They became good friends quickly and  \neasily, and in time, their friendship grew.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It had been one ordinary evening when Areago asked Cilain  \nabout his powers, the genetic abilites of each Kel.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It felt odd  \nto ask, because neither of them had discussed it before.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; With a simple question, it had begun.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;From that moment, the  \nfirst instant he had seen the sorrow, the weary sadness on  \nCilain's face, he loved him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain first spoke of his friends,  \nhis family, and his Energy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He warned Areago that he couldn't  \nget too close, that every time he'd ever gotten close to someone  \nhe'd been hurt-- that they had wanted his power, and not his  \nheart.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You've been hurt every time?\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago asked him (repressing  \nhis other question, which was,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Aren't we close already?').  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A small, silent nod was Cilain's response.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"It makes me  \ninsecure.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I never know if someone wants me for who I am, or what  \nI can do.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He frowned and looked down, seeming frustrated.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"You  \nknow what I mean, right?\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;When he glanced back up, his  \nexpression was enough to melt Areago's chilled heart.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The feline  \nwas so attractive, but so gentle.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;A mild anxiety lay across his  \neyebrows, and below, the question swam in his eyes, those  \nbeautiful blue eyes.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; What Areago told him next stuck in Cilain's mind for years  \nafterwards.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"An asset like your power would fill the minds of only those  \nwho couldn't understand anything else.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It turns their eyes green  \nwith envy and greed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They can't know anything else.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They aren't  \nrejecting you.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They don't even see you.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;With that, he reached  \nout, ran a finger under Cilain's chin, and smiled.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Of course, I  \ndon't see how they could miss these exquisite blue gems you call  \neyes.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago had reached out to him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain took Areago's hand in  \nhis own, and squeezed lightly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Not breaking his gaze, he leaned  \nforward a little.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You're like no one else, Areago.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I'm . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;wondering if  \nyou're real!\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He smiled, but his eyes were glistening with  \ntears.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Inside his chest, Areago's heart beat faster.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He could feel  \ntears of his own pushing at him, trying to work their way out.   \nHe hadn't felt friendship or affection in such a long time, and  \nthis person before him, his friend, was in so much pain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; His eyes finally glassed over, and he said, with trembling  \nvoice and hands, \"If nothing else in this world, I am real, my  \nfriend.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;For you, I am real.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He reached out with his other  \nhand, and Cilain immediately clasped it.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Silence followed for a  \nfew moments, as they stared, unable to understand their feelings,  \nor the strange, intoxicating emotions that hung in the air.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;In  \nthat moment Cilain realized he loved Areago.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Slowly, hesitantly, Areago stood, and Cilain followed suit.   \nThey stepped out of the tavern to find it was no longer late  \nevening but early morning.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was no reality for them. Time  \nhad fallen away like a second skin, and their surroundings were  \ndistant-- miles away.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The two companions left the bar then, and  \nstepped into the crisp morning air.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Ci,\" Areago said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He had unconsciously nicknamed him this  \nabout an hour ago.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I'm exhausted.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain nodded, and smiled a little. He didn't quite know why  \nhe couldn't stop grinning, though somewhere within him, he felt  \nthe reason.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;No one had ever taken the time to nickname him, or  \nto treat his name with any sort of affection.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;No one had cared  \nfor him enough to show it.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"So am I, I'm afraid,\" he told his new friend.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The felines stood side by side, two white figures on a dark  \nroad.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Without hesitation, or even their foreknowledge, they  \nclasped their hands together.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Their fingers entwined, two silky  \nfurred arms brushing gently together.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago gave Cilain's hand  \na gentle squeeze, and found it felt very nice to touch, to feel  \nsomething yielding but firm and alive within his grasp.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"We can go back to my home, and talk more, if you'd like,\" he  \nsaid.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He had never offered such a thing before, but it seemed  \nright, necessary.   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; With a relieved sigh, Cilain nodded.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I'd like that.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I was  \nafraid we'd have to . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;say goodbye.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He stood, looking up  \ninto Areago's amber eyes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He brought the tiger's hand to his  \nchest, and pressed it to his heart.   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago's expression became serene, placid.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He placed a hand  \non Cilain's large, round shoulder, and ran his fingers up the  \nfeline's neck, clawtips disappearing in snowy fur, and then  \ngently caressing Cilain's face.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"My friend, I promise you,\" he said, with a low, quiet voice,  \n\"I will never leave you.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Something burned inside him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He meant  \nthose words with every part of himself.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain's vibrant blue  \neyes gazed at him with some new understanding.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His free hand  \nrested gently on his companion's hip, and ran lightly over his  \nside.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There were no more words; none were needed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was  \nsomething between them, some tingling magnetism.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Then it was no  \nlonger between them but inside them, for Areago leaned closer to  \nCilain, and their bodies touched.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Neither knew what to expect,  \nbut it was so natural, so right.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain felt the large, warm  \nbody of the tigercat rest against him, and he shivered, despite  \nthe heat.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Areago--\" he whispered softly.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Shhh,\" came his reply.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago leaned down, and his furry  \nmuzzle grazed lightly over Cilain's.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His whiskers tickled  \nlightly at Cilain's as their lips pressed together.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The touch,  \nthe warmth, and the tenderness were all shadowed now beneath  \nsomething more, something like music.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It ran through their  \nbodies, a rhythm all their own.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago felt something  \nreminiscent of fear, but much more desirable, and it fulfilled  \nhim.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They parted a little, and their gazes met once again, but  \nthere was a subtle, yet raging heat between them.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain looked  \nat Areago through lidded eyes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"What are we doing?\" he asked  \nsoftly, in a gentle whisper.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A smile came to Areago's lips.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"That was a kiss, my friend.\"   \nThen the smile faded a little, and his expression became  \nthoughtful.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I've only seen it done between male and female.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I  \ndon't think males do this often, or . . . ever.\"   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain blinked, and raised his eyebrows.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Why not?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It feels  \nso nice.\"   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago shrugged, and then slid his arms around Cilain's body,  \nbringing them into a very intimate embrace.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Does it matter?\" he whispered softly into one of Cilain's  \nblack ears.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain's ears were the only things on him that  \nweren't ivory white.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Before he could answer, Areago kissed him  \nagain, this time parting his lips slightly.   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain moaned softly, and his fingers splayed on Areago's  \nback, pulling their bodies more firmly together.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He didn't know  \nwhy, but this felt so good, so warm.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was something inside  \nhim now, responding to these kisses, awakening at the feeling of  \nthis body next to him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Their mouths were in constant motion now,  \nlips seeking out one another, pressing and withdrawing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago's  \nbreath was warm and sweet.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain breathed it in with his scent,  \nand he felt dizzy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His knees weakened a little, as he struggled  \nto speak and kiss at the same time.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What's . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;mmm.... what's happen . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;mmmph . . .   \nhappening, Areago?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The tigercat found he wouldn't stop kissing either.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Perhaps  \nhe could, but he just intensely didn't want to.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He needed to  \nkiss Cilain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He could feel a deeper need, something warmer-- no,  \nhotter, scorching, inside him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was some hazy need to get  \ncloser to Cilain, but he no more understood it than the one he  \nfelt it for.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I... ohhmmm . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I don't know . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;uhmmmph . . . \"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Pressing a hand to Areago's throat, Cilain pulled away a  \nlittle, regretfully.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His eyes were terrified, but the fear was  \nmasked, distorted by something else, something much stronger and  \nyet so subtle it could be read as sleepiness.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was, for the  \nfirst time, desire.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;All of these things passed between them, in  \nunspoken expression.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; When Cilain spoke, his voice was low and husky.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Areago--\" he  \nstopped, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He began  \nagain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"We should get inside.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I'm a little . . . frightened,  \nbut I like this.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I really, really like this.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was nothing more he needed to say.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There were more  \nwords inside him, waiting to come out, but they would tear the  \ndelicate fabric of the moment.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago nodded, and placed a finger gently on Cilain's muzzle  \nto silence him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Then, Areago felt his own knees weaken as Cilain  \nparted his lips, and slowly engulfed the finger with his soft,  \nwet mouth.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He seemed a little surprised himself, but there was a  \nshared consciousness between them, and it throbbed, beating like  \ntheir pounding hearts.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It drove fear from both of them, leaving  \nonly need, and passion.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago realized for the first time, as the dawn was born that  \nmorning, that he lusted for Cilain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His body needed him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He  \nfelt the feline's warm, velvet tongue swirl around his digit, and  \nthe teeth nibble gently as he withdrew it, and then the tingling  \nwas very tangible, coming to life where his legs met, firming  \nagainst Cilain's thigh.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They both shuddered now, and in their  \neyes was realization.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago whispered several words harshly into the air, and  \ntouched the sky with his mind.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His only inheirtance from his  \nmother, save his white fur, was his ability to teleport.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;For  \nonce it came in handy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He willed them to no longer be here, but  \nin his home, and everything began to fade away except for the  \nsilken touch, the beating heart, and the heated gaze between  \nthem.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Around them the world disappeared, and it was them and  \nonly them.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They were shifting from the outside air to Areago's  \nbedroom.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Perhaps a few minutes ago Areago would have taken them  \nto his living room, but now there was no question.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Very gradualy reality took hold once again, and they were  \nstanding in Areago's room.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was rather typical of a tigercat's  \napartment; the carpet was midnight black, and, besides many green  \nplants and small potted trees, the only thing in the room was a  \nmassive pile of satin cloth and feathers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;This was undoubtedly  \nhis bed.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago stepped back gently, and cool air seemed to swallow  \nCilain up.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He felt alone again, and a melancholy loss as the  \nwarm body pulled away from him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He smiled though, to his new  \nfriend, and, to his surprise, he yawned.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He realized how  \nincredibly exhausted he was, as everything caught up with him.   \nHis eyes watered in response a little, and it made him feel  \ngenerally sleepy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Teleporting the way they had was known for  \ntaking a great deal of energy, and it often left the travelers  \ntired afterwards.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago, still holding his Cilain's hand, grinned at this.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I  \nam tired as well, my friend.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Let's get some sleep, and we can  \ndiscuss . . . other matters later,\" he said, sounding a little  \nweary himself.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Casting a long look at Areago's bed, Cilain chuckled.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Is  \nthat thing as soft and comfy as it looks?\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;To his dismay, he  \nfelt incredibly cute, and he had a hard time hiding it.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He did  \nnot want to be cute, and so he was a little embarrassed.   \nCuteness was a childish thing, and Cilain was certainly no child.   \nStill, all he wanted to do was curl up, have a nice nap, and  \npurr.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; His friend's smile only broadened, and, if he noticed any  \ncuteness, he was kind enough not to say so.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He pulled Cilain to  \nhis side, and began to walk them toward the bed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Lay down and find out,\" he said softly.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain nodded, and collapsed into what felt like a pile  \nheaven.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The satin curled around his body.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It felt so incredibly  \ncomfortable!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He gazed up at Areago, and felt strangely at home.  \nBefore he knew what was happening, the striped feline was  \nkneeling down, and laying next to him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;By now they were both  \npurring loudly.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago rolled onto his back, and Cilain rested his head on the  \ntigercat's chest.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;In a few moments they were both drifting off  \nblissfully into the world of dreams, together.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Neither of them  \nreally knew how they had come together, only that situations had  \nput them there, and that it felt right.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The last thing Cilain would remember thinking before he fell  \nasleep was that it felt nice to curl up next to Areago's purring  \nbody, and that there was nowhere in the world he'd rather be.   \nNowhere in the whole world.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Sleep came easily and deeply for both of them, and they both  \nbegan to dream before long, of their lives, their futures,  \nsymbolisms, prophecies, and the like.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Curled up against one  \nanother, they both relaxed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Their bodies settled into a state of  \nslow breathing and heartbeat, passing the hours away in silent  \nsleep.   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; However, somewhere along the line Cilain began to have a  \nnightmare.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It shook his dreams, rending them apart, and then  \ntwisting what was left into a series of pains and sorrows.   \nImages of loneliness, death, pain and sadness tore through his  \nthoughts, slithering, burning into his gentle state of slumber.   \nHis body fidgeted a little, and his sleepy smile turned into  \nfirst a painful wince, then a grimace of terror.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Without warning, he sat bolt upright, awake, with the words,   \nthis has to end' reverberating through his thoughts.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It suddenly  \nmade sense.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Yes, this all had to end, and he would eventually be  \nreturned to the lonely pit he'd managed to peek out of for the  \nmoment.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It would all end.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago would go away, and it would be  \nover.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Before he quite knew what was happening, he was weeping over  \nthe loss of his new friend, even as Areago was waking up and  \ntrying to comfort him.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Ci?\" he asked groggily, though very concerned.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"What's the  \nmatter?\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He sat up, his stripes rippling over his strong body as  \nhe moved.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He slid a protective arm around Cilain, pulling the  \ncat's trembling body close to him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain could only cry, and so  \nhe continued, softly,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Please, my dear friend, tell me why  \nyou're crying.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The care, the tenderness in Areago's voice made Cilain nearly  \nfrantic.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Was he going to lose him now, even after he sounded so  \nwarm, so compassionate?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;How was he going to deal with that?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Still, he managed to pull himself together.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was terrifying  \nto say aloud, as if releasing a demon from pandora's box.  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm . . . I'm afraid you're going to leave me behind,\" he  \nsaid between sobs, and collapsed into the tiger's lap, shaking  \nweakly.   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago's eyes widened, and suddenly he was very awake.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Leave  \nhim?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He was bordering on telling the cat he-- no.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He'd think  \nabout that later.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Right now he needed to comfort him, and  \nreassure him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Never,\" he soothed, stroking Cilain's head,  \nrubbing between his dark ears lightly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Never in all eternity  \nshall I leave your side.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His touch was tender, and his voice  \nsounded surprisingly gentle, even in his own ears.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Very slowly, Cilain sat up and faced Areago once again.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His  \neyes were red with tears, and his chin quivered a little.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"They  \nall have,\" he said softly, almost inaudibly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Everyone else.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;My  \nwhole life has been full of pain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;One terrible sadness after  \nanother.\"  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The tiger placed a hand on Cilain's cheek, and gazed into his  \neyes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Share them with me,\" he murmured, sounding almost  \nnervous.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"P-please.\"   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain was clearly stunned.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"What?\" he asks, too startled to  \nremember he was crying.  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I know you Kel have . . . \" he paused, thinking over what he  \nwas about to say.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It wasn't rational to ask someone to share  \ntheir worst failures with him, especially Cilain, who guarded his  \nsadness so carefully.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Yet he continued.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\". . . empathic  \nabilities.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Open yourself, Ci.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He gripped the cat's shoulders,  \nfirmly with excitement, though not painfully.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Show me.\"  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Reality seemed to break off, and Cilain only nodded slowly.   \nHe put a hand up, palm facing the tiger, and Areago met it with  \nhis own, almost without his foreknowledge.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Their fingers slowly  \nentwined, as they clasped to one another, eyes still locked, each  \nnow holding a piece of the other's soul.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain opened himself  \nslowly, parting the door just a crack, letting loose some of the  \ndemons that plagued his soul.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The demons were of memory, a  \nphantasmagoria of tragedy, roiling and searing his emotions as  \nthey spilled out over him, and, through his link, into Areago as  \nwell.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He watched the tigercat's breath hitch in his chest, and his  \neyes grow distant as he suddenly saw everything.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The female who  \nhad held him close to her while he slept at nights, who told him  \nhe was a beautiful cat, who smelled of lavender, who had  \neventually scowled at him and shunned him when he kept his  \nspecial power from her.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The playmate, who had, from birth, been  \nhis best friend, but who had tried to kill him last year, insane  \nwith jealousy and hatred for his abilities.  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They saw it together, as one, as the memories were played  \nback, each instant of heartbreak and loneliness, of separation  \nand alienation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It hurt Cilain as an old wound will ache at  \ntimes, but to Areago it was like slicing deeply into flesh for  \nthe very first time.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain wanted him to stop, because it was  \nhurting him, but part of him needed this.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Part of him needed to  \nshare this torment, this burning emptiness.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Twice he begged  \nAreago to stop, to let him take the pain back, but the tiger  \nrefused, insisting on sharing it all.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He would not say why.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Instinctively, Cilain's arms curled around Areago's body, and  \npulled him close.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It felt good, the strong, intimate touch of  \nthe tigercat's large body around him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They both cried now,  \nweeping for the things in life they would never do.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;In that  \nmoment Cilain and Areago lost themselves in one another.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Echoes  \nof the emotions they shared would stay in their hearts long after  \nthe pain had retreated back to the deep recesses of their  \nmemories.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The bond was becoming stronger, tying their hearts  \ntogether.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; For over an hour they held one another, sometimes picking out  \na painful nerve, and weeping, sometimes just whispering softly  \nabout how they needed one another, about how crying together is  \nso much better than crying alone.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Very gradually, the pain ran  \ndry, every drop of it exposed and in the open, and their bond  \nstrengthened, drew closer, leaving both of them feeling cleansed  \nat facing the old, rotten memories.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Does this ease your fears, my love?\" Areago asked softly,  \nwhen he felt it appropriate to speak.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Do you feel more secure  \nnow?\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was a long pause, and, even now, Cilain shook his head,  \nhis voice raw with emotion.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"No, it doesn't.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;You've seen how  \noften I've been deserted, and how jaded it's made me.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; That statement held no surprise for Areago, who had been left  \nnearly as many times as Cilain himself.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I am not like them,\" he  \nreplied softly, gazing with searching tenderness into the cat's  \nblue eyes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"My feelings for you are different.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There were fear and uncertainty in Cilain's eyes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"How?\" he  \nasked simply.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; His response came in three words, three words that had never  \nbeen spoken to him in his life.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago said, \"I love you.\"   \nThere were tears in his eyes, and he seemed about to cry again  \nhimself.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Strong, resilient Areago.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Silence followed for a few long moments, and with each passing  \nsecond Cilain drew closer to the conclusion he had been working  \ntoward since the night before.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I love you, too,\" he said  \nbreathlessly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They kissed then.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was no other way, they  \nboth knew.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;This kiss was quite unlike any they'd shared before.   \nIt drew out something very strong in Cilain, something he could  \nrecognize only as overwhelming love, driven by rushing emotion  \nand not simply lust.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Love is stronger than sex, and they both  \nfelt it in those moments.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; For a long time afterwards they lay there in each other's  \narms.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain took his time, and carefully examined Areago's  \nbody, from the large frame and the gentle thudding of the heart  \ninside his chest, to the way his striped fur spilled over his  \nshoulders.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago was beautiful, strong, and yet yielding and  \nwarm.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He was perfect, as for as Cilain was concerned.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He had  \nhelped take something horrible away.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The pain didn't seem to hurt like before.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It began to dawn on  \nhim that, for the first time in his life, he could share his  \nsadness with someone, and that that made it bearable.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Someone  \nelse knew of his pain!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Someone would understand what he meant  \nnow, when he explained how terrible it was.   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He held Areago, with his silent pride, his quiet strength, and  \nsighed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I don't feel the same anymore, Areago.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I'm . . .  \ndifferent now.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The words just didn't seem to form.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The  \nfeelings were ready to burst out, if he could only articulate  \nthem!  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Amber eyes searched his expression.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"How are you different,  \nmy friend?\" Areago asked, smoothing Cilain's whiskers back  \nagainst his muzzle with one hand.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They didn't stay back;  \nwhiskers never did, but it was a gesture of affection.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They lay  \non the bed now, on their sides, holding one another loosely,  \nsharing a warm gaze, thinking similar thoughts.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain struggled to put his emotions into words.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;If the right  \nwords didn't come immediately, he just kept talking until they  \ndid.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I've felt a lot of pain in my life.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I've been alone, and  \nno one seems to understand me.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I didn't know if I could share my  \npain with someone.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He paused, and tried to form his next two  \nsentences carefully, \"What I'm trying to say, I suppose, is thank  \nyou.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I can relate to someone now, where I never could before.\"   \nHe smiled, triumphant at last!  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; An amused grin had settled on Areago's lips, and he ran his  \nfingers through the fur on Cilain's side.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The poor kitten was  \ntrying everything he could to tell him one simple thing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He  \nwasn't alone anymore.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Though the words didn't matter so much,  \ndid they?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He understood exactly what Cilain meant, even before  \nhe said it.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago believed that physical expressions of  \naffection often outweighed verbal ones.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm glad, Cilain,\" he replied simply.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His fingers smoothed  \nback those whiskers again, and he moved a little closer to him.   \n\"Come here,\" he whispered softly to the cat, motioning him over.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Eagerly the housecat slid into the Areago's open arms.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They  \ngazed at one another, occasionally touching a chin or caressing  \nan ear.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago ran his finger's over Cilain's chest, and down  \nhis stomach.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"You have a very nice body,\" he said softly.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain cocked his head.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"So do you,\" he told him, smiling.   \n\"You're taller than I am, you know.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; That was very amusing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago couldn't help chuckling a  \nlittle.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I'd sacrifice my extra inches in height for softer  \nfeatures.\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; An odd thought came to Cilain's mind.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It made sense, and it  \nfelt like the right thing to say.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"If you did, I'd have to lean  \ndown to . . . to kiss your mouth.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It seemed an innocent enough  \nstatement, because it was true, but he found himself blushing,  \nand feeling rather warm.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Height makes no difference when we're laying down,\" Areago  \nwhispered.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Not breaking his gaze with Cilain, he touched his  \nnose to the Kel's, and tilted his head some, pressing their lips  \nfirmly together.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Oh, that felt so good!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The lips were a very  \nsensitive area, very tender. It was something very intimate to  \ntouch yours to a friend's.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It felt strangely hot and tingly.   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain enjoyed the sensation, and he found himself easing into  \nAreago's curves, sliding into his arms.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Hips, stomachs and  \nchests pressed tightly together in one fluid motion.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He tilted  \nhis head a little, and parted his lips, allowing his tongue to  \nslip out occasionally.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He hoped that perhaps Areago would-- ah,  \nyes, he was doing it, too!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Their kisses were wetter, warmer now.   \nThe breath of his friend filled him once again, setting his  \nsenses on edge.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He began to kiss more with his tongue, easing it over Areago's  \nlips very gradually, tasting his furry muzzle.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Soon their  \ntongues began to graze one another, and that was SO wonderful.   \nCilain put one hand behind Areago's neck, and slid his tongue  \ninto the foreign warmth of his mouth.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His tongue danced with his  \nfriend's, running over it, feeling the slightly rough texture,  \nand tasting the odd taste.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They lay there for some time, their forms pressed tightly  \ntogether, and their jaw muscles working as their mouths searched  \none another.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They were in their own world, two rapidly beating  \nhearts and minds, exploring a new pleasure they'd never dreamed  \nexisted\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They were all that mattered; everything else vanished.   \nThere was no pain, no past, no future, no meaning to anything  \noutside of their two bodies. Cilain found bliss running his  \ntongue over Areago's impressive fangs.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He was fascinated by  \ntheir shape, and their sharpness.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago began to feel an uncomfortable heaviness between his  \nlegs.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Something was happening to his furry sheath.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was  \nbecoming warm, and thick.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It felt a little uncomfortable, until  \n--when he pressed it against Cilain's thigh, when he ground his  \nhips against his friend's it fulfilled some need he hadn't  \nrealized he had.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He realized this even as he was kissing Cilain.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain noticed this as well, and moaned softly, pulling  \nregretfully out of the kiss.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He found, to his dismay, that he  \nwas completely breathless.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"What's that?\" he asked, motioning to  \nAreago's thickening sheath.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"What's going on down there?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago shrugged.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I haven't a clue.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It just . . . did that.\"   \nHe pressed it once more against Cilain, and this time slid up a  \nlittle, pulling his sheath down, just a bit.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;This brought a  \ngroan from deep in his chest, and a gasp as his erection slid out  \nfrom within the furriness, into view.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It wasn't particularly  \nfrightening, but it surprised both of them.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It looked smooth and  \npink, pressing up into Cilain's tummyfur.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; With one finger Cilain reached down and stroked it,  \nhesitantly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago immediately made a stifled sound.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yesss . . .\"   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Everything seemed to change then, spinning on some invisible  \naxis, twisting the situation into something less innocent.   \nCilain looked into Areago's eyes with some new intent, though he  \nhad no idea what it was.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He knew it was there, however, and he  \nintended to see it through.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He smiled, though his voice was low,  \nand trembling.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You like that, don't you?\" he whispered.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;A quick nod from  \nAreago encouraged him.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He was giving his friend pleasure, he knew that much, and by  \nthe look on his face, that expression that was so deceivingly  \nnear a grimace, he knew it was fairly strong pleasure.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He closed  \nhis hand around the shaft, and found it very warm to the touch.   \nAlthough he hadn't the slightest idea what to do with it, he knew  \nthat contact was important.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He slid his hand up and down its length, and queried Areago.   \n\"What does this feel like?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was a deep, strong purr rumbling in the tigercat's  \nchest, and his eyes remained nearly shut.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"In--incredible,\" he  \ngrunted.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"Like . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;like flying.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain moved a little faster, fingers and palm gliding over  \nthe smooth flesh easily.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He looked into Areago's eyes, and  \nleaned forward to kiss him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;This also seemed right, because the  \ntiger began to lap eagerly, fiercely at his mouth.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His tongue  \nwas suckled in Areago's mouth, as he shivered all over.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain  \nfound himself unprepared for this, and his hand faltered on  \nAreago's erection.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Almost immediately it was guided back to its  \nministrations.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It brought a strange lightheadedness over Cilain,  \nand he wondered if the thickness in his own sheath would yield  \nforth a similar result.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He broke the kiss to look down, and yes,  \nit was firming up.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His sheath looked heavy and larger now, as a  \nlong length of flesh began to poke out, into the cool air.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Five fingers curled around the shaft, squeezed gently, and  \nCilain thought the pleasure would destroy him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He closed his  \neyes, and his mouth slowly dropped open.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago's hand was firm,  \nbut not painful or rough.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He worked the penis in his grip with  \nsuch tenderness and dexterity, tightening his hold, then  \nloosening, gliding over it with his fingers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain found  \nhimself pushing his hips forward, grinding his prick into the  \nwarmth of the tigercat's fingers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain encouraged Areago by increasing the speed at which he  \nstroked the erection in his own hand.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The tigercat grunted  \nloudly, driving his hips forward, and his erection throbbed once,  \nand again.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Cilain opened his eyes at this, and he noticed a look  \nof shock and distress on Areago's face.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Ohhh . . . ohhhhh Ci . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;don't stop . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I'm going . . .   \nohhhh . . .\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;to . . . OHhhh!\" the tigercat whispered huskily. He  \nhugged Cilain's body very tightly to his own.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He knew  \ninstinctually that he was coming to some sort of climax  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; His whole body shook as he held Cilain so tightly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;His strong  \nheart pounded in his chest, and his breath came in long gasps.   \nHis prick was spasming, and actually squirting something against  \nCilain's body.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Hot jets of some sticky juice gushed from his  \ncocktip.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It alarmed him, but it felt so good!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Some tension  \ninside him was releasing itself, and at the same time he thought  \nit would cause him to faint.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The liquid was warm, invading their  \nfur, running down between his legs.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Areago, what're you doing?\" Cilain whimpered to the grunting  \ntigercat.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He also felt the warmth liquid spurting into this fur.   \nThe realization began to dawn on him that they were doing  \nsomething very private, expressing themselves in a way that only  \nloved ones used.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;They were, in a sense, mating, though certainly  \nno offspring were going to result.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago groaned deeply, feeling waves of hot pleasure run  \nthrough him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It subsided a little, though something inside him  \nwas still clenching, tightening spasmodically.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He pulled back a  \nlittle, and looked into Cilain's worried eyes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The worry  \ndisappeared slowly, until something unmistakable, and yet so  \nforeign remained.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was love, tainted with fear, but love  \nnonetheless!   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He kissed Cilain's lips tenderly, and then openly.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Areago  \nwanted to comfort him so much with his strength, and his  \ncaresses.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He wanted to look into Cilain's eyes and tell him not  \nto worry, that they would always be together, that he would never  \nhurt him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The words were too much, though.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He kissed with his  \nheart, everything inside him pouring into his motions, and for a  \nwhile there was nothing but that kiss.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Then it ended, slowly and  \nregretfully.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The tigercat lay Cilain's body back on the bed, and  \nhe fondly caressed the feline's chest.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Kneeling over him, he  \nexamined the wet fur below the Kel's tummy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain smiled.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"You've covered me in . . . something.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He  \nlaughed softly at this.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A mischievous grin spread across the tigercat's muzzle.   \n\"That,\" he said proudly, \"is the product of a feline's lust.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;You  \nshould be honored, my friend.\"   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Cilain nodded.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\"I am, but now I'm also pretty sticky.\"   \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Areago giggled fitfully at this, laughing at some joke Cilain  \ndidn't understand.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He knelt down and began to lick over the soft  \nfur of Cilain's stomach, grooming it carefully.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Above him the  \nKel began to laugh now.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Areago, that tickles!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; This made the tigercat grin, and lick faster, his big tongue  \nswiping over the silky curves.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Then, as he lowered a bit, he  \nbegan to actually taste the juice he had splattered on his  \nfriend's body.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It wasn't sweet, or bitter, but salty.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;In any  \ncase, it wasn't unpleasant, and it had to be cleaned from  \nCilain's fur.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was interesting to explore one's body with his  \nmouth, and he began to slow down, and enjoy the task.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He kissed  \nat Cilain's thighs, as he slurped up more of the strange liquid.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; For some time he cleaned Ci's fur, and with each passing  \nmoment the ecstasy, the hope that possibly he wouldn't be alone  \nbegan to form in his mind.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Could they possibly find with one  \nanother what they had been denied so many times before?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Could  \nthe memories they were building now carry with them in a new  \nlife, beginning now?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;He prayed they could.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They had been two lonely kittens, two diamonds in the rough,  \nfinally joining hands and facing the loneliness, delving into the  \ninfinite blackness without fear.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Perhaps a friend, a companion  \nis all one needs to conquer any problem.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Perhaps then one sets  \naside fear and replaces it with their loved one.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Perhaps only  \nthen can one be free.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Various Stories","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/798952-the-butterfly.json"}}