Moving In. Chpt 1.

Story by Roofles on SoFurry

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Moving In

Chapter One

By Roofles

"Thanks again for doing this," Mathew said as he carried another box in. He set it down amongst the others and stretched his back. "Should've gotten help from the guys across the hall," he joked looking over at his friend.

Jacob set the large flat screen TV down on the tiny table, hoping it wouldn't just tip over and crash onto the floor. "I figured it was because of this girl." And he joked as well, patting the side of the tv. "It's the least I can do." He said honestly heading over to help with the other boxes.

Mathew's old roommates had moved out without giving notice. Taking the rent money he had given them to pay the bills and left in the middle of the night. With his car. As such, he quickly needed any help he could get. And at the last notice? Only Jacob was available to help room with him; only after making sure Mathew changed the locks so said roomies wouldn't show up in the middle of the night to pay a visit.

"And if I see them." Jacob said once more after the last box of his stuff was in. He had far more junk than he recalled. Jacob cracked his knuckles and ground his teeth thinking of the two that had left his old school friend in such dire need.

"Yes. Yes. You'll go all kung-fu master on their asses." Mathew shook his head, tossing his long red hair to the side and running a hand through it. His freckles stood out even more on sunny days like this.

"What?" Jacob looked at him as if he were an idiot, picking up his metal bat. "Why'd I waste the effort? Reason why I got this baby." And he gave a few practice swings with it. He chuckled some more, turning it around and setting it in the umbrella stand near the door. A piece that was more for decoration than actual use.

"Been hitting the gym, I see." Mathew teased now, tossing one of the sofa cushions at him.

"Hey, hey!" Jacob hit it back at him. "Got to stay in shape man," and he flexed. "Can't let these guns go sour. How could I hit the bars with flabby cottage cheese arms." And he shuddered at the idea.

"Well you could just not go strolling for guys." Mathew rolled his eyes.

"We can't all be sexually repressed narcissists." Jacob shot bark with a smug grin. "I'm lookin' for Mr. Right. Doesn't mean I have to be dead until then." And he gave a shrug, turning around to sit on the sofa, only to find the cushion still in Mathew's possession. The very one his new roommate had thrown at him. "Speaking of which. Just the other day, there was this dude at the gym...."

Jacob stopped mid sentence as there was a knock on the still open door. The two looked over and Jacob jaw nearly dropped, but tried to play it cool, as he saw who was at the door.

A rather large badger was standing there, in nothing more than a pink frilly apron with flowers all over it. The bright pink contrasted well with his black fur.

"Hey," the badger said jabbing a thumb over his shoulder crudely. His voice was deep, husky almost and didn't sound friendly. "Made a pie. You want some?" The badger asked bluntly, growling the last words.

Jacob was the first to speak up on the matter, an eyebrow slowly lifting up and off his head. "Why are you naked?"

"Not naked." The badger just replied flatly. And the striped face badger motioned down to his outfit as if to say he was wearing an apron.

"My mistake." Jacob looked over at Mathew, keeping that eyebrow lifted. He mouthed the words "the fuck?"

"What kind, Frank?" Mathew just asked politely, ignoring his friend and acknowledging the badger in a far more respectable fashion.

"Blueberry." Frank, the badger, just replied with a single word.

"You want pie?" Mathew asked over to Jacob. The other man, still standing in front of the sofa, was honestly unsure how to reply to that question. "We'd love some, thank you." Mathew answered for them and just smiled at the badger.

"Fine." And Frank stomped off, leaving the two in a stunned silence.

"The fuck?" Jacob spoke up, walking over towards the door to make sure there weren't a gang of them outside. California was known for various things, naked badgers with pies wasn't one of them or so Jacob had thought.

"That's Frank. Lives across the hall." Mathew motioned, standing at the open door and just waiting. No sooner, did the badger reappear. Offered the pie over to Mathew, who gave thanks, and the left without another word. Stomping all the way back to his apartment. "Good guy."

"Good guy?" Jacob asked as Mathew headed over to the kitchen, not even closing the door still. "Dude was pissed off about something! An butt naked..." Jacob still muttered, unable to let the topic just drop as he looked back and forth between the open door and to the kitchen.

"Frank's always like that." Mathew set the pie down near the window to cool. It was still steaming. The top had a glazed finish. "He baked you a pie."

"I'm not sure how to respond to that." Jacob headed over, eying the pie as if it were a bomb.

"He was welcoming you to the building, obviously." Mathew rolled his eyes now, heading over to his fridge. The door opened and Jacob got a look inside. Fresh vegetables, meats and dairy products were all sorted and organized. All looking as if he had just bought the stuff.

Mathew was short on money, reason why Jacob was moving in the first place. And here he was trying to make sure everything was stocked for his arrival. Doing what little he could just to make him feel welcome, even moving to the smaller of the two rooms to give Jacob as much as space as he could.

"Neighbors are really friendly." Mathew just gave a shrug, pulling down two cups and filling each with natural orange juice. A named brand kind, not the artificial plastic stuff Jacob had grown up drinking. "News of a new tenant spreads faster through this place than wildfire. Or a comment on youtube, hah."

"And so he baked me a pie." Jacob asked, still in disbelief. Sure, he heard of neighbors bringing welcoming presents over from his grandparents. That was easily fifty years ago. People don't do that anymore, not in big cities like this! And not naked badgers.

"Frank can't cook a single thing to save his life. However, he is a natural when it comes to baking." Mathew chuckled a bit at that. "And gardening, go figure. Funny how the world works."

Jacob could see crushed pecans within the pie crust, a pie he was still sure was some sort of weapon of mass destruction. Explaining the distance he was giving it.

"Everything in the fridge is up for grabs. There's only one bathroom. I marked which is my toothbrush stand, towel and such. Feel free to do the same to your stuff." Mathew said giving him a small tour of the place. "Side closet has all the various needs. Toilet paper, tooth paste, deodorant, air fresheners." And he listed off several others.

They were on the third floor of the downtown apartment building. A shady looking building on the outside. A very warm, welcoming one on the inside. One of the tenants had redone most of the floors, being a contractor before he retired. There were fresh plants in the lobby and a fresh coat of colorful paint on the walls. There was actual oak trimming on the walls with fine, hand carved corners.

The elevator didn't work, making it rather troublesome to carry all the things up into their apartment. But there was clean carpet on each step and in each hall. The few hallways he had passed through also had plants in them as well, as if someone personally took care of each and every one. There were scenic pictures on the walls giving as much life to the rooms as possible.

In the middle of spring? Every window was open on this clear blue sunny day, giving a fresh smell to the air itself as if he had walked into a greenhouse instead of an apartment.

"You're room is the last one, mines the first." Mathew stopped in front of Jacob's door. "I aired it out the best I could and the maintenance guy was kind enough to fix some of the wiring. There might be some Spackle around because of this."

His room was small, box shaped with a wart of a closet growing from the side of its perfect shape. Some of his stuff was here, some of the old roommates stuff were still here and one wall looked like someone had taken a sledge hammer to it before crudely attempting to put it back together.

"Sorry, it's not much." Mathew said from behind him, crossing his arms with a frown. "We'll get it all cleaned up and looking nice over the weekend. Be far better than the other room once we're done with it, trust me."

"Lived in worse holes than this." Jacob just shrugged, setting the box he had picked up from the living room and putting it in the middle of his new bedroom. The box just had a bunch of useless junk inside, stuff he had collected over the years and could easily throw out. He had even written Junk on the side of it with a black sharpie.

"Mathew?" A voice called from the living room, causing both of them to head back in. Jacob followed behind Mathew, hiding behind his friend and using him as a shield encase any gunfire took place.

A rather large, gray skinned rhino was standing in the middle of the doorway. More crouching down and turning on his side so he could fit through the smaller door. If the badger had caught Jacob off guard, this one left him absolutely speechless.

"Roy!" Mathew said loudly, heading over.

"Hey, squirt." Roy, the rhino, chuckled as he turned to face back into the hallway to talk to someone else before back towards them. "This the new guy?" The rhino managed to squeeze his large frame through the door and head over to Jacob, who had half a mind to dive into the bathroom and lock the door. And then out the window. "Name's Roy. Call me Roy." And the rhino offered a hand.

"Jacob, good to meet you." Jacob managed to return the hand shake somewhat. He could feel every bone in his hand being crushed as his own puny one was engulfed by the rhino's. Roy had smooth, blunt fingernails, looking more like a hoof.

Roy was a massive fellow. Heavy with muscle and fat alike. He was wearing nothing more than a white sleeveless T-shirt that struggling to contains his massive chest and a pair of tight fitting slacks that were doing as much work as the shirt was. His arms were very hairy and the rhino hadn't shaved that day, giving him a very rough looking stubble.

Jacob was fanning his hand off, trying to feel his fingers again as Roy made his way back to the door and took the other end of a mattress being currently shoved through it.

"Could've warned me before droppin' it like that." A voice said from the other side. A rather large elk came through the door seconds later, having to duck even more than the rhino had too in order to get his antlers in. The large antlers were covered with soft fuzz, still blooming in the late spring.

"Would've been rude to just up an not introduce myself." Roy chortled back and the two began talking amongst each other as they carried the mattress all the way down and into Jacob's room.

"Why... why.... just why?" Jacob asked, looking over at Mathew who was smiling the whole time.

Mathew just shrugged. "They offered. Be rude to refuse. You really don't want to make a rhino angry." Mathew mumbled a bit at the end, looking away. Jacob figured he was speaking from experience. "Roy doesn't take no." Mathew only shrugged once more, as if shrugging the issue away.

"Do... Do I tip them?" Jacob said getting flustered as he thought about making the rhino angry. That massive horn could easily be used as a sledge hammer; it might've been the very thing that broke down his wall!

There was a crash in the other room, followed by a string of loud cursing. The two promptly went to investigate, finding the rhino on his rear and holding his foot.

"Who puts a fucking box in the middle of the room?" Roy cursed rubbing his ankle. The box of junk had been stepped on and crushed nearly flat.

"Well not anymore." Mathew frowned looking at the mess.

The two, along with the elk, helped Roy up and back into the living room. The rhino limped most the way, Jacob was under one arm and the elk under the other. Jacob tried to ignore the weight, the sweaty armpit and the fact Roy was leaning more on him than the elk due to his injured leg.

"Shit, here I am asking for help and you go and get yourself hurt." Mathew begun as an apology and ended with an insult.

"It was bound to happen." Derek, the elk, just shrugged scratching at his antlers with a hand after sitting Roy down on the cushioned side of the sofa. Then Derek scracth at the other hand. Then using both hands as he scratched at both the velvet wrapped around his horns.

"Here," Jacob said getting an icepack from the freezer and putting it on the rhinoceros's ankle. He couldn't tell if it was swollen or if it just normally looked that large, the rough gray skin wasn't helping matters either. "Should help some at least."

"Thanks, squirt." Roy grumbled a bit, resting back on the sofa and making the whole thing sink in where he sat. The back strained a bit as the nearly seven foot rhino got comfortable. "Got something to drink?" He just asked, all his anger seeming to have deflated with the couch. Roy just frowned at the tv as if trying to will it on.

"I'll grab you something." Mathew chuckled, heading over to the fridge to get some more orange juice for the duo. "Derek, you want some too?"

"Whatever." The elk grumbled, scratching his antlers now on the corner of the wall. It was scratching off the paint and Derek didn't show a sign of stopping anytime soon. Jacob doubted a spray bottle or newspaper to the forehead would make him stop. Maybe a crowbar?

Mathew headed into the kitchen, allowing Jacob time to get acquainted with the other two. Instead, Jacob took the chance to quickly follow after Mathew.

"This apartment has other humans in it, right?" Jacob rested back against the counter, keeping his voice very low. Every few seconds he'd look over at the two.

"Well I live here." Mathew just replied with a smile, a shrug and a laugh. "It's not an issue, is it?" He gave a sidelong glance at his friend. Somewhat teasing him, somewhat serious.

"Of course not!" Jacob said a little too loudly, before calming down. "Just a heads up next time would be nice." He grumbled a bit, looking away. Embarrassed that there was even a problem with it.

The city was like any other city in the world. Even if there weren't lines drawn, walls built or borders outlined in the streets (anymore) there was always a divide between man and beast. Over the years, things have grown more... lenient, tolerable and adjusted to the facts of life. That they weren't going anywhere, anytime soon and they were a part of the world too.

There were still lingering hatreds and ties to the old civil war and slavery. Most still saw them as nothing more than that. Cheap, hard, expendable labor. And there were those on both sides that only caused more conflict. Groups that wanted to get back to their "animal roots." And humans that wanted to send them "back to the jungle." All crude, speciest things. More ignorant and hateful than the last. Some have even tried quoting the bible or other religious text against such things.

Abominations against mankind, they were called. Which Jacob always found funny as he never remembered Jesus being a hatemonger and preaching about intolerance and segregation of the species. There were just some people out there that would cling to anything to help support their bigotry. Or then there were those on the opposing faction that wanted to return to nature and abandon technology, medicine and all the advancements of the modern day. Both sides seemed to be competing with the other for the more radical ideas. Using the multimedia to just spread their mind numbing ideals.

Growing up in such a home didn't help matters much. Central America seemed to be a breeding ground for hate mongering, idiots and fear. Where as most of the border outlining states were the primary hubs for them to gather in semi-peace, central America was left rather bare of any. Jacob figured some just liked the cool or warm weather; Florida being a primary state for reptiles or so last years census said. Interesting, how even the government seemed to want to keep track of them.

If that wasn't bad enough, Jacob soon recalled as Mathew began making everyone lunch, that herbivores and carnivores did not get along so well with one another. Two very different practices. And even today there were countless conflicts on the matter. Jacob had even read about gangs that advocated for one principle over the other and caused even more violence because of this.

Jacob had always wondered if it was only just humans in the world, or just otter or just wolves... would there still be such conflicts? He assumed so. Because people were stupid.

Like how he was acting now.

Sitting on the other side of the living room, on a foot rest no less, just so he could keep an eye on the two.

Roy was a good guy, though seemed accident prone. Breaking the box in the room was only the first step. He'd been here for only thirty minutes and had broken a lamp, bent the couch and dented the wall when he turned his head too quickly and that large steel tipped horn smacked into it. Roy wore a metal cap on his horn, resembling a thimble, that helped keep it from randomly stabbing things or people.

Mathew found the whole thing to be amusing, laughing as he knocked down one of the shelves as Roy attempted to help set it up. Jacob found the whole thing to be a pain. Like a drunk bull in a red china shop.

"How is he possibly a contracted carpenter." Jacob asked Derek, who was seated closest to him. The elk had his full focus on scratching his antlers though. Jacob had quickly overcome his problems with the two, mostly due to the fact both were vegetarians and wasn't at risk of being mauled. Only stomped on or skewered by horn or antler.

"Was one." Derek grumbled. He motioned towards his own eyes with two fingers. "Roy got extremely poor eyesight. Seems to be a family thing," the elk shrugged, switching his hands so he could continue scratching the velvet of his antlers. "Caused a bit of issues with his work until the doctors told him he couldn't work conventional jobs. He now works here, under the table of course." Derek said as if to point out that Jacob shouldn't run to the board of national Carpenters or something to report him.

Roy had brought along his tool belt, something that seemed to be attached to his very hip. And with careful precision, managed to get the shelf back up (even if it was slightly crooked after). In calm, close quarters the rhino seemed to be able to do his job. Anything else only caused him to blunder more.

"Where do you work?" Jacob asked to be polite.

"I'm a park ranger." Derek replied, scratching over his chin and neck now.

Jacob held back on fifty-five comments he had to that, keeping each snide one to himself and chose it was a good time to go get some more grub to eat. Though, he preferred a picnic basket instead.

They had oatmeal, assorted flavored nuts and whole grain toast. No eggs, no dairy products, no meat of any kind with the two large herbivores in the other room. They had warm summer tea mixed with lemonade, only slightly sweetened. It was a healthy meal, making Jacob feel as if he were on a strict diet. And it wasn't too bad.

Roy and Derek departed a half hour after lunch; not before the rhino had somehow managed to trip over the side table and breaking the thing first. Roy promised to bring over his as an apology. Mathew was still cleaning up the pieces by the time Jacob shut the door.

"They seemed... nice." Jacob managed to say, unsure as to why he locked the door. Roy could break it down with very little effort.

And just as he was about to move away, there was another knock on the door. Jacob just spun back around and unlocked, opening the door without even looking through the peep hole. Somehow figuring it was one of the two again and at the same time knowing it was someone else. It was just one of those days.

"Hola!" A rather short, if stocky, otter said up to Jacob. "We had some extra feesh," and the water dog handed over a string of hooked fish. Some were still even moving. "An welcome!" With fish in one hand, trying to keep it away from himself, Jacob wasn't able to stop the otter from giving him a strong, bone crushing hug. "Coma esta, Mathew!" The otter said moving past Jacob and towards the other man.

They exchanged a few friendly greetings as Jacob just stared at the fish he had been giving.

"This has to be some kind of joke. A practical joke." Jacob muttered looking at the scaly things and then over at the otter. One of the fish even flipped its tail at him, making the man jump.

"Such a cute roomie, very fat." The otter nodded proudly, crossing his arms and nodding several times. Jacob flushed a bit at that. "Very." The otter said once more. "You need more weight! Won't last the winter." And with a webbed digit jabbed a finger into Mathew's belly painfully so.

"Gabriel," Mathew chuckled, leading the otter back towards the door. "It's not a bad thing to be thin." The shorter otter just gave him a disapproving look. "Say hello to your sisters for me."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll love to hear from you. Should come over! Yes, yes. Come over." The otter nodded some more. "Bring fat roomie. We make fatter." And the otters thick accent made it hard to follow much after that as Mathew smiled along and nodded here, agreed there and eventually accepted the invitation which he wasn't allowed to refuse. "We'll be there."

And with some more friendly words, the long farewell eventually ended.

"Gabriel's whole family lives on the first floor." Mathew explained, taking the fish and walking over to the fridge. There had been a side compartment Jacob hadn't been familiar with. Mathew stocked and put the fish in there, explaining that he'd get Gabriel to drop by later to cut, clean and cook the fish for them. Apparently it was custom to bring over fish, then return at a later time to cook dinner using the fish. "There are water ways in the back of the building. Made specifically for aqua mammals such as his family." Mathew went on as if nothing out of the norm had just happened.

"Water ways?"

"Canals basically." Mathew washed his hands off, taking a moment to think it over. "Picture the canals in Italy. Houses built right next to them. It's a very common practice down South apparently. So, some apartments have been redesign to accommodate them. Beavers, otters, some minks I think as well..." And he shrugged, just smiling around the whole issue.

"I've heard of jungle settings. For like... cats and such." Jacob frowned a bit, resting against the wall as he thought that all over. "Is the apartment... segregated then?" He asked more to himself.

Mathew smile faltered, if only for a second.

"Life isn't peach and cream, bud." Mathew came back over with a cold beer. "A lot of people don't like them. A lot. It makes it hard for them to have their culture come out. The otters want their water. Badgers prefer living underground. Rhinos don't take too kindly to heights. Lions like to stay up higher." And he shrugged, with that soft smile. "Believe it or not, but its humans that are the adaptable ones. They just choose not to be out of pride or whatever."

"Lions?" Jacob actually squeaked a bit as he asked. It was one thing hanging around rhinos that could stomp you flat. Elks that could puncture you with their horns. Even around playful otters that could easily out swim world athletes on a bad day. Another when there was a carnivore that could rip you to shred and pick you out between its teeth.

"Colin's a great guy." Mathew just replied with a shrug. "Lives on the top floor, alone. It's reserved for cats but he's the only one here. I know what you might be thinking, the others also had a problem with it. He really is a sweet guy. No need to worry."

"Right." Jacob frowned now, wishing his friend would've at least told him about this place before asking him to help out. That left a bad taste in the back of his mouth, though. He would've helped his friend out even if he was in the middle of The Bronx, the bad part. There was currently a gang calling themselves The Pack, a group of wolves that jump anyone that isn't part of them or "under their protection." In other words? Paying them far too much so they won't burn their stores down. Worse part was? Canines only, and you didn't get a choice.

Several such gangs existed in the states, in the world. Jacob had even seen a documentary of such a gang in Japan. A group of boars and raccoon dogs, if you can believe such a thing, that ruled part of the criminal world there. Which only got worse when the Yakuza got involved, a human gang.

Then there was the whole issue a few years back with a pride of tigers in India that was jumping people and cows on the road. Apparently a huge taboo in itself. All because they knew it was an issue.

And it all started due to a single factor, no matter where you were in the world. The intolerance and discrimination of others. Outcasts still wish to belong and gangs are more than happy to supply such a false family to be a part of.

Jacob shook his head quickly and sighed, trying to push such thoughts out of his head. Here we had had all these issues and people were more concerned about legalizing marijuana.

"Colin's more of a recluse anyways. Keeps to himself. You might see him coming and going but I doubt much more." Mathew just reassured his friend, giving him the beer.

"Yeah..." Jacob nodded, looking down at the cool drink in his hand. He took a long swig of it before setting it down.

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun! They're just very friendly. Just be glad they welcomed and met you now than thinking your some random dude coming into the building. Now that! That might've 'caused a few issues. Very big family orientated group here," Mathew just took a seat with his own beer. "You don't mess with family." And it was a fair warning.

The rest of the day went by slowly and uneventful. A friendly couple came over to greet the newbie, a somewhat eccentric blue spotted dalmatian (some sort of fur dye) and red husky. Both two overly friendly, energetic dogs that couldn't sit still for more than a couple of minutes. Tops.

Jacob had more trouble with these two than any of the others. Kept being reminded of the gym he had stopped going too. And the friendly dog there.

From there, as the night began to fall, he met the land lady. A rather large grizzly bear who spoke few words and didn't need to say anything more. From there, he passed by a few college students from one of the local schools. They were coming from a basketball game and were already half drunk by the time they got in. He had to actually wait for the komodo dragon to pass by him before he could get to the bottom floor with the trash he was taking out.

Only when he got to the bottom floor was he told about the trash shoot half way up.

"Easier to just go up one floor, drop it there and head back down." One of the otters told him after she inquired about it. She spoke far better than her oldest brother, Gabriel, having been born and raised in America. She still spoke quickly, in Spanish, to her grandparents who came out to see what the commotion was. "You'll have to take recycling down though."

Jacob couldn't refuse shaking their hands and getting four kisses on each cheek from the much smaller grandmother otter; the whiskers poked him in the eye several times during this. The one thing he could recall was just how strong a grip she had for such a tiny woman. A simple hand shake turned into a hug he couldn't refuse, followed by said kisses.

He also dropped off some recycling while he was down here, in the back room. Jacob actually had to walk along the side as the hallway in front of him turned from carpet, to wood to water. The back of the whole bottom floor was a maze of water ways and single paths that he had to figure out.

And finally reaching his designation, ended up stopping in the door way as someone else was already here. Depositing a bundle of beer bottles, cans and metal tins. A rather large African lion turned towards him at hearing the small bell jingle above the door.

"Ah, Colin right?" Jacob said putting on his best, friendliest face now that he had been spotted by those piercing yellow eyes. It would be rude to run away screaming like a little girl now. "I'm Jacob," the man explained offering a hand awkwardly. "Mathew's new roommate?" He continued seeing the confusion on the lions face.

"The..." Colin spoke the word, dragging it out as he tried to piece things together.

"Other human, yeah." Jacob chuckled a bit, letting his hand drop back down his side. He lifted up the bag of his own recycling. "Just dropping off."

"I assumed." Colin replied flatly, turning back to his work. Jacob rubbed the back of his neck at that, feeling embarrassed as if he had insulted the lion somehow. "Better than picking up." Jacob just chuckled, moving towards the side and waiting his turn.

The cat's ear perked up at that but didn't look over, instead the large savannah predator took a half step to the side to let Jacob use the other dispenser. He said his thanks and the two quietly continued their work.

Jacob was doing his best not to stare at the taller male standing next to him. Those heels raised up on the lion giving him a few more inches on the man, let alone for already naturally being a larger species. As the otter had been shorter than Jacob by a good foot, this lion was on the other spectrum. The large cat had such a presence in the small room that Jacob was feeling claustrophobic.

Colin mane was a smooth hazelnut color, with flashes of gold here and amber red there. It wasn't just one solid color but a flow of several, somehow reminding Jacob of a setting sun. Colin's face was large, due mostly to that muzzle. His whiskers were as prominent like his wild brethren but it still was foreign to the human standing so close.

Colin's fur was darker than most lions Jacob had seen. It was smooth, covering his bare arms and down over his large hands. It outlined the muscular, thick frame nicely. Colin wore a sweater vest and a tan pair of khakis making the cat far less intimidating, something Jacob assumed he had been going for. Jacob wasn't surprised to see the cat going bare paw. Though, the small tuft of fur on the end of his tail did.

"Look," Jacob finally said after Colin was leaving and he himself was finishing up. "We're having a small party, a sort of welcome party tonight. If you wanted to come..." And he trailed off there not wanting to make the cat feel obligated to come. It was clear the feline enjoyed his space. And Jacob had no issues at all with the cat not showing up. However, he also didn't want the lion hearing about the party he hadn't been invited too.

The large cat did stop at that, looking back at him. Those sharp eyes studied his face for several seconds before Colin gave a single nod. "Maybe." And with that the cat was gone, on silent footsteps Jacob couldn't even hear as he watched him leave. It made the man shudder. Something that big and deadly shouldn't be able to be so silent.

He did his good deed for the day, and called it a night heading back upstairs to help set up the party.

Jacob was told it'd be a small, little thing. He didn't think nearly everyone in the apartment would come. Half of Gabriel's family came, even a few of his Aunts. Roy and Derek showed up early to set up the lighting and karaoke machine. Even Frank showed up, to sulk in the corner.

And bottles and bottles of liquor were brought. And the quiet little apartment turned rowdy within minutes.

A hyena with a Mohawk was serving the drinks, mixing them skillfully and handling the amount for each and every person there. Even drinking himself, it was a feat Jacob could never handle. And ended up flushing abit as the hyena not only remembered what he had gotten last time, coming up for a refill, but also flirted with him so easily, so casually that Jacob ended up finding him irrefutably charming. And ended up tipping him. The mohawk hyena had brought along a jar with "tips" written on it; it was nearly full already.

"Look forward to see ya around," the hyena, known as Tatu, gave him a wink, a smile and let his finger trace a little too long along Jacob's wrist before he managed to depart.

"Y-yeah." Jacob could only reply, retreating back into the crowd of furry bodies.

Unfortunately Jacob was the center attraction, being the newest person in the building. And kept getting swarmed by people introducing and greeting him with hand shakes and hugs.

It didn't take alcohol to get the others to be overly friendly with him, it only seemed to help grease the wheels as it were. Never in his life had Jacob had so many hugs before in a single night. Even getting nuzzles, licks, kisses on the cheek and one rather lewd skunk even groped him openly. He blamed the alcohol on that last one.

He was only able to get some peace once the lights were dimmed and others were turned on (mostly string lights that Roy hung all around the apartment). With the greetings out of the way people turned back towards those they knew and were talking loudly amongst each other. Others were making out with their lovers, some even with their friends. And soon enough Jacob found himself in a throng of bodies doing shots. And he felt as if he were in college again.

"Lick your hand," he was told from someone he can't even recall the face of. "Put a line of salt on it. Get a lime. Then lick the salt off, take the tequila shot, hold everything in your mouth and then suck on the lime. Mix it all up and down the whole thing!"

He was told this five, six and a seventh time while the others got it ready for him. He wasn't sure who had licked his hand, slathering it in drool, before Gabe, the scruffy smaller otter, put salt on it. A slice of lime was given to him and soon enough he was licking his wrist, sucking on a lime and downing a shot of tequila. Or taking the shot, licking the salt and then sucking on the lime. Or lime, salt, shot? Shot, lime, salt? By the end of the night he couldn't even properly remember.

The party began to spin at that point as bad karaoke was sung, people only got more crazy and flirtatious and Jacob got more drunk. From a long island ice tea he was handed by someone, to the AMF cocktails and with the shots? He was spinning himself by the end of it.

Not even recalling when he had taken his pants off or had a lamp shade placed over his face and was on the mock stage they had set up, singing "Black Velvet" which a stallion up front, who happened to be black fur, absolutely loved. Even whinning at the very end along with him as Jacob stretched out backwards, supported by the horse, and sung the last few verses with him.

He was actually carried off stage as the next group went up and he was supported by the stallion all the way back to the bar set up in the kitchen.

"Enjoying yourself?" Mathew asked, standing behind it along with the hyena who was helping another customer out.

"Thanks stud," Jacob said patting the stallions bare chest a few more times than was necessary and was handed off to his friend. "I think he likes me." Jacob said not exactly silently as he leaned against the hyena's back and talked to Mathew. Tattu snorted at that and just stood there as a back support for the man.

"Told you, you'd fit in." Mathew just smiled back, the man was the only one there that didn't seem drunk. Along with the hyena who had to stuff a few more bills into his pants as the tip jar spilled out.

"Everyone loves a good drunk." Jacob just replied, giggling a bit after as he felt the hyena behind him shift some more.

"Sure." Tattu replied, turning around to grab a bottle behind him. The hyena reached around the man, holding him for support still, before pouring the drink. He spun the glass around with one hand skillfully, turning the salted rim part towards him. "Try this," the hyena growled down to him, tipping the glass up to his lips.

"Sweet." Jacob giggled a bit more as the hyena traded him off to Mathew, frowning at the drink.

"It's a variation on the lemon drop. I can never get it right. Too strong or too sweet." He sighed, disappointed and set the glass down, using a finger to trace along the the cup and turned it back towards himself. He took a drink from the last bit of salt and frowned.

Holding it in his muzzle, Tatto leaned down and pressed his lips against Jacob's, sliding the drink back into the man's mouth with his tongue and giving him a sloppy kiss along with it.

"Much better," Jacob said with a large, flushed smile and laughing fit of giggls some more.

"Thought so," Tattu gave him a smiling wink and went back to serving drinks with a bit more wag in his step.

"Might be over doing it," Mathew chuckled down at the man he was still supporting. "Might get more than a kiss next time."

"Maybe that's what I'm going for?" Jacob hiccuped, teasing the hyena rear with his toes. Jacob looked down at his foot, wondering where his shoe had gone too.

"Just a beer." A voice said to their side and the two looked over to see none other than the lion standing there.

Most of the crowd had parted like a school of minnows in the wake of a shark. Giving Colin a large birth and even choosing to go all the way around the sofa, than to get close to him.

"Yo, made it!" Jacob said jumping up at seeing the lion and nearly falling over. Colin supported him, looking up at his friend.

Mathew shrugged. "Had a little too much."

"Need to lay off the cat nip." Tattu chuckled, teasing both Jacob and the lion as he handed a brewsky over to the feline. The hyena was more on edge around the cat but was the only one, other than Roy, who didn't seem to openly avoid him.

"Uh... mind watching him for a second?" Mathew said quickly, going around the counter and towards the drapes where someone had accidentally pulled them down. Things were getting more out of hand by the minute.

Colin grumbled, looking down at the man who was teasing the white tuft of fur on the lions chin.

"Charming fellow, ain't he?" Tattu laughed. "I can handle him," the hyena offered, reaching out to take Jacob back.

"I got it." Colin only replied with a cold stare. "He asked me."

"I think I can handle it." Tattu frowned now, the gray fur black spotted hyena growled a bit.

Colin knew very well what Tattu wanted to handle and the cat wasn't about to get in trouble for letting Jacob fall into the wrong paws. Mathew was one of the few souls in this whole apartment that he liked, let alone seemed to at least tolerate him.

"Always could hand him to me," the stallion from before had shown up. Wearing nothing but a pair of tight fitting black shorts that hid nothing to the imagination of his groin... and down his thigh.

Instead of letting Jacob stick around, Colin hoisted him up over one shoulder and just said he'd handle it. Carrying the man into the hallway, Colin figured out which room was the man's easily enough. Unfortunately two of the other guests had found it first and the two were in the middle of something.

"At least shut the door," Colin grumbled now, turning back towards the other room. Mathew had been smart enough to lock his door, leaving very little left. Colin could hear that the bathroom was occupied by somebody coughing out a lung. Smoke was trailing from underneath the door. And it wasn't tobacco.

Colin didn't know the guy, hell maybe Jacob wanted some guy to take advantage of him for all he knew. Still, Mathew did put him in his care and also... Jacob was the guy to invite him to this crummy thing to begin with.

"We're getting a breather," Colin just told Mathew when he got back into the living room, motioning to the guy still over his shoulder and who was attempting to play with his tail.

"Sounds good. Clear his head a bit. Thank you, Colin." And gave him another warm smile. Colin always enjoyed Mathew, but could live without meeting the others of the apartment.

The cat headed out, taking two stairs at a time as he headed to the top floor. The roof was locked, Colin was already tired and figured he'd just drop him off. Instead, he ended up just dropping back into his own place.

"Great party," Colin grumbled flipping his phone open to send a couple of text to Mathew to let him know where they were. And where he could pick Jacob up.

"Not as gud as your butt!" Jacob said loudly, with another string of giggles.

"Is that so?" Colin did end up chuckling at the bluntness.

"I could just..." Jacob growled a bit before snapping his teeth. "Bite it!"

"I really wouldn't recommend that." Colin laugh with a roll of his eyes.

"Do you prefer the biting?" Jacob asked, sitting up a bit before resting towards his other side. "I like the biting. And the kissing. The licking was odd though." And there was a moment pause between his mumblings. "Lollipops." Jacob blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Colin asked, sitting down in his favorite chair.

"How many licks... does it take." Jacob frowned now, thinking that one over.

"Don't you mean a sucker?" Colin looked over at him.

"Don't mind if I do!" And Jacob leaned over to plant a suckling kiss right on Colin's lips.

Before the lion could fully react, Jacob had dozed off half off, half on the long bodied couch. Leaving the lion to brood on the situation and needing another beer.