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Hello there. Makuta from FurAffinity liked my writing well enough to commission another story involving his character(Which you can find here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10474046/)

*This new adventure is loosely based on the universe of Space Dandy, where Makuta(Anthro this time) is a famous alien hunter in search of an ally to help him in his most recent mission. The crew he stumbles upon may not seem much at first glance. They treat Makuta coldly, as is proper for a partner that only sticks around until the mission is over. Meow, on the other hand, the only feline in the crew, sees Makuta for who he is and quickly takes a liking to him. *

What can you expect to see in this Sci-Fi adventure, apart from the catchy plot?

Male on male anthro feline action, anal, masturbation.

If you have a thing for cats, then this story is for you. Enjoyed it? I kindly ask you to take into account my following requests. It's just the press of a button, literally :P

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***

Makuta hated BooBies. The gaudy decorations, stringent colors, and the constant, high pitched requests of the female attendants surrounding him assaulted his senses in the most vicious of ways. He tried to ignore them as he fondled the silvery pendant he wore. It bore the shape of a swiping paw of a cat, his emblem as one of the famous alien hunters of the universe.

For this night, Makuta chose to wear a black leather jacket, along with a shirt with his favorite band called Gatos Locos, baggy jeans and no shoes. That was the second thing Makuta detested: shoes. They hindered his movement and prevented the use of his claws. What cat in their right mind wore shoes? He crossed his feet, flexing his toes a bit as he did. His female fan group cheered at him, praising him for his tastes in clothing, for his well groomed fur and stark, flaming orange eyes. They even complimented his feet, as well as the smooth look of his coal black pads; that's how desperate they were for attention.

"I have a drink," Makuta said to a border collie lady with boobs so big her bra was close to bursting. "Why would I need another drink when I haven't even finished this one?"

"Then maybe you can buy me a drink," she said, her tail wagging, her eyes blinking rapidly in a failed attempt to impress Makuta with her long, dark eye lashes.

He shook his head and slumped into his chair, groaning from the persistence of his entourage. BooBies...what a shit hole of a place.

And yet, he had to be here, for every alien hunter worth his salt visited this deplorable establishment. Be it for the generous curves of the females, or the tasteless drinks, swarms upon swarms of people milled about the establishment, engaging in pretentious chatter with each other or trying to woo the female attendants to expose their breasts to them. Why their bosom fascinated them, Makuta couldn't tell.

He tried his best to ignore them as his head turned this way and that, his eyes squinted to read the small text displayed on a 3D interface. His Knowitall contact lenses, once fixated on any sapient creature, checked it with the Alien Hunter database and returned the necessary information for Makuta's evaluation. He checked more than a dozen people, ranging from anthro horses to the various species of dragons.

All were scum. Beginners, alien hunter wannabes, with no notable achievements that stirred Makuta's interest. He returned to his glass of sweetened milk, the only proper drink they had in this crap hole of a place, and took a sip. As soon as he did that, the boisterous females assaulted him. They tripped in one another's legs in the rush to his table, for the sole privilege to ask him if he wanted anything else for a drink.

"I'm good," Makuta replied, his voice muffled by the doberman boobs pressed against his muzzle.

"No you're not good," a squeaky voice replied. "You didn't even try the alcoholic drinks."

"You didn't dance," another female chipped in.

"You barely looked at what we have to offer," yet another female added.

"You can't just sit here by yourself, lover. We only want you to yaaaaaagh--"

Makuta squeezed his eyes shut when the females who circled him somehow lost their balance. They fell upon him, pair after pair of boobs, squeezing his head from all sides. They laughed, those irritating creatures, and regained their footing far slower than they should have.

"I'm not interested in your drinks or services," Makuta said, his tone cold and calculated. "Leave, unless you want me to make you leave."

"Aren't there other things you can make me do?" The female doberman from earlier asked, her head tilted to the side as she favored him a shy smile.

Makuta's fingers itched to grab his blaster and get rid of this nuisance, once and for all. He almost did, if he didn't notice the little pervert at the edge of his vision. He crouched behind the seat of a pudgy bulldog, filming--or taking picture of this ridiculous affair--with his smartphone.

The pervert resembled a cat, with large yellow eyes and tan, well groomed fur. His hands, feet, belly, and the tip of his tail had a grey coloring, and every time he shifted to make sure nobody saw him, Makuta noticed that streak of brown fur, the one that looked a shooting star. It ran from his scalp all the way down to his back. He sported a red cap, light green garment, a brown satchel to carry his smartphone, and orange shoes, quite big for his small feet.

Makuta's Knowitall lenses revealed his background. Not an alien hunter, but a wanderer who registered more aliens to the Alien Registration Center on his own than any of those useless beginners Makuta had taken a peek at earlier.

"Hey, you there," Makuta called to him. "Mind helping me out with those ladies?"

The pervert froze, his yellow eyes large as saucers. He sheltered his smartphone with blinding speed before he thrust a thumb into his chest.

"M--me?"

"You," Makuta responded. "Come over. The closer you get to them, the better the pictures, eh?"

His ploy worked. The ladies around him already began to make their retreat, scoffing and snorting and even giving him the middle finger. Makuta took another sip of his milk, unperturbed. What more could one expect from a pair of walking boobs? Certainly not manners or respect...

Makuta turned towards the perverted cat. "I invited you to sit at my table, did I not?"

The perverted cat flinched, and released a faint yelp when the pudgy bulldog he used for cover smacked him across the back of his head.

"The hell are you doing behind my chair, pervert? Sniffing me arse?" He thundered. "Perhaps you want to lick it!"

He swiped a massive paw at the lithe cat, but the pervert dodged it with blinding speed before dropping on his fours and leaping over Makuta's table and into the empty seat in front of him. Makuta would have smiled at the display of agility, if he wasn't a nimble feline himself.

"Fucking freak. Sitting under my ass like the turd he is..."

His callous words made the pervert wince.

"Tricks of the trade," Makuta said with practiced nonchalance. "If you want to get the females, then you better prepare to deal with the males as well."

"I was doing just fine, until you ruined it." His tail flicked due to nerves, and his eyes darted back and forth, never settling on Makuta.

_He's intimidated by me,_Makuta thought. Good. Fear motivated even the most stubborn of tongues to unravel.

"I gave you an opportunity to come out of the shadows and do us some good."

"Like you needed that," he said. "Everything worked perfect for you. They even ganged up on you, smothered you with their boobs, they did!" His enthusiasm muffled his fear, and their eyes met for a brief moment before the pervert lowered his gaze. "And then you ruined it for the both of us."

Makuta wrapped his tail around his left leg. "I don't see it that way. With you here, I have room to breathe, space to talk and stretch, and my ears stopped ringing with their pestering voices."

"P--pestering? You actually--actually mean that?" The pervert's words trembled, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Whatever game you're playing, I'm not sure I want to be part of it."

He slid off his stool, but stopped when Makuta raised his paw to stop him. "It's not a game. Those females are willing to jump in anybody's lap for the right amount of money. Pitiful creatures, those." Makuta signaled the pervert to sit, which he did, much to Makuta's surprise. He didn't take him as the sort of submissive feline he seemed to be.

"So...," the pervert twiddled his little fingers while waiting for the right words. "You're not fond of them?"

Makuta shook his head.

"Their features? Voices? Looks?"

"The whole package," Makuta added. "I'm not into females. Never was, but that's none of your concern."

His companion's eyes widened in disbelief. "I shouldn't be the one who says this, but you picked the wrong establishment."

Makuta raised a slim finger. "Wrong establishment, but the right people. It makes no matter to me, so long as I find a capable alien hunter." He took another sip of sweet milk, then pushed the half empty glass towards his companion. "Now that I satisfied your curiosity, it's your turn to indulge me. Have a sip, wet your tongue."

"I'm not sure I..."

"You registered a great deal of foreign aliens, a feat that you could not have accomplished on your own. Tell me who you're working with."

"That would be me, bakayaro!"

Makuta's gaze swerved towards the human who appeared on his right. He looked like a hipster, with a grey jacket bearing white stripes and a yellow star on his right side and back. His most profound feature, however, was his slicked back pompadour hair style. He sported a red shirt under his jacket, navy blue pants, and metallic shoes that looked mighty uncomfortable.

He gave the pervert a mean glare. "Meow, why the heck are you spending time with a dude instead of stalking your mamitas?"

"Your name is Meow?" Makuta asked the cat in front of him.

"Like yours is better!" The rowdy human spat. "Let me guess. Your name is some unintelligible thing that sounds like a mewl, so I'll have to call you Mewl."

"Makuta," the dark blue cat said.

"Attention everyone, we have a badass in here. Says his name and nothing else," he drawled, loud enough to attract the attention of several girls. They favored him broad smiles, and even took several steps towards him. Then, they spotted Meow, and turned around without as much as a scoff.

"That's what happens when I surround myself with the likes of you. Boobies and cats are polar opposites, so you two remain together while I seek my fortune elsewhere."

"Wait," Makuta urged. His Knowitall lenses displayed the human's--Dandy's--achievements. And they were many! He identified various aliens, varying from centipedes to colossal planet busters. A real alien hunter, yet less famous than Makuta, and not popular enough to be missed in case of sudden disappearance.

"You're an alien hunter, aren't you, Dandy?"

He turned around, a toothy smile plastered on his face. "That's right baby, although I prefer my fans to have a crevice between their legs, voluptuous booties and big chests with generous curves, understand?"

"What about money?" Makuta asked.

Dandy rested his chin against a palm, pondering Makuta's offer for a fleeting moment. "Nope. Sayonara, Mewler."

"I mean lots of money."

He stopped in his tracks. "How much?"

"Enough to go with the statue built in your name if you help me get to the far end of the galaxy."

A statue. Money. Fame. His eyes already glistened with greed.

"Well...money's the second best thing to boobies, which the statue will surely get me." He dashed over to Makuta's table in the blink of an eye and stretched out his hand. "We have a deal, you blue mewler!"

Makuta drew back from his touch. "It's Makuta."

"Bah, who cares. You're the same as Meow anyway."

"I'm from planet Earth."

"Same thing," Dandy insisted and shook his hand for emphasis. "Now give me your filthy paw to seal the deal. I had enough of your blue fur, orange eyes, black leather jacket, and that stupid shirt of yours."

Makuta shook his hand, if only to send him on his way.

"Gatos Locos," Dandy muttered on his way to a female panther. "The heck is that shitty band?"

"I know Gatos Locos," Meow said. "I like them too."

Makuta didn't give a damn about what Meow liked. All that mattered to him was Dandy, who had the means and the ship to travel to the far end of the galaxy.

Makuta drank the rest of his sweetened milk in one gulp and got onto his feet.

"O--oy, leaving already? Aloha Oe doesn't go anywhere without Dandy, and Dandy doesn't go anywhere before he gets that panther into a restroom for..." Meow trailed off. He looked away to hide his budding blush, which made Makuta smile with half a mouth. It was kind of cute to see a pervert like him blush.

"I don't care what Dandy does or who he shags. We're partners now, so his ship is my ship until we get there."

Meow rushed after Makuta. "Where? Where do we have to go, and which alien species are we hunting?"

"Does that make a difference? You'll see when we get there."

"So you aren't playing Dandy? Because it doesn't take a brilliant mind to do that."

Makuta sighed. He had to trust somebody, considering he would travel with this crew for a while, and Meow seemed harmless enough to know the bare minimum of what Makuta's task required.

"The aliens we're searching for are formless blobs of goo called Slimenoids that, at a certain age, can morph into any creature they can think of, as long as they get to see it once. They are aggressive, territorial, pretty damn stupid and monstrously big according to the rumors. They live in the far reaches of the known universe, and all I know is their galaxy."

Makuta's words stole Meow's words, leaving him wide eyed. His silence gave Makuta a moment of respite as they made their way through the thinning crowd. Makuta paid his bill at the bar, displayed a hologram of the Aloha Oe--Dandy's ship--for the barkeep, and nodded. The barkeep, a silent yet pragmatic lioness, nodded in return.

"It won't take long. I can get you a more secluded table if you'd like. The hangar is really not a proper place for--"

Makuta shook his head. "I'll supervise."

"As you wish," the lioness said. "Good luck hunting those aliens."

She blew a kiss to Makuta, but it was Meow who yelped and mewled like a love struck fool on the way to the hangar. He only recovered his wits when they left BooBies, still stumbling and bumping into other people due to how often he glanced behind.

Ridiculous as it looked like, Makuta didn't stop Meow from enjoying his mamitas, like Dandy called them. Silence suited him fine. It allowed him to think of a course of action, whether he needed to reveal his ship to Dandy and his crew or simply make use of Aloha Oe. The latter, unlike Makuta's Tigerfang, was built for long distance warps. Docking his Tigerfang on top of Aloha Oe would only add unnecessary drag and slow them down.

"Oh I didn't...when did we get over here?" Meow mumbled. He rushed to join Makuta's side, a puzzled expression etched on his face while he looked at the numerous ships around them. "I swear we were inside BooBies, right there with that freaking cute lioness when..." he trailed off and looked up to Makuta.

"Why did you show Aloha Oe to her? What was with the nodding? What's going on?"

Makuta licked his fangs to conceal the faint trace of his snarl. "I told you about the mission. Do you really want to know all the bothersome details?"

Meow opened his mouth, but shut it, intimidated by Makuta's narrow eyes. They took a turn towards Deck C, row fifteen, where Dandy left his servile robot, QT, to look after Aloha Oe. Drones circled the impressive, yellow colored Firefly class Cruiser, laden with food and fuel supplies. QT stood by the ship's loading ramp, inspecting the drones' doings.

"What's with all the drones? What's going on?"

Makuta's lips pursed into a thin line. Wasn't it obvious?

"They've been loading food, water supplies and fuel for the better part of an hour," QT said, his voice frail and high pitched, like a little boy's.

QT looked like a veritable vacuum cleaner, yellow, with an impressive girth with a wan underside and tiny, squinty eyes. He had long, extensible arms equipped with holes in the middle of the palm that seemed to serve various purposes. He also had a little telescope equipped on top of his head, and was surprisingly agile for a robot on wheels.

"They should have been done by now," Makuta observed.

"They would have been done if you checked up with Dandy first, Makuta." The little robot sped up to meet Makuta. "It's his ship. You're just a partner in this venture."

"I'm fine being a partner, so long as we don't step on each other's toes."

QT didn't even look at Makuta while he spoke. He turned around and activated his intercom. "He is at the ship, Dandy."

The intercom crackled to life, but instead of Dandy's voice, a moan burst through, lewd and full of passion. QT cut the link immediately, his little dark eyes squinted in shame.

"We'll have to wait for Dandy a little bit. He is caught up in his...interpersonal negotiations."

Was that how the Aloha Oe called it? Makuta scoffed at the ridiculousness of the situation, turned towards the back of the ship and brought out a cigar from the leather satchel he carried at his left hip.

"Mind the drones," he told QT with an authoritative tone. "I sent you the data for the cargo. If anything's missing, you report to me so that I can deal with the stingy bastard that crossed me."

"As you wish, although the dragon running this space station is known for his pragmatism," QT said.

Makuta lighted his cigar, took a puff of rich Regherian tobacco, and leaned against a cargo ramp besides Aloha Oe.

"You want one?"

Meow looked to the side. "I'm not a fan of tobacco."

"Suit yourself."

The tan cat kept tapping his foot, glancing at QT, then at Aloha Oe, then back at QT.

"I apologize on their behalf," Meow finally said. "Dandy is...well, Dandy, and QT is a bit of a control freak. He probably didn't like that you sent off those drones before letting him and Dandy know about it."

"It's efficient." Makuta steadied the cigar between his teeth as he inspected the drones' doing. "I hired them before partnering up with Dandy. There is no bastard smug enough in this universe to say no to free stuff."

"You may be surprised." The smaller cat stepped up to Makuta and reclined besides him. "There is pride, and there is egotism. Dandy may come off as a narcissistic bastard, but even he needs someone to suit up and be there, with him, on the foreign planets we visit."

Makuta sucked in a deep, pleasant breath full of suave aromas. "And that somebody is you?"

Meow's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Aha. I have Dandy's back, so he can flee and leave me alone to deal with the messy situations. Good thing we have nine lives, eh?"

"I don't need the rest of my eight lives if I am dumb enough to lose one." His icy tone silenced Meow, much to Makuta's regret. He appreciated his presence, especially when he could have spent this time stalking his mamitas instead of talking to him.

Makuta wanted to say something, to spark up another discussion. Only...he didn't know what to say. He never knew what to say. Words felt flimsy compared to actions, and he partnered up with Dandy and his crew for the sole purpose of finding--and registering--the Slimenoids.

He smoked his cigar, listening to the dull buzz of the drones. They entered through the cargo bay to deposit their load, then zipped past him to burden themselves once again. Makuta liked their practical approach to their duty. However tedious it seemed, drones didn't complain or try to find an easier way around it. They just did it, simple as that.

Makuta threw away the stump his cigar became, just in time to stroll towards Dandy. He walked like a true king, his head held high, his shoulders straight, and a smug grin plastered on that ugly mug of his.

"Oy oy, my bad," he said to Makuta. "Couldn't hear QT over the dose of Dandy love I administered that tight panther." He wiggled and thrust his hips forward, humming a strangely erotic tune. "She was new to BooBies. I have an eye for catching the ripe ones, eh, Meow?"

Meow crossed his arms across his chest and threw Dandy a defiant look, which only served to amplify the human's mirth.

"Free pussy, free food, water, fuel. And after this whole charade is over, enough money to buy a BooBies establishment and a statue to place in front of it, as a fitting tribute to my manliness." He paused to wink at Makuta. "The day didn't turn out to be that bad, you blue furred smartass."

Dandy thrust two fingers at Makuta, then tucked them into his palms to reveal his twin thumbs up before strolling in that ridiculous way of his towards his ship.

Meow sighed. "Why do the ladies always prefer the assholes?" His voice cut short at the end, and he threw Makuta a fleeting glance. "I didn't mean--of course you're not--you know what I mean, right?"

A curt smile spread across Makuta's lips at Meow's obvious distress. "No harm done. I'm not weak enough to let words get to me, no matter their shape and form."

"You...actually mean that?"

Makuta nodded.

"So that means I can insult you, and you won't mind it one bit?"

"Try me," Makuta taunted.

Meow flinched at the mere notion of it, and pointed at the ship instead. "Guess it's time to go, before Dandy dumps us both in here. He'd love that."

"He loves himself and his promised statue more, so no chance of that happening."

"Hey, I heard that!" Dandy bellowed from the bowels of the ship. "You're lucky that you're right, else I would have left your furry asses to the mercy of the dragon who commands this space station."

The asshole also pressed the button to close the boarding ramp, forcing Meow and Makuta to make a run for it. They both leaped onto it at the same time, their feline grace augmenting their jump enough to make even the pompous Dandy squint in surprise.

"I don't like running unless I have to," Makuta said, his voice low and icy. It made Dandy shudder due to its intensity, even though the human acted it all cool by laughing and turning around.

"QT!" Dandy called. "We have a new badass on board. Take orders from this smartass, let him pilot the ship and what not, so long as we don't come into sighting or hearing range of one another."

The little robot appeared from a side corridor. "He really means that."

"I know," Makuta said as he watched Dandy taking a turn left. A door slid open, and a door shut. "I'm fine with it. We're partners, nothing more. Now let's go the helm to settle a course and give you a quick briefing on what's about to happen."

"Not you, Meow," QT said when Meow turned to follow them. "The last time you entered the main deck, you warped us into oblivious by accident."

"Err..." Meow trailed off, twiddling his thumbs and giving QT a guilty look.

"It won't take long," Makuta said. "Be around when I'm done. I'll still need someone to show me around."

"Which is certainly not Meow. He gets lost around the ship more times than any cat has the right to."

"It has to be Meow," Makuta insisted. "Your job is to pilot the ship, watch our fuel supply, and keep up to date with the wars happening across the galaxies we'll cross. The last thing we want is to warp straight into a battle zone."

"Let's get to it then," QT said.

Makuta followed the little robot around the ship. The straight corridor led them right to the cockpit, a broad room equipped with more recliners than actual control panels. Makuta bit his lower lip at the strange layout of the cockpit, and barely stifled a gasp when he realized there was no door to grant them access to the helm. The corridor simply opened into the grand room, which looked more like a living room rather than a space destined for core operations.

How can they trust each other so much? Makuta mused as he recalled the numerous layers of protection he added to the cockpit of his own ship. QT assumed his spot at the helm and extended an arm to invite Makuta to sit besides him.

"This is the main panel, these are side panels modified to display--"

"I know what they are, QT. Lie back and let me do the explanation. I'm well versed into hardware and software, and my ancestors designed the Firefly Cruiser, so allow me."

The robot didn't seem pleased at all to allow Makuta free reign over the domain he commanded, yet it had to be done. Makuta took QT's seat, brought up the 3D interface of the known galaxies and emphasized the resources of the ship, as well as marking the dangerous galaxies with harsher colors.

"We want to stay away from those, obviously," Makuta said as the soft pads of his fingers pattered on the touch screen with a speed that surprised Makuta himself. "Doesn't help it's so many of them. Here."

Makuta erased the unimportant galaxies, zoomed out to encompass the whole wide universe in the 3D display, and colored the trajectory of their warp points with red. "Here's where we warp, and here's where we come out."

"Why not warp now?" QT inquired.

A legit question. "Because we don't have the fuel. Warping distorts time and space around us, creating a pocket of nether that unites two points from the same plane, which is the fourth dimension. Now, what we need is not just a worm hole, but a snake hole, which is a worm hole that nobody but us can access."

"Tell me something new," QT said.

Makuta embedded the data into the ship's auto pilot and got up. "Read a newspaper, in that case. I'm done."

QT had enough decency not to retort. If there was one good thing about robots, that had to be their lack of feelings. QT had a plethora of information to manage, as well as the trajectory throughout the several galaxies they had to travel at light speed before warping. Aloha Oe shook slightly as QT engaged the light speed Hyper Transport, but other than that, Makuta couldn't tell the difference.

He found Meow where they had left him, browsing his phone. The tan cat stuffed it into his satchel as soon as his eyes spotted Makuta and scratched his cheeks in a failed attempt to conceal his blush.

"That was...that was fast."

"I have experience with Firefly cruisers, and QT proved to be more than amiable."

"Or scared," Meow intervened. "All it takes is a glance from you to--"he abruptly stopped and dipped his head in apology. "I'm sorry. I went ahead of myself. I didn't mean to say that."

"I dared you to insult me earlier, did I not?" Makuta asked, trying his best to bring a sliver of warmth into his voice. "Well, the challenge persists."

"Ehhh," Meow groaned as he scratched the back of his head. "Somebody like you deserves nothing but praise. Now let me show you around. That was the deal."

Judging by the sudden change of topic, as well as Meow's wandering gaze and beet red cheeks, Makuta concluded that the little cat inadvertently took a liking to him. He wasn't even that small! Meow reached up to Makuta's neck in height, and even though his paws were smaller and his feet were concealed by those ridiculous shoes, that didn't mean he lacked in other departments, such as...

"This is me."

Meow's sudden voice dispelled Makuta's stray thoughts. He watched Meow press the button on the side. The door slid open...

And revealed a genuine storeroom, stacked to the brim with all sorts of stuff, ranging from broken robots--or bits of broken robots--to sport articles, katanas, spears, computers... A quick peek inside the 'room' made Makuta's stomach lurch from the heavy scents and his vision whirl from all that crap that filled it. Meow had to drop onto his fours and slink through a tunnel created under all that junk before getting to the far end, where his bed lied. That was the only empty place in that tiny corner of hell.

"What a crap hole of a place..." Makuta voiced his thoughts out loud.

"I know right? But I don't see it such. To me, it's neatly organized, and everything is where it belongs."

Meow's voice brought a soft shudder through Makuta's frame. He tensed up, and the tips of his claws poked from his toes as his tail flicked with a nervousness uncharacteristic of him. He didn't mean to insult Meow in his own home, and yet, it happened...

"I'm...could we check out some other rooms?"

"Sure thing," Meow said with great eagerness, as if nothing happened. "I didn't expect you to stay with me anyway. That's my special corner, designed to suit my likes and my needs."

Makuta released a sigh of relief, happy that Meow didn't take his comment the wrong way. He wanted to warn the little cat of his bluntness, of his poor social skills. And yet, he couldn't, for he didn't know where to begin.

"Dandy's up there, on the upper deck." Meow pointed to a small teleporting machine. "Which you do not want to step on, ever."

"I do not intend to," Makuta said. "We're partners in this. Nothing more."

Meow shrugged and pointed forward. "There's only one room left. I find it too lavish, too tropical, and far too humid for my tastes."

At the end of the corridor, behind a sliding door, lay paradise itself. One step inside, and the smooth, rich fragrance of exotic flowers caressed Makuta's nostrils in the most pleasant of ways. Makuta flexed his bare toes as he stepped onto the grass covered ground of this room, relishing the enjoyable caress of grass strands upon his naked feet.

"What do you think? Dandy added a bed in here, on the far back," he pointed at it, and Makuta followed his finger. "That makes it the most overrated bedroom in existence, if you ask me."

Meow paused to shuffle his paws, his eyes racing from one side to the other, never settling. "So...now that I gave you a brief tour of Aloha Oe, you probably want to rest. I do not want to..." his gaze bore into Makuta's as Meow scratched the back of his head. "I do not want to disturb you."

"You're not disturbing me," Makuta rushed his words with an eagerness that made his tail flick with pent-up excitement. "Stay around. I don't mind. It's your ship after all, and I'm no stranger to bunk mates."

Meow released a soft chuckle. "This is not quite a bunk, is it?"

"No it isn't."

Makuta needed a moment to take it all in. Everything was so grand, so picturesque. A veritable garden grew on the sides of the circular room, sprouting from thin layers of fertile soil spread in ever rising rows. The domed ceiling was covered with verdant vines that sprouted an efflorescence of warm colors, and a coconut tree grew in the very middle of the room, surrounded by a circular ring of water, broad and deep enough to require a bridge to cross.

There was a wooden bench set up by the tree, under the shadow of its broad leaves, and a few sofas were spread strategically throughout the room, always under the verdant layers to blot out the harsh light of the artificial sun. It had the same intensity as the sun from Terra, its warm touch making Makuta's fur bristle. It had been years since he last set foot on Terra--decades, actually.

"I had the same reaction." Meow's words interrupted Makuta's musings. "Freaking water. Come, we'll find you some other place to sleep."

"No," Makuta said. "No, I'll stay here. I like it. I like it very much."

"Even...the water?"

Makuta didn't spend one more moment in his clothes. He stripped in an instant, regardless of Meow's presence, and walked up to the circular pool. He dipped a paw inside, found it lukewarm, then jumped into it. His heart skipped a beat as the water swallowed him whole. He pushed himself up with a swing of his arms, and burst through the crystalline surface to take a deep breath. A wild purr, rich and powerful, flared in his throat, and a stupid grin spread across his face.

It made Meow's jaw drop. "You're...you're actually...enjoying yourself?!"

"You should follow my example, and wash away that stinky perfume from BooBies."

"Pah," Meow scoffed. "The only stinky thing here is the water."

"Water doesn't smell," Makuta countered.

"This one does!"

"As you wish," Makuta said, his voice warm, carefree. His words slipped from Makuta's mouth with the same ease he floated through the pool. "You should at least get undressed and let the sun caress your beautiful fur. It feels really good, it does."

Makuta poked his head from the side of the circular canal to check Meow's reaction. As expected, the little cat began twiddling his thumbs and kicking away the pebbles spread through the layers of grass.

"I--I'm not really--I don't usually do that," he blurted out. A neutral answer, and the safest option Meow had at his disposal to keep his good standing with Makuta.

"You don't have to get undressed if it makes you feel uncomfortable," Makuta said as he felt his own cheeks redden. "It was just a thought. We're both male cats after all."

Makuta continued to swim around the central platform which supported the coconut tree when Meow spoke no more. Blood surged through his limbs and groin, and not because of the intense physical exercising. Even though Makuta increased his swimming speed until his arms and thighs burnt from the sudden strain, his temples still throbbed. His member still grew, and his cheeks seethed at the realization of what was happening.

Makuta was erect. Meow didn't even accept his proposal to shed his clothes, but that one lewd thought, that single request, was enough to stir's Makuta's imagination, as well as his member. He stopped to rest his arms on the edge of the pool, a strained, fake smile brightening his soaked features.

"I didn't like water at first either. I detested it, found it repulsive, until my so called friends shoved me in a pond." Makuta laughed--a genuine laughter, crisp and clear. "I almost drowned that day, until one of them pulled me out and gave me mouth to mouth breathing. That also counted as my first kiss, I guess."

His quip made Meow laugh so hard he had to wrap his arms around his girth, least he toppled over. "That's actually genius! I should have given it a try, if only to finally understand what the big deal with kissing is." His mirth withered, his shoulders drooped, and his mirth subsided.

Makuta's cock throbbed when Meow presented his back to him on his way towards the bench. Such long tail, such supple features...

This is nonsense, Makuta thought. Freaking lust, is what it is. I'll rub it off when Meow is not around and be done with it.

And yet, it proved to be something more than that. The more Makuta stared at his newfound companion, the harder his heart beat in his chest. Meow looked so frail. He had to be a couple of years younger than Makuta, but he still found the courage to laugh and smile and talk with a stranger he barely knew.

It had taken Makuta years to fit into this new society after helping the Sunstar Federation unite the Milky Way under one single banner. It had taken much effort on his part, and a will of iron, to integrate amidst the commoners, to learn their vocabulary and ditch the military attitude. And still, everyone dismissed Makuta, too intimidated by his aloof attitude. Everyone but Meow.

"I wish I was like you. A badass alien hunter, with a lean yet strong body such as yours that gets all the girls and males alike."

Meow's words snapped Makuta back to the present. His comment made his features soften and his cock harden with want.

"You probably have everything you want. There isn't anything you cannot get, not with that charm of yours."

Charm? Makuta stifled his laughter at the ridiculous affirmation, yet he didn't interrupt Meow. He liked watching his legs swing and his tail swish due to nerves.

"You don't even have to speak much. One look is enough, and everybody feels compelled to approach you and enjoy your wonderful presence."

That was too much. Makuta opened his mouth to protest, but only a soft mewl came out. Meow turned around at that, and Makuta fled back into the pool. His heart thundered in his chest, a steady thump thump thump that blotted out every rational thought of his.

I destroyed four battle cruisers all by myself, and can't take a freaking compliment? Makuta thought, appalled by his cowardice. He tried to turn around, to face Meow, but his neck refused to budge.

"It's really not like that. I'm actually--I'm really--whatever you think of me is not..." he trailed off, much to Meow's amusement.

"See what happens when you lie?" Meow added sheepishly. "Your tongue twines and your thoughts unravel. I'm kidding, of course, but you shouldn't be so humble, not when you're freaking Makuta."

Makuta released an exasperated sigh. What did Meow attempt to do, give him a heart attack by drowning him in kind words? He already felt light headed, and every inch of his body tingled as a surge of foreign warmth crept through Makuta's frame.

Was this how it felt to be appreciated? Makuta didn't like it one bit; it made him feel weak, cowardly, yet strangely fulfilled. He pushed himself out of the pool and shuffled towards a drying ring. He stepped onto the circular surface, pressed the slim button on the wall, and purred his heart out from the columns of warm air battering his frame.

His boner subsided, as did his inner turmoil. Once he stepped out, dry and clean, Makuta's sleek coat glistened under the wan light of the false sun. He changed Meow a glance, but the little cat turned away from him.

"Didn't you compliment my body earlier?"

"I did. I still do. It's just that...you're all naked."

That ridiculousness again! Makuta strode towards the bed, and covered himself with the dark blue coverlets up to his torso. The dark tint made them warm and pleasant to Makuta's nakedness, enough to flare his purr to a higher pitch.

"Better now?"

The fact that Meow bothered to shift and look at him suggested as much, even though the little cat sported a fierce blush. "See? That's exactly what I meant. You're so freaking alluring, the way you walk around naked in my presence, a stranger you've barely met..."

"We're males. We're cats. I said it before, and I say it again. We have the same balls and cocks, so why the secrecy?"

"I guess you have a point," Meow said as he idly massaged his legs.

"Then you'll respect my point by undressing and sleeping in this very bed with me."

"Pah," Meow shrugged. "That's not proper of a host. You're the guest. You should have the bed to yourself. I can lie down on this bench and enjoy the shade."

"You will join me, Meow," Makuta said with his cool, authoritative voice. "I want you to, and you want it as well."

He did. Makuta could see it in his eyes, notice it in the way he kept kicking his feet.

"I won't look. Chances are I'll fall asleep by the time you make it over here."

Makuta turned on his side and closed his eyes, listening to the light footsteps of Meow as he crossed the bridge and shuffled over to the bed. He heard the rustle his garments made as they slid off his body, the light thumps of his shoes as he discarded them. He felt the ripples running across the mattress when Meow's weight filled the other side of the bed, smelled his feline fragrance.

Makuta's ears twitched with the urge to turn around, to gauge Meow's nakedness. It had been a while since he last saw a naked male. The countless nights he spent at various BooBies establishment in the presence of squeaky females left him yearn for male companionship.

Meow stood inches away from Makuta--an arm's length away. He only had to turn around and satisfy his curiosity. That was all.

Makuta didn't. He closed his eyes and gave in to his tiredness, his thighs pressed shut to stifle his erection.

"Makuta? Makutaaaaaaaa."

Makuta rolled onto his rump and blinked back the haze from his eyes. That frail, child-like voice still rang in his ears, even though QT spoke no more.

"What is it? Malfunctions of sorts?"

"Nope. I wanted to let you know the warp destination is within thirteen hours away. I also made some stew for my starving crew. Dandy already grabbed his bowl and went up."

"Mrooowl," Meow growled as he yawned until his jaws popped. "Why does Dandy get room service and we don't? Don't you think it's unfair?"

"Spoken like a true cat," QT said as he turned around and rolled across the bridge with surprising speed. "I'm not heating it again if you're too lazy to even grab your food."

"Such a biased little..." Meow rolled out of the bed and began to dress up. He threw Makuta a fugitive glance or two, still overly shy even though they shared the same bed.

"We better go. There's nothing more disgusting than cold stew, I'm telling you."

Makuta only equipped his pants for Meow's sake before leaving the room. They caught up with QT on the way, who slowed down enough to update Makuta on the situation of the galaxies they crossed.

"The trajectory you chose for us was brilliant," QT said. "Dandy once warped us into an asteroid. Good thing the ship had its void shields activated."

Makuta shrugged off the praise. "What about the fuel? Will it last us enough for a proper warp?"

"It will," QT reassured him. "You know your math, mister cat."

"Hah, he knows more than that," Meow chipped in. "He's a certified badass. Dandy's got nothing on him."

"And you wonder why he always abandons you on 90% of the planets you two visit," QT said.

"Makuta wouldn't do that, eh Makuta?"

Makuta flinched when Meow wrapped an arm across his shoulders. A sign of friendship, nothing more.

"Judging from the way you smell and behave, I have my doubts."

"Biased biased biased," Meow drawled, and began arguing with QT all the way towards the mess hall.

The two bowls of stew awaited them on the metallic, rectangular table, with neatly folded napkins on the side and more than a dozen jars of spices to adjust its taste. QT moved around the small room, tucking dishes into drawers and wiping the bread crumbs off the floor.

Makuta took a seat, squinting at the annoying clatters and clangs of utensils and dishes being moved around.

"We're eating," Meow said. "Can't you do that after we're done here?"

"If it was up to you and Dandy, I would never clean the ship and everything would stay dirty and disgusting. Just endure for a bit. That's the least you can do for this ship."

Makuta shrugged, grabbed a spoon, and mixed his food before tasting the stew. Mutton, spiced with garlic, and stacked with square shaped potato bits. He hated potatoes, but his hunger got the better of him.

Meow retained his frown as he wolfed down the stew, pausing only to scoff and hiss at QT's doings. "What a pleasant host," he mumbled. "Showing our esteemed guest the most blatant form of disrespect."

"He's our partner, and I don't disrespect him. Makuta understands efficiency, so don't speak in his stead."

"How many times do I have to tell you that us cats have sensitive ears, unlike Dandy?"

"I know that," QT retorted, "just as I know that cats like to groom and wash. You should try that sometimes."

Something snapped within Meow. He dropped the spoon in the bowl, slid off his seat and strode out of the mess hall. "I'll do that right now! Just to show you how wrong you are."

Makuta almost chocked on a soft, fleshy morsel. The idiot didn't know how to swim. He said so himself!

Makuta dashed through the corridors of Aloha Oe, his heart thundering in his chest as he opened door after door after door. He discovered the storage room, the junk room, everything but his own freaking room.

By the time he rediscovered his dormitory, Meow was already submerged in the deep water, bubbles decorating the crystalline surface and faint gurgles coming from the deep. Makuta's heart skipped a beat as he dove into the pool, kicking his legs with fast, desperate swings. He thrust his hand forward to catch Meow's smaller one, and clenched his jaws as he pulled him to the surface. Once Meow rested in his grip, Makuta pulled him tight to his chest, his arm wrapped around Meow's chest while he led him closer to the edge of the pool.

"Grab it, push yourself up," Makuta said, his voice hoarse, his words panicked.

Meow coughed feebly, spurting out mouthfuls of water. His free paw barely held onto the edge of the pool, and Meow barely squirmed in Makuta's grasp.

_He's half passed out,_Makuta realized. He rolled his eyes at Meow's stupidity; why on earth would somebody risk their life for a few words spoken in anger?

Makuta decided to get out of the pool first, and then drag out Meow. That worked, except for the minor detail where Meow stopped breathing. Cold fingers slithered through Makuta's frame at the sight before him, yet he kept his calm and went through the standard procedure to get the water out of Meow.

The little cat rolled on his side, coughing his heart out and drawing in deep, wheezing breaths. Makuta hit him on the back, hard enough to help him get the rest of the water out.

"You may have nine lives, but wasting one like this is mighty stupid."

"No it isn't," Meow rasped. "You survived. When your friend pushed you."

"Don't speak," Makuta urged. He grabbed the slender cat and pulled him tight to his chest. Meow trembled like a leaf, and his wet garments didn't help one bit. "Can you walk?"

Meow nodded, and caught Makuta's paw. "No. I...I have it," he muttered between coughs.

"Suit yourself."

Makuta tried to keep his voice serene, to ignore the shivers wracking his frame, but he couldn't. His panic slithered into his words, making Meow stumbling on his way to the drier. Makuta rushed after him, grabbed his arm, and squeezed his wrist hard enough to show him he meant it.

"You told me...to suit myself," Meow said. The tremors in his tone subsided under the caress of the warm air buffeting his wet fur.

"I didn't mean it."

Meow favored Makuta a faltering grin. "So you're a nice guy after all. I knew it."

"Shed your clothes. The faster you dry, the faster you can get your body warm and your blood flowing."

Meow obeyed. In his half dazed state, shame didn't matter to him.

"I knew you'll come after me," Meow said faintly. "Maybe it was all a ploy. Maybe I wanted...to get kissed, like you did. By your friend. That one time."

The guilt of putting that stupid thought into Meow's head made Makuta's stomach churn with guilt. "You idiot. If you want a kiss, ask for it next time."

Makuta couldn't believe the words that left his mouth. At least Meow was too dazed to understand their significance. His eyes were half closed, and his tilted this way and that, his balance frail from the shock he suffered. Makuta carried him to the bed, and wrapped him with blankets and coverlets alike to help keep him warm.

Meow stirred in his toasty cocoon, mewling and hissing his displeasure. "I'm fine now. I'm warm, dried up, and well aware of how stupid I was."

His words removed the great weight off Makuta's heart. "Good. Remain like that and sleep."

"There's no need for it," Meow objected.

"There is every need."

Meow let out a harsh growl. Before Makuta had time to react, the little cat hurled the blankets aside and straddled Makuta, his rump pinning down his thighs, his yellow gaze bearing into his.

"And you expect me to sit idle while you say stuff like that?"

Makuta opened his mouth to object, but only a frail meow fled from his throat once Meow's paw found his cock. Makuta didn't realize he was rock hard until he throbbed within Meow's grips. His pads had a great softness to them, which made Makuta hiss in pleasure as Meow ran his paw down the length of his long, barbed shaft, rubbing his sensitive barbs between two fingers while using the rest of his palm to apply pressure on the thicker, smoother half of his cock.

"You may be a badass. You may not be overly talkative, but when you speak, my heart swells in my chest and my head becomes hazy, enchanted by the truth in your words." Meow paused to stroke Makuta's cock with a slow, long, elaborate stroke, squeezing him just enough to make Makuta's breath quicken.

The blue cat gritted his teeth against the surge of pleasure that invaded his body. His toes curled, claws poking out from their sheaths at the sudden rush of delight. He tried to shift his thighs, but Meow's weight upon him prevented that from happening.

"I don't know what you've been through. I don't know the sort of people you had to deal with, the relationships you formed. The only thing I need to know from your past is that it molded you into a being that I love from the bottom of my heart."

His words stunned Makuta. For a moment, his great pleasure vanished. Time itself seemed to stop, and Makuta's breath hitched for a short moment during which his heart beats resonated with Meow's. Two hearts, beating together in unison. Two bodies, twined together in the most intimate of positions.

Makuta had never hoped to find love, least of all for love to find him. And yet, it did. Meow's eyes sparkled with a fondness reserved only for him, and he presented Makuta with the most earnest of smiles he had ever seen. It turned his body limp, made his jaws relax, just in time to receive Meow's kiss.

Their mouths laced together, and their noses bumped into each other as the two cats shared a long, passionate kiss. Makuta's tongue dabbed playfully at Meow's fangs, and the little cat's purr deepened as Meow's tongue wrapped around Makuta's, holding him still for the briefest of moments during which he stroke his shaft one more time.

Makuta moaned, loud enough to force Meow end the kiss. His cock lurched with want, his barbs flared from Meow's pleasant ministrations.

"Your barbs are flared," Meow observed. "How long has it been since you spilled your cum?"

"Too long," Makuta said, and leaned forward to plant a wet kiss upon Meow's mouth. His whiskers poked at his cheeks, tickling him gently, making him growl with unspent lust.

Meow's grip hardened against Makuta's member, making the blue cat hiss due to the throbs wracking his length. "I can tell, although the reason eludes me. You have everything a handsome male like you can want, Makuta."

"Apart from a mate," Makuta whispered in Meow's ear. He bucked his hips, thrusting his cock into Meow's paw, past his fingers, his eyes half lidded from the delight creeping through his frame.

Meow wanted to turn his head around, to kiss him, but Makuta licked his ear and nibbled on it long enough to keep the little cat distracted, and for his throbs to die down in order to prolong the pleasure. "Show me, Meow. Show me how it feels to have a mate."

Meow's purr raised a pitch higher. He grabbed Makuta's shoulder and gently eased him on his back, his fingers kneading at the taut muscles underneath the blue layer of fur. "I will show you, Makuta. I swear on my life, on this very ship, that loneliness will be a distant memory to you after this night."

A lofty promise. But did he have the means to back it up?

Meow's cock, prodding at Makuta's pucker, suggested at much. Although the little cat seemed more embarrassed than aroused, his member sure proved Makuta wrong. Meow's tip was already smeared with his arousal, and the way it circled Makuta's pucker with soft, circular movements drove the blue cat mad with lust.

"I never thought you're so sensitive down there," Meow said, his voice firm, filled with confidence.

"I always thought you're the shy type," Makuta retorted.

Meow merely shrugged and pierced Makuta's anus with his tip, making him curl his toes and claw at his sheets. His barbs stimulated Makuta's clenching muscles more than Meow's paws upon his member. He had to grit his teeth and hold his breath, least he came from the overwhelming tightness that filled him, slowly but surely.

"Love, Makuta," Meow said, his tone strained with the tang of lust. "It's the one feeling that drowns the rest. I may be Shy, and I may be the bum of this crew. And yet, all that matters right now is you." His hips thrust forward, pushing Meow's entire length into Makuta's tight depths.

Low, sharp cries of pleasure rippled through Makuta's throat. Being filled, after all this years, stimulated his senses more than Meow's grip upon his cock ever did. He squirmed under his lover, flicking his tail this way and that, mewling his bliss over Meow's hearty purr.

"M--me?" Makuta stammered. He felt like a kitten again, young and inexperienced, discovering that one awesome feeling which made him crave for more. "But the things I've done--what I am is--"

"My mate," Meow completed for him. "That's who you are. Nothing more, nothing less."

Makuta's features softened at his touching words, and his fur bristled from the rush of ecstasy that traversed his frame. He had never felt appreciated before. Never felt needed by someone, or loved. And now, all he had to do was look into Meow's yellow eyes. One glimpse was enough to fill Makuta with warmth, to stir his heart like nothing in the entire universe ever did.

"Your mate," Makuta tested the words upon his tongue. "I am your mate, and you are my mate."

Meow pulled out of Makuta, and leaned forward to kiss him gently. "Then let's start acting like mates."

Makuta opened his mouth to make his love for Meow known, yet only a gasp escaped him when Meow's cock buried itself into Makuta once again. His well lubricated flesh, thanks to Meow's arousal, stretched in anticipation, and clamped down upon him when he made it all the way in. Then, he retreated, only to return with a harder, faster, more satisfying stroke.

Makuta's hands gripped Meow's arms, his fingers lacing around them as his mate's paw began rubbing him off. His paw slid up and down, lathering Makuta's arousal all over his tight, throbbing meat for every deep, satisfying thrust into his tailhole.

A frail growl of delight rumbled within Makuta's throat. Being taken in his tail hole while his mate's paw rapidly clenched and stroke his cock excited him to no end. Meow knew exactly how to mold his fingers around Makuta, how to form a ring with his thumb around his thicker base, how to squeeze his cock the right way while his fingers milked his barbed tip for all its worth. Makuta couldn't help but to release a thin spurt of pre from the persistent strokes, and another when Meow's cock sent a spike of pleasure through his muscles.

No matter how often he clenched around Meow's cock to savor the feeling of his barbs and length upon his sensitive muscles, the little cat always found a way to weave between the shudders of Makuta's tail hole. He kept going, pushing and pulling out of Makuta's drenched sanctuary, fucking him like he had never been fucked before.

It didn't take long for Meow to gasp and pant above Makuta. His thighs locked tight against Makuta's, holding him in place while his hips swayed back and forth in unison with his maddened thrusts. The little cat plunged in and out of Makuta with abandon, his snarl deepening with every thrust.

He was getting close. Makuta could feel it in his throbs every time his tailhole squeezed his lithe, barbed cock; he could hear it in his wheezing breath, in his increasingly harsher moans as his mate approached his climax. The higher he climbed towards his peak, the faster he masturbated Makuta. The blue cat's endurance faltered under Meow's vehement strokes; his grip grew increasingly tighter around his shaft, and his padded fingers rubbed Makuta's barbed tip in a quick, circular motion. It brought Makuta over the edge, and when he could take the teasing no longer, he cried out his orgasm, unable to contain the pressure welled within his groin.

As if on cue, Meow's member sheltered inside Makuta up to his fuzzy orbs, tight and throbbing. His flared barbs scratched Makuta's tight muscles, urging him to squeeze Meow harder than ever as the blue cat bucked his hips and unleashed his pent-up torrent of seed.

Meow's back arched. His knees shuddered, and his paw rubbed Makuta harder than ever. He, too, came, hard enough for Makuta to feel his spurts, deep within his tailhole. They splashed upon his insides, wetting them with creamy cat essence. The warmth and the slickness of seed inside him augmented Makuta's orgasm, making it even stronger. His tail curled around Meow's, and his claws bit into the mattress while Makuta came, and gasped, and came some more.

With every throb and lurch of his cock, Makuta's spurts lessened in strength. The fire running through his veins lessened in intensity, as did his bliss. And yet, Meow didn't let go of his member. His made didn't give up until he milked the last of Makuta's seed out of his spent cock.

They both stared at each other, panting from the toll of mating, both grinning like two kittens that had their first romp.

"That was amazing," they both said at the same time, then laughed at the strange coincidence.

"More than amazing," Makuta said. His head swam, his body felt numb after his moment of his great pleasure, and an overwhelming tiredness took hold of him. His taut muscles relaxed just enough to allow Makuta to raise his head and inspect the mess he made. His jaw dropped at Meow's chest, decorated with stripes and spots of ivory seed.

"So, I suppose you do not want to take a bath with me, not after what happened."

"You guessed that right," Meow said. He pulled out of Makuta with a wet plop, making the blue cat wince slightly at the tightness that fled his depths. Without Meow inside him, Makuta felt empty, and lonely again.

Good thing he had but take a look at him, and kiss him to make sure Meow wasn't just a figment of his imagination. Makuta pushed Meow on his back, stroking the soft fur of his nape with a paw while licking off the seed coating Meow's chest. Makuta's lips twitched from the salty, savory taste of his own essence, and his purr became a hearty thrum within his throat. Sometimes, the aftermath of a mating felt just as good as the mating act itself, and Makuta liked nothing more than grooming his mate while Meow lunged back, relaxing after the great moments of pleasure he bestowed upon Makuta.

"So, Makuta, I've been thinking..." Meow began, and paused to wince when Makuta's tongue dashed across his ribs to clear a line of sticky seed.

"About how ticklish you are?"

Meow chuckled at Makuta's fast thinking, but the sound came out forced, laden with concern.

Makuta looked up at him. Grooming could wait, especially when Meow needed his mate besides him. So, Makuta trudged next to Meow, and settled his head onto the little cat's chest to listen to his faint heart beats while his paw fondled one of Meow's ears.

"So, you've been thinking," Makuta repeated. "About what?"

"The crew. It's always the crew," Meow said. "All QT does is judge me, while Dandy walks by me as if I'm not even there. I'm invisible to him most of the time, until he decides to use me as bait in case a mission goes south."

"Heh, they're tame compared to the crews I used to ride with," Makuta added. "We were called the Intergalactic Bastards for a reason."

Meow sighed and planted a kiss upon Makuta's brow. "You're too kind to me. It's more than an invisible cat like me deserves."

"I can say the same."

"Now you're just teasing me," Meow said before he slumped back into the bed, the same pensive look upon his face.

"This is not only about you getting something off your chest, is it?"

"Nope. It's about...about..."

Makuta gripped Meow's paw tighter, and nuzzled his neck until his mate's tongue unraveled.

"About us. About what the crew will think of this. About how much we should show to them."

"All of it," Makuta said with his hard, commanding voice.

Meow's eyes widened in surprise. "All of it?"

"All of it," Makuta repeated. "We're mates. We shared our bodies, our feelings, our souls."

"But QT and Dandy may not--"

"We're in this together," Makuta interrupted Meow's train of thought. "All of us. QT puts up with our mess, and Dandy puts up with me. I don't see why they shouldn't put up with our relationship, since they're already pretty understanding."

Both cats shared a laugh, full of genuine serenity. Meow still stared at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts, but Makuta's licks along his jaw made Meow smile and venture out of his thoughts.

"You're right. We're in this together, for better or worse."

"For the better," Makuta corrected. "I pick my crews and mate carefully, remember?"

"You stalked us, and charmed me with your badass attitude. That's kind of cheating."

"Nope. I'm just putting my skills to good use."

"You certainly did tonight," Meow said, purring with joy.

The cats hugged each other, and trailed off to sleep in each other's embrace, their purrs twining in the most gentle of patterns.