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PERIT HIGH

Chapter 8 - Zephyrs (pt. 2)

Zane locked his paws together in his lap while he sat patiently as Jesse's passenger, the latter electing to give his older brother a ride into school. The drive to school had been quiet for the brothers, neither one wanted to say what was really on their mind, and the other happy to not ask. Instead, they talked about meaningless nothings - content to simply fill the void with noise.

The older brother smiled and nodded along with what Jesse was saying, something about how the sports class was much more fun now it was filled with hot dudes. He must have not been paying attention too closely, because Jesse was giving him a questioning look.

"So... yes?" Jesse asked, switching his gaze between Zane and the road.

"Um..." Zane mentally fumbled for a quick escape. "... Yes?"

Jesse smirked "You weren't listening to what I was saying at all, were you?"

Zane sheepishly replied "No I wasn't, sorry."

"It's cool; you've got a lot on your mind. First day as a tutor, excited?"

"Nervous, excited, potentially going to puke. It's going to be so weird being 'the teacher'." Zane was glad that was all Jesse thought he was nervous about. In truth, he was nervous about going to the concert with Will. It wasn't the concert itself he was worried about, but rather the fact that Will hadn't brought up what his plans were afterward.

The leopard knew sooner or later they would both be in the mood for someone to bottom and he was petrified it was going to be him first. Zane had never bottomed before. He had no idea how to take a dick in the arse, let alone one as big as Will's. He was scared he would have to disappoint the horse and ask him to stop as soon as he entered him. Another possibility drifted through his mind: that Will wouldn't stop. The thought of the stallion raping him was horrifying, and Zane shivered in the electrically heated seat. After all, he'd only known the horse for a few days - did he really know if Will was or was not capable of that?

"I reckon you'll do fine, especially if it's just showing the amateurs how it's done." Jesse gave Zane a reassuring smile.

Zane returned the smile and watched as they rolled through the entrance to Perit High, taking the first parking space they saw. He shouldn't be worried about that stuff with Will right now - he had to mentally prepare himself for the imminent music lesson he would be giving.

The two leopards left the car carrying their needs and holding their heads high, subconsciously projecting a confident air about themselves. When they reached the fine arts building, they separated and headed for their respective destinations. Zane was supposed to find Mr. McAstor...

Jake. Jake McAstor. We're both staff now.

Zane mentally corrected himself, and checked his map to the building to make sure he was headed for the staff room. Thankfully, he was early enough to relax briefly before class started. He arrived at the music staff room and was greeted by a female dingo with immaculate facial fur colouring that contoured her face to a hyper-feminine ideal.

"Hey, I'm Alexa - I'm tutoring the pianists and you..." she said, looking him up and down "... must be Zane. I've got some good news and bad news for ya."

Zane gulped and flicked his tail nervously.

"Jake's not comin' in today so we're gonna babysit the performance kids." The dingo's drawl was a surprising counterpoint to her appearance, but Zane chose to focus on the meaning of her words.

"What's the bad news?" he asked, remembering Jake's accent taking its toll on his hearing when he was a student.

"Hah. An optimist." Alexa grinned "I wanted to see if you thought that was good news or bad news. I think we're gonna get along just fine." The dingo handed him a coffee and outline what they had to do over the next two hours.

"It'll be a breeze, 'cause they're all pretty self-sufficient anyway. All we've got to do is give 'em whatever they need or authorise access to rooms and equipment... within reason" she added, slyly smiling for some reason unknown to Zane.

The two drank their coffees and paced slowly up to the main classroom to address the students expecting Mr. McAstor.

***

Tyler licked his paw and smoothed a patch of fur on his neck that was sticking up at an odd angle. He had definitely arrived at the music department too early. He spotted Jesse waddling behind several other students, his stride impeded by the slower pace of the furs in front of him. Tyler giggled softly to himself at the leopard's look of frustration. The leopard made eye contact with him and blushed, realising his behaviour was being observed. The husky grinned stupidly at how cute his boyfriend could behave sometimes. He cleared his throat and rocked on his toes, waiting for the leopard to close the distance between the two.

As Jesse approached, Tyler could feel his face getting hotter and hoped to god he wasn't blushing from just being in the presence of that gorgeous feline. He gazed wistfully into Jesse's jade green eyes, feeling the same electricity between them as the first time they saw each other. It surged and jolted between them, tangible for only the two lovers and imperceptible to everyone else.

"Hey... you." Tyler said, mentally smacking his face with a paw.

Smooth, idiot.

"Hey you, too." Jesse replied, his sultry intonation causing Tyler's heart to swell.

He does that with no effort, doesn't he?

"S-so... um... I'm really excited for tonight. In case that wasn't obvious."

The leopard grinned, baring teeth "It was a little evident, but I'm happy you decided to say it - I'm really excited too. I think you're gonna really enjoy tonight."

Jesse's evasiveness about the night's details piqued Tyler's interest.

"Can you give me a hint?" The husky asked, raising his eyebrows innocently.

Jesse's grin faded momentarily as he thought of a possible clue vague enough to not give anything away too easily. The leopard leaned in close enough that Tyler could feel his warm breath on his sensitive ears. "I hope you don't mind the risk of getting a little wet." He whispered softly, making the husky turn bright red instantly. Tyler's tail twitched excitedly as he shivered from the erotic teasing - now definitely flustered by Jesse's behaviour. The slightest of whimpers escaped from the husky's lips as the leopard withdrew to admire his handiwork of teasing the beautiful canine.

"Ah, wow... god, could you, like, be any more of a tease?" Tyler breathily asked, awkwardly adjusting his pants.

"Well, I suppose I could've taken your paw in mine and ran it down my body..." Jesse teased, tracing a line with a paw down his tight black tee shirt until he reached the top of his low-rise jeans. Tyler would have enjoyed touching the leopard in that way very much, feeling every muscle flex for him and seeing that amazing adonis belt as he lifted the shirt up...

"Oh my god, stop!" Tyler whined, playfully slapping a paw on Jesse's chest.

The leopard laughed "Sorry, I'll tune down the teasing. Gotta pace myself too..." he trailed off, inconspicuously adjusting his jeans to accommodate his own excitement.

"Looks like I'm saved by the bell - there's those two." Tyler said, indicating Will and Harry who were strutting toward them.

"Hey, there you guys are!" Jesse exclaimed, intentionally focusing the conversation on the horse and otter.

"Yeah, we're here. Don't give us that shit, we're still early!" Harry retorted defensively.

"Let's go in." Tyler said as he tried the door handle and found it unlocked. He quickly lead the group into the classroom, hoping no-one would realise he had been standing outside an unlocked classroom like a dork for over ten minutes.

Inside, the four friends sat at a small square table and produced their notebooks - fresh and eager to begin planning their first official band performance. They spoke with enthusiasm amongst themselves as the other students in their class arrived and began working on their own plans.

Just as the last of the students took their seats, Zane and a female dingo Tyler was unfamiliar with entered the room. The four looked at each other, unsure what was going on but amused all the same at seeing Zane in a position of formal authority. The pale leopard flashed his band-mates a smile and then said something to the dingo under his breath. He cleared his throat and spoke.

"Hey guys! I'm Zane Jarvis, some of you probably recognise me from last year, and this is Alexa Aloia. We'll be supervising this class today, as Mr. McAstor is ill." He looked around the room at the young male faces before him, noting that many of them were looking confused.

"He's probably got a really bad case of the munchies or something." He joked, eliciting guffaws from the students. "Anyway... you guys just pretty much do your thing and if you need something, ask us and we'll help you out." He smiled and nodded, indicating he was finished talking. Tyler glanced at Will, who was watching the dingo closely as she whispered something into Zane's ear.

The class buzzed with chatter and Zane strode over to his band's table, grinning particularly at Will.

"What's this?" he asked "No space for your awesome guitarist at the table?"

"Well, we weren't expecting you." Harry responded, shortly adding "Diva."

Zane poked his tongue out at the otter and pulled up a chair to sit beside the horse who was cocking an eyebrow.

"Ya sure you should be actin' so friendly toward me in particular?" he asked, communicating his discomfort at engaging in any public displays of affection with the leopard, despite how much he'd like to.

"Aw, I wouldn't worry too much, horsy. I'm just filling in, after all." Zane reassured him, smirking at the opportunity for a witty innuendo. "Speaking of filling in-"

"Whoa brother-of-mine, let me stop you right there! I got enough of your lusting after this boy here at home, thank you very much." Jesse interrupted him before he could finish the sentence.

Will smirked "Lusting, eh?" The stallion leaned back in his chair triumphantly. "It's just pure animal magnetism."

"Hey, I've got eyes." Zane said. "Of course I'm gonna lust after the hot horse." He gave Will a playful wink and overtly looked him up and down, causing his younger brother to roll his eyes.

"Okay but seriously, we should do some practice today." Harry interjected, clearly not wanting the flirtation to continue any longer.

Tyler smiled, thinking the same thing but too shy to say. He waited a moment for someone else to say something, but the looks on the other's faces told him no-one had any ideas.

"Well since we did a few songs the other day, did you guys just want to work on technical exercises for the moment?" He suggested hesitantly.

"Yeah we could do that. How about that for an hour then we'll regroup and maybe do some recording?" Jesse elaborated, evidently agreeing with the husky. The others murmured their agreement; Zane and Will stood first and the older leopard tossed a key to his brother, walking off to the guitar practice rooms. Harry jumped to his feet and raced off to get to one of the percussion practice rooms before anyone else.

Jesse and Tyler were left at the table, both wearing conspiratorial smiles. They stood and made their way to one of the vocal isolation rooms set up with two microphone/monitor kits, specifically for the purpose of duet performances.

"How is your voice today?"

"Yeah alright, I think my upper register is a little frail today. I tried out a couple of songs this morning before I got here and I was sounding a little raspy, I think."

"Ah, that's alright. We'll warm up and see how we go."

Jesse and Tyler began warming up their voices, glad for the intimate and private nature of the isolation room.

***

While they strummed their instruments in turn, still tuning the guitars, Zane and Will made idle conversation to ease the tension neither of them wanted to acknowledge.

"So... tonight should be fun." Zane offered as a conversation starter.

"Yeah, I hope so. Sorry I was a little vague in the text, it's at the Marblehill Arena." Will apologised.

"Oh, that's fine. Who's playing?"

"I'm not sure about the openers but the main act is that Burgundy Six guy, their singer... I forget his name but ya know who I mean." Will responded, keeping his gaze fixed on Zane's guitar while he plucked a 'D'.

"Oh cool. Are you a fan?" Zane asked, tilting his head to the side while he plucked the 'B' string.

"Not really, but hey - can't say no to free tickets!" Will grinned, looking back up to Zane's face.

A silence fell upon the two furs as they shared a nervous gaze, their fingers hovering just above the strings of their instruments. Neither one knew what to say next, much less who should say it. In the span of a few seconds, it felt like they had been staring into each other's eyes for hours; every miniscule movement betrayed a flush of emotion mirrored by the other.

When the silence became too much to bear, Will was the first to crack.

"Uhh... what d'ya reckon is the chance of us cracking a window in here? I'm feelin' a little hot all of a sudden." The horse broke their eye contact as he spoke. Will knew that whatever he was feeling was not being caused by any stuffiness in the room. He hoped Zane didn't realise the real cause of this feeling.

Are ya thick, dude? Of course he's figured out what's going on! Just fuckin' roll with it.

It was foolish to imagine Zane would not be thinking along the same lines as he, and maybe he was even feeling the same way.

"Yeah that's a good idea." the leopard responded, standing to open the only window in the room.

Will let his gaze wander to Zane's rump as the feline stood on his toes to reach the window latch. It was such a deliciously round rump, and Will had to blink and shake his head to prevent it getting a rise out of him. The act of shaking off his lust triggered the thought he should have had when the lesson began.

"Hey... Zane? Can we cut the crap and talk about what really matters?" Will asked, ripping the phrase off like a band-aid.

Zane turned and looked at Will, briefly appearing confused before giving way to a relieved expression.

"Yeah, what did you want to talk about?" He asked, silently glad Will had said something first. The leopard sat back down in his chair and waited for Will to articulate his thoughts. Will took a gentle breath in, collecting his thoughts.

"What are you expecting out of this relationship? I guess I'm just really unsure of exactly what you want. I know I talk a big game, but I don't know what such an amazing guy like you is doing with me."

Zane was stunned for a moment while he processed the realisation that Will was just as unsure about their relationship as Zane was. The leopard laughed out loud, finding the whole situation hilarious.

Will went red, not in on the joke. "What's so funny?"

"I didn't realise you're feeling the exact same way I am!" Zane laughed. "I have been thinking the same thing. Well, fair's fair - you asked first so... I think at first I was mostly just following orders from my dick but... I think the most direct answer to that question is I want to be your boyfriend. I want to date you, do things couples do with you, and take it slow to see where this goes because I like you a lot."

The leopard's answer was perfect. Will fumbled with his words as he blushed "Thanks. I like you too. A lot." He looked to the ground as he paused, considering his words carefully.

"You're the first guy I've ever openly dated." he admitted, hoping that Zane wouldn't punish him for showing vulnerability.

"I'd be honoured to be your first." The pale leopard responded respectfully, giving Will a reassuring smile. "Now let's go set the world on fire."

***

The practice hour went by much faster than any of the band members would have liked yet they reluctantly ended their private practices and regrouped to record. Harry, being the most focussed on the work, immediately took charge of setting up a studio and the recording equipment.

"What do you guys feel like playing?" the otter asked his friends, knowing he would be answered with indecisiveness.

"Uh..." Will began.

"How about... Um..." Zane attempted to carry on the sentence.

Jesse and Tyler simply exchanged looks that silently conveyed their thoughts of 'I don't know.'

Harry sighed, hoping his expectation would be proven wrong.

"I was thinking the other day that we could do something a little different to our usual style. You know - just to mix it up." Harry encouragingly smiled at the guys, hoping to get an enthusiastic - or at least interested - response.

"Something specific?" Jesse asked.

"Well..." Harry paused, hesitant to reveal his idea. "You guys know 'Wings' by Delta Goodrem?"

Zane stifled a laugh as he realised it wasn't the nicest thing to do to a friend offering an idea. "That's nothing like what we normally do!"

"I know but I've got a little something prepared." Harry explained and watched as the others all craned their necks forward in interest. The otter produced several sheets of lined music paper that featured hastily scrawled riffs and began excitedly pointing out and explaining his thoughts.

"So this will be like taking the original and giving it a more rock-style twist. What I've got here isn't complete but I'm hoping you guys can see what I've done and can improv' the rest based on that theme. What do you think?"

He sat back to give his band-mates a chance to read his arrangement, linking his paws together behind his head.

"Wow, Harry. This is actually awesome... if I'm reading it right." Jesse commented.

"Yeah, this is pretty impressive. Did you do all this in the last hour?" Tyler asked.

"More like the last thirty minutes." Harry responded, trying to not let a smug smile creep across his muzzle.

"Nice, man. Let's give this a go!" Will enthusiastically exclaimed.

The band spent several minutes studying the arrangement and mentally working out the sections they would need to improvise. When they were ready, they recorded their parts in sections: Harry, Will, and Zane recording together and leaving Jesse and Tyler to add vocal tracks to the instrumental bones if the song.

They worked with surprising efficiency and had just enough time to play their roughly mixed tracks for their own benefit before the end of the class.

"Damn we sound good!" Will commented excitedly, vocalising what the rest of the band was thinking.

"I think a little bit of fancy editing and this will be something you guys can submit at the end of this year. What do you think?" Zane said, very pleased in their work.

Harry just beamed. They had realised his arrangement almost exactly how he had imagined it. Now that it was a tangible thing, the song seemed even better as it had been arranged. "Thanks guys. Thanks for rolling with my crazy idea."

Jesse laughed and patted the otter's back. "Thanks for writing it!"

Zane looked at the clock as it ticked over to the official end of the class and blurted out while he still had time "Hey Harry, will we see you tonight?"

The otter looked at Zane with a confused expression "Um... were you planning to come over to our house?"

"No... Oh I thought you had got your own tickets. Will and I are going to the concert over at Marblehill with Gary and Noah." Zane explained.

"Oh yeah, that." Harry acknowledged. "I think Ben was saying something about that a few weeks ago but no, we didn't grab any tickets. I just had a movie or two planned to watch tonight. You guys have fun, though."

Will and Zane flashed smiles at each other and nodded. Their night was assured to be much more fun than they thought before they had spoken today.

Zane said goodbye to his friends as they left for their next classes, in a much better mood than he had been before the class had started. His eyes glossed over Will's chiselled rump as he walked away; Zane knew he would drool at that sight if he weren't in public. He snapped his gaze back up as he sensed someone approach from behind.

"Heya, Zane." Alexa announced her presence. The leopard turned to initiate a conversation and was once again struck by her immaculate presentation.

Sure, her appearance was informal on the whole but Zane could tell more than cursory thought had been put into her outfit selection. Her tight jeans showed off the alluring curvature of her hips, which was accentuated by the intriguing pose she seemed to adopt subconsciously. She stood with one leg in front of the other, creating the illusory outline of something akin to a flower. She had paired the jeans with cork-heeled sandals which both showed off her footpaws and gave her a needed three-inch boost in height. Counterpoint to the summery vibe of her lower half, her t-shirt screamed 'reformed rocker' rather than respectable educator. The design on her shirt incorporated a reference to a popular band and gave depth to the otherwise plain grey garment, though Zane could argue there was no need to add depth to her ample breasts. The ratio between her bust and waist was frankly alarming and left her nowhere to hide her measurements for the world to see, though that was likely the entire point of her outfit. Zane would describe her physique as feminine, enticing, and very deliberate.

Her long, black, straightened hair framed her facial features in a way that seemed improbable and the messy bun she had tied and skewered with chopsticks lended her an informal and approachable look. Her makeup was subtle but complemented her facial contours. There was no denying that she was indeed a beautiful dingo. Zane could tell she knew this.

"How did you go? Sorry I kind of favoured my brother and friends..." Zane trailed off, feeling very self-conscious under her gaze.

"Not a problem, Zane. I only needed to help out one or two of 'em anyway." She smirked as she continued "I reckon we got off easy today: no dramas or anythin'."

"So... I'm pretty sure there's no big classes in here until the afternoon. What are we supposed to do now?" Zane asked, hoping the dingo had a firmer grasp of the daily routine than him.

"Well, I know what I'd like to do..." She commented, being very obvious on her visual dissection of the leopard "But I'd recommend just making sure all the equipment's tidied up, then you can hang out in the staff room or whatever until you're needed." Alexa said offhandedly, projecting a chill attitude.

"Wow." Zane remarked, his interest in this girl piqued. "You don't fuck around with playing coy, do you?" He returned her playful smirk.

"Can't blame a girl for knowing what she wants." She shrugged, surprisingly candid about her interest.

"I could blame you for acting on it though. I have a boyfriend." Zane warned, gently reminding himself as well as the dingo.

"Oh. Pity. You don't come across as gay."

"Bisexual." he corrected.

"Right, fair enough." she said, staying composed even in the face of his polite rejection. "Well if it doesn't work out, let me know; I'm always up for some fun."

"Thanks for the offer. I've got to say, you are *really* forward with all that."

"Being shy never got me laid. Anyway, it was great meetin' ya, Zane. I'll see you around later today." She cheerily drawled and waved farewell, walking away with a sway in her hips that hinted she was not kidding in the slightest about wanting to 'have fun' with him. Zane glanced at her rear as she disappeared through the doors; he knew only a few weeks ago he would have jumped at the offer of sex from such a stunningly beautiful female, but reminded himself of exactly how hot Will was. He was not about to hurt that gorgeous equine for what only amounted to a casual fuck.

He stretched his arms above his head, locking his paws together and realised far too late that Alexa had essentially left the clean-up to him.

Was that whole flirting thing just to distract me from letting her go without helping me tidy up?

The leopard sighed and began bundling up cables in a thoroughly confused state.

***

Jesse slouched back in his seat, feeling both restless and burned out. The contradiction of moods was destroying his focus; he could barely keep up with the lesson between thoughts of his date tonight. It wasn't like him to be this distracted but then again it also wasn't like him to take boys out on actual dates.

He's not just 'boys' though. He's special.

As Jesse daydreamed about the million-and-one ways this evening could turn out, he was rudely interrupted by a sharp elbow to his side. He focussed his vision and shot Gary a scathing look. The cheetah's eyes widened and he subtly tilted his head to the front of the room, where the teacher was standing and testily waiting for a response from Jesse. Jesse gulped nervously - he had not heard what the teacher asked him.

"Uh..." he stalled for time.

"The question was a rather simple one, mister Jarvis. Were you listening?" The teacher asked in a reserved tone that vaguely hinted at her exasperation.

Jesse sighed. Lying at this point wouldn't help him.

"Sorry, no I wasn't." he admitted sheepishly.

"Okay, please pay attention because this material will appear on the exam." the teacher chided, looking over her glasses at Jesse with a stern expression. She then resumed her lesson and Jesse resumed his daydreaming.

"Hey Jes," Gary murmured so only the leopard could hear him "is everything okay?"

"Yeah... I guess I'm just nervous about tonight. Or anxious. I've made my plans but I'm terrified things are going to go wrong." Jesse spoke just as quietly as the cheetah, wary of the teacher's gaze.

Gary smirked, mentally remarking how alike Jesse and Tyler thought when it came to dating.

I guess it's only natural to be nervous, especially on a first date. I wonder what Jesse's got planned.

The cheetah opened his maw to speak, but hesitated asking Jesse any particularly pointed question or making a salty remark.

"So what time are you guys meeting?" Gary asked, unable to think of any other unobtrusive question.

"Oh, I'm picking him up at 7. We're going to Anders Bay for a quiet evening... sunset is always nice over there." Jesse ineptly avoided divulging any concrete detail about his itinerary.

"Hmm, alright. You wanna play it close to the chest. I get it." Gary grumbled; dissatisfied with the amount of information he received.

Gary thought back to the phone call last night Tyler had made to Noah and what he could say to Jesse now without betraying Tyler's confidence. The last thing he wanted was to get implicated in that kind of drama. He knew his reputation was that of a sassy, snarky, and sometimes bitchy kind of guy but beneath all that he was a great friend, loyal to the end for every single one of his friends.

What would Noah do in this situation?

"Listen Jes, I'm pretty sure Tyler is in exactly the same state of mind as you right now: worried about what might happen instead of just enjoying the now. I think you should try to not overthink things and just let them happen. Just be yourself and you guys will have a great time."

Jesse's brow furrowed slightly, recognising that Gary's advice was very similar to Zane's words from the previous day.

"I'm not sure if you've been talking to Zane or if I'm just that easy to read." the leopard sighed, feeling incredibly transparent.

"I've known you for a long time, Jesse. I'd be a pretty shitty friend if I couldn't tell by now what's troubling you." the cheetah reassured his friend.

The moment was ruined when Will, who had been hunched over his notes with his hoodie masking the light nap he had taken, craned his head around Jesse to address the smallest of the three.

"You old softie!" the horse mocked with an open-mouthed grin resembling a silent guffaw.

"Bitch, don't go spreading no rumours! I've got a reputation to uphold!" Gary snapped playfully, wiggling a digit in the stallion's direction. The banter was enough to distract Jesse from his own nervousness; he smirked and offered an observation he thought was particularly appropriate.

"I love how you've only been our friend for a week or so and you already know us all so well, Will." The leopard said with an unmistakable air of amusement in his words.

Will snorted in amused agreement. It was true; he did feel like he'd already known his new friends for months. It surprised him that he had failed to gravitate towards these guys years ago; after all, he had been aware of them all since starting at Ensfield. He tacked that one down to being closeted until recently. It was now obvious to him that he should have become friends with these guys ages ago, then he would have met Zane sooner and when he was ready to date he would have known Zane for longer and probably felt more comfortable around him.

Gary smiled much more widely in his mind than he showed on his face, happy knowing that his and Will's funny behaviour was enough to distract Jesse from dwelling. For the remainder of the class Gary made sure Jesse remained distracted and in a good mood. Doing that for his friend made Gary feel karmically positive for the day, which was useful since he knew he would be sinning very hard with Noah later that night.

***

Jesse rubbed his paws together; lathering up a fur conditioner he saved for special occasions and smoothed it through his chest fur. He sighed to reset his breathing as he rubbed the oily substance through his fur; his controlled breaths seemed to be running away from him this afternoon and turning into short and shallow huffs. His nervousness didn't feel like it was triggering his anxiety, but it was certainly affecting him anyway. It was nine minutes to seven and he had organised everything but his outfit for the night.

Checking what he had told Tyler, he glanced at his phone on the bathroom vanity. The screen showed the last few messages sent between the two lovers.

_ Hey Gorgeous, I'd like to pick you up at 7:30 tonight if that works for you. - Jesse_

_ Sure, Handsome! What should I wear? - Tyler_

_ Whatever will be easiest for me to take off with my teeth ;-) - Jesse_

_ Cheeky! I'm just gonna wear something like when I had dinner at yours, that ok? - Tyler_

_ Sounds good, I'll dress to match. - Jesse_

Jesse gave his own flirt a small smile and briefly pictured doing that to Tyler. It seemed blasphemous to treat something so beautiful in such a rough way. Oddly enough, the idea of blaspheming in such a way was exciting to Jesse in a way that was unlike other fantasies. He pondered what that meant until he realised the growing excitement between his legs. He quickly busied himself with conditioning the rest of his fur, praying he wouldn't be struck with an inappropriately-timed boner during the date.

Not that Tyler would mind. He looked like he was really impressed with it when he felt it up before... Stop it, Jesse. Focus.

He took ten minutes to groom and style his fur, put on cologne, and don his most attractive underwear. He kept checking the time, knowing he was close to running late. He had laid an outfit on his bed with which he was almost completely satisfied: charcoal cargo pants, the outdoorsy kind which could be passed off as semi-formal, paired with a buttoned shirt he would wear untucked for a laid-back look. The shirt was oxblood red; a colour he thought was a risky choice but would pay off combined with those pants.

As he assembled the outfit on his body, he paused in front of the mirror to inspect the ensemble. Satisfied with his choice, he grabbed a leather duffel bag he had previously filled with things he thought they might need for the night and made his way out to the garage and his car.

_ I'm leaving now, be at yours in about 15! - Jesse_

***

Tyler paced around his living room impatiently. He knew getting dressed and ready early was a mistake; he had fourteen minutes until he needed to leave but nothing to do until then. During his pacing he kept fidgeting and correcting the position of his suspenders on his shoulders. He had already cleaned and tidied his entire apartment; the only thing left for him to do was flick through social media on his phone.

The husky nervously groomed his facial fur as he read through frivolous garbage that was not distracting him at all from his mood. Sighing, he slipped his phone into his pocket - there was no point wasting battery now right before a date that could easily go for six hours or more. He flopped down onto his couch and sighed again as though doing so would make the seconds pass any faster.

He closed his eyes and slowly counted out his breaths, making sure to fill his lungs every time.

One... Two... Three... Four... Hmm this is quite relaxing, Five...

He peeked open an eye and checked his phone for the time. Miraculously, thirteen minutes had passed in the time it had taken him to relax through the diaphragmatic breathing. He felt his heart jump as he leapt up and collected his things together, leaving his apartment in a rush.

After a brief elevator ride, Tyler stepped outside and was relieved to see he had beaten Jesse to the parking lot. The evening's weather was almost impossible to beat: the late afternoon sun was only a few degrees above the western mountains in the distance and was maintaining that sweet and warm late summer air. All the lush greenery around the campus gave off simple fresh scents that Tyler found wonderfully calming.

His admiration for the evening Jesse picked was cut short when he heard a familiar engine grunt announcing the leopard's approach. The German V8 rumbled far less than any coarse muscle car, which Tyler found almost poetically matched Jesse's personality: ruthlessly powerful when necessary but classy, refined and tame enough to know when power is inappropriate.

Jesse pulled up directly in front of the husky and jumped out of the car. Tyler felt his heart swell in his chest, a euphoric rush radiating throughout his body as he met Jesse's dazzling green gaze. The leopard wore an excited grin that was perfectly handsome on his face - Tyler found it inescapable and contagious. If he had been more observant of the situation, Tyler could have predicted Jesse's classic yet smooth moves. The leopard closed the distance between the two, taking the shorter male's paw in his own and kissing the furred top as though Tyler were a princess. Tyler honestly felt like a princess in that moment.

"A very good evening to you, sir, and might I say you are looking absolutely ravishing." Jesse greeted in mock formality, making Tyler snort and giggle in a mixture of amusement and embarrassment.

"Oh my god, are you going to be like this all night?" Tyler managed between giggles. "And good evening to you too, mister." he added when he realised how rude he sounded.

Jesse chuckled "I don't know what you're talking about; I'm just greeting my gorgeous boyfriend."

Everything about the way he spoke was intoxicating to Tyler. That soft, seductive purr that underlined every syllable he uttered was the sweetest nectar to Tyler's ears. The husky felt his cheeks flush red and immediately dipped his head to hide his face.

Jesse would have kissed him then, but decided against embarrassing him any further. Instead, he opened the passenger door and stepped aside, offering Tyler his paw to guide him into the car.

"The night awaits, beautiful."

Tyler took Jesse's strong paw and let the handsome leopard steer him into the car. Once seated, the husky wriggled in the cushioned leather, trying to find a comfortable position. In what seemed like an instant, Jesse closed the door and got in the driver's seat - still wearing an adorable grin that betrayed his excitement. Tyler buckled himself in, half expecting a boyish display of masculinity in the form of some tire-squealing maneuver from the leopard. To his slight surprise, Jesse made no such display. Perhaps he was trying to demonstrate maturity or a sense of responsibility for their safety; either way, Tyler was impressed by his restraint.

"So..." The husky broke the brief silence as they left the car park and turned onto the brand new road that made no noise on the tires. The lack of background noise from the road was a little foreign and unnerving to Tyler, but he put any kind of pondering about it to the back of his mind.

"...What's in store for us tonight? You've been very secretive about any specific plans for tonight so far." He continued.

"I think telling you exactly what I've got planned now would be the worst way to spoil it for you, sorry hun." Jesse apologised. "But... I'm not going to be a total dick and tell you nothing. I guess you've never been to Anders Bay?"

Tyler shook his head no and Jesse smiled "You're going to love it. It's a very tourist-y town and they have a lot of really interesting restaurants and cultural exhibits. I'm not taking you to any of those, though. Really the best thing about Anders Bay this time of year is all the lights they put up along Doré Esplanade - that's the main road that follows the coast."

Tyler smiled widely. This was the most information he'd received about where they're going so far, and he could tell Jesse had thought hard about his decision.

"So we're going for a walk along there?" Tyler asked, silently knowing Jesse wouldn't confirm or deny anything.

"Aha, I know what you're doing there mister! I'm not divulging anything more until we get there." Jesse's playful tone offset the defensiveness of his statement. He didn't want to make Tyler think he didn't want to talk so he quickly changed the topic. "So the highway road from Ensfield we're about to get on goes past Marblehill - that's where Noah, Gary, Will, and Zane are going to see that concert. Marblehill is technically part of Anders Bay but it's far out enough that most people think of that suburb as a separate thing and the arena is so big and famous that it makes sense to name the area for it."

Tyler ran a paw over one of his ears, smoothing the fur absentmindedly while he considered Jesse's words. "You know, it's actually very charming the way you're explaining all of this to me. You could be a tour guide!" The husky teased, smirking as the leopard frowned.

"Well just wait until we go visit your hometown, then we'll see which one is the tour guide!" He jabbed back.

Their playful banter carried on for the time it took to travel past Marblehill and into Anders Bay proper.

"This is Anders Bay." Jesse announced as he pulled over to the side of the road. It felt almost planned to Tyler as Jesse pointed out the passenger window.

They were at the top of a cliff that looked like it once curved around the entire bay, but ages of weathering by rain and sea had smoothed out a steep incline from the rock. The road they were on wound back and forth down that incline and into the bay. Whoever had envisioned this town was either mad or a genius, Tyler couldn't tell which. Houses and commercial buildings stacked neatly onto the steep incline like they were seats in a stadium. As the buildings reached the shore, a city planner had clearly taken one look at the ocean before him and resolutely said 'fuck you': the town spilled into the bay itself, a ring of rustic buildings that were clearly restaurants and residences of wealthy individuals had been built on a man-made extension of the shore. The extrusion was bordered by what Tyler assumed was Doré Esplanade - possibly the prettiest road he had ever seen. Even at this distance he could see the Tuscan influence in the architecture of the road: sandstone walls and ornate cobblestone pavement were the first details he noticed. The Esplanade was decorated with trails of miniature lanterns, hung from and between old-fashioned street lamps. To Tyler, it looked like the street itself was glowing. There had to be a lot of those lights since it was barely even sunset and even in the sunlight the Esplanade was shining.

Tyler looked out into the bay to see more lights had been cast into the water; the bare candles were fastened atop carefully constructed floats, like leaves slowly being carried out by the tide. The entire bay was twinkling with these lights, and Tyler was struck by the romantic beauty of the scene before him.

"Wow." The simple utterance was all the husky could summon to describe what he saw.

"Like it?" Jesse asked. "It's called The Festival of Light. For a solid week the residents of Anders Bay put out those candles on little boats. I can't remember exactly what it symbolises but I think it's something to do with a local story about their lack of a lighthouse. Clean-up is apparently an absolute bitch but I think the view is worth it."

"It's absolutely breathtaking. Are we going down there?" Tyler asked excitedly.

"I'm doing you one better tonight. Do you see that one there?" Jesse asked, leaning in to Tyler and pointing at the bay.

"Um, I'm not sure what exactly you're pointing at." Tyler responded, taking in a small breath of Jesse's perfume.

"Alright, in the bay there you see all the boats tethered at the marina?" Jesse asked, keeping a digit extended for Tyler's benefit. The husky made a small noise in acknowledgement. "At the very end on the pier closest us, you see the big trimaran?"

"Yeah."

"That's_Misty_. My parents bought her five years ago and tonight we're taking her out into the bay. I've organised a small crew to sail her and serve us tonight so we can just relax and enjoy ourselves." Jesse explained, sounding extremely pleased with himself.

"Wow, Jesse. That's ... wow. You really pulled out all the stops, didn't you?" Tyler responded as he took in the size of the Jarvis' ship compared to others moored at the marina.

Jesse chuckled "You must have expected me to flex a little of my family's money. I wanted to impress you... have I yet?"

Tyler nearly rolled his eyes at the proud tone Jesse used. "Okay, yes. I'm impressed. Not like that's particularly difficult for you though!"

The pair exchanged smirks with their banter as easily as though they had known each other for years.

See? Just like he said. Be yourself and it'll all work itself out.

Jesse felt an unusual sensation; if there were a way to describe it, he would say it was a polar opposite to the icy grasp on his heart that accompanied a panic attack. Perhaps alone with Tyler he was truly relaxed. Consciously, he didn't feel entirely relaxed despite the undeniable comforting effect Tyler had on him. The leopard took a moment to look into Tyler's eyes and feel that ultramarine tendril of energy hit him through the silent intimacy for the umpteenth time. Once again, it felt like the first time.

Reluctantly, Jesse broke the eye contact and put the car into gear, excited for their date to get underway properly.

***

Will glanced sideways at Zane, silently taking in the leopard's body language. He seemed relaxed enough: drinking and chatting with his three friends. The stallion couldn't help but feel there was more going on underneath that mask of casual calm, but knew it would be a bad idea to broach that subject with him now.

Don't want to fuck up the night already, dude.

He smiled and nodded, listening to Noah drunkenly exclaim his enthusiasm for this concept.

"... and it's just so good to see... like... him making his own brand, but he got nothin' on my boy Jesse as we all know... right?" the huge bull pointedly asked the group.

"Oh yeah, for sure."

"Definitely."

"Yeah, babe. You drink any more and I'm gonna have a hard time getting you in the car let alone trying to get you hard later." Gary teased, totally prepared for the incoming lewd gesture.

"Oh, boy - it'd take a lot for me to not get hard for that arse!" Noah grinned, giving the cheetah's rump a squeeze.

"You're gonna make the boys feel awkward, honey." Gary reminded the bull through a grin. "Not that I mind the grope at all." He added in a very slow and deliberate tone that betrayed how much he wanted the bull to make good on that promise.

He was correct, Will was already darting his eyes between Zane the ground. It wasn't necessarily embarrassing to watch those two enjoy themselves, it was just that unspoken expectation of him to be as sexual as his friends was conflicting with his desire to treat Zane like fine china.

"Y'all need to get a room." Will commented in his usual confident demeanour. "But not before ya take us home!" he added hastily.

Zane snickered "So we can get a room of our own, eh?" the question was clearly directed at Will.

"Well if you insist, pretty boy..." the horse trailed off as he felt a recognisable paw touch his hip and slide sensually over his buttocks.

He was close enough to Zane to smell his vague arousal beneath all the alcohol. The leopard had definitely had more to drink than he, despite Will's effort. He grinned widely at being groped by the gorgeous leopard, even though it might only be due to the alcohol.

Leaning in close so their friends couldn't hear, Will murmured into Zane's softly-furred triangular ear "I hope you'll deliver on that promise later."

Will smirked as he leaned back and watched Zane grin and go red - even more than was caused by his inebriation.

Gary and Noah were too caught up in their own enjoyment to notice the exchange between the horse and the leopard, though Gary started excitedly pointing at the stage as the headlining act emerged for an encore.

"Hey you two lovebirds better not get too into it - here he comes again!"

Damn, does that little cheetah miss anything?

***

Jesse offered his paw to Tyler, having parked the car near the marina and got out to chivalrously open Tyler's door for him.

"I'm still undecided if you're acting like this to make me laugh or swoon." Tyler remarked, taking the offered paw and climbing out of the bucket seat.

Jesse watched Tyler deeply inhale the salty sea air. His gaze flitted over the canine's expanding torso, the leopard silently acknowledging his desire to see it bare and pressed against his own.

"Have you been to many seaside towns? It just ocurred to me that you grew up inland." Jesse asked, not sure if the question came across as genuine or condescending.

Stop questioning yourself, idiot!

"Oh I think I might've gone on a school trip somewhere when I was younger. Not here though, that's for sure. I'd remember such a beautiful place." Tyler replied.

Jesse smiled and nodded. He found it surprisingly gratifying to listen to Tyler talk about himself.

"It's even more beautiful with you here." The husky added with an adorable smile that made Jesse's heart skip a beat.

"Oh!" Jesse said, momentarily flustered. "Don't you go playing my own game on me!"

The husky's smile widened "A taste of your own medicine is exactly what need, mister! I'm going to make sure you blush as much as I do before the night's out."

Jesse grinned, knowing exactly what to say in retaliation.

"Is that all you want to do to me before the night's out?"

Jesse had seen the husky turn pink before, but it was something else to see Tyler's physical response to that question.

"You'll see." Tyler softly spoke, making sure he was as composed as he could be given the circumstance.

Jesse could feel his malehood swell in response.

Fuck. We need to cool off before we get too lewd with the banter.

"S-so..." Jesse stuttered before regaining his own composure "The ship's this way." He said, indicating the pier behind him. He was happy to let Tyler see tonight exactly how much the husky affected him.

The two walked slowly towards the impressive vessel at the end of the pier, paw in paw. Any passing stranger would've been struck with adoration at the sight of the two furs so obviously in love with each other.

As they approached the trimaran, a Dalmatian dressed in a clichéd sailor's uniform announced himself from the vessel. "Good evening, Mister Jarvis and Mister Black, and welcome to Misty. I'm Greg and I'll be your captain this evening. Might I say it is a lovely evening you've picked for a short evening cruise - we have very low wind and no chance of rain."

"Thanks very much Greg." Jesse said as they boarded the ship. "Is it all set up?" He asked the Dalmatian.

"Yessir, just as you requested." Greg answered before turning to Tyler. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Black. Please do not hesitate to let me or my crew know if you need anything. I wish you both a wonderful time."

The smartly dressed Dalmatian left with a smile. Jesse couldn't help but glance sideways to appraise Tyler's reaction to the greeting.

"You totally paid him to say that." The husky said as soon as Greg was out of earshot, unable to hide his smile at the treatment to which he was clearly unaccustomed.

"Greg is just a really great guy. I told him this was a date so I think he's being extra nice as a favour." Jesse replied. He seized the opportunity to take Tyler by the paw again and lead him to the upper deck that overhung the main deck like a balcony.

A small round table like that you would find in a fancy restaurant complete with red silk tablecloth was made for them next to the railing, flanked by matching gorgeously upholstered cushioned seats. Jesse gently placed his paws on Tyler's shoulders.

"This is dinner, gorgeous. Hope you like it." The leopard crooned into Tyler's ear.

"I love it. You are such a romantic." The husky responded, leaning back to plant his lips on Jesse's cheek. Tyler paused for a moment, inhaling the scent upon Jesse's face. "You smell wonderful. What is that? Sandalwood?"

Jesse blushed "Yeah it's my favourite cologne. Glad you noticed."

"I think it's my favourite now too." Tyler said as he took a seat and smiled at the romantic motif of the table decoration. A single candle burned at the centre of the table, accompanied by a rose in a thin vase.

"Is there a menu?" Tyler asked.

"Any minute now we're going to be - oh here she is!" Jesse cut himself off as a fennec dressed in a similar fashion to Greg approached the table.

"Good evening gentlemen. I'm Melissa and I'll be your server this evening. As Mister Jarvis knows, tonight's menu is anything you would like - simply let me know and I'll get the kitchen on it immediately." Her speech was full of enthusiasm. Tyler guessed the crew must be paid pretty well to warrant such excellent service.

"We're casting off as we speak and if you need anything at all, let me know and I'll make sure your night is as wonderful as possible. Can I start you two off with some drinks?"

Tyler hid his astonishment and responded "Can I just get a glass of water?"

The fennec beamed and responded cheerily "Of course, sir! Would you like anything else? I can get you two a small entree now if you like."

Tyler looked to the leopard for direction, having absolutely no idea what he wanted. In the fleeting moments before either of the boys spoke, the canine studied Jesse's face for the millionth time. He seemed to catch himself all the time lately tracing the contours of his boyfriend's chiselled facial features. Between his daydreaming adoration of his boyfriend and reeling that this was an entire ship complete with its own kitchen exclusively dedicated to them, Tyler was definitely distracted from thinking about his hunger.

Jesse paused before answering and looked at Tyler "Do you have any allergies for food?"

Tyler smiled "No, nothing. The only thing I'm allergic to is nickel."

"Interesting. I'll remember that when buying the engagement ring." Jesse joked. He asked their server for an Italian cuisine, and to improvise the specifics.

"Excellent choice, I'll get that back to you as soon as possible!" The fennec chirped and bounded off to the kitchen.

Jesse and Tyler spent the next hour talking about themselves over their meals and watching the sun set over the hills behind Anders Bay. As the corona of the sun disappeared behind the hills, the illumination of the esplanade took on a new character. Their view of the bay soon transformed, now primarily illuminated by reflections of the lights adorning the picturesque port town. Jesse noticed locals were beginning to release more lanterns into the bay and knew the time was rapidly approaching to make his move. Their plates were empty so Jesse let a comfortable silence linger for a few moments before breaking it.

"Tyler? Would you care to accompany me on the main deck?" He asked carefully.

The husky tilted his head with a quizzical expression but followed the taller fur's lead. They walked down to the main deck, Jesse leading Tyler to the port side of the ship so they could watch the spectacle. Within minutes, tiny and delicate lights atop paper petals had floated out to surround the ship. Jesse could think of no scene more romantic than this and hoped Tyler agreed. Holding out a paw for the husky, he tentatively asked "I'm hoping that beautiful voice of yours is not your only skill. May I have this dance?"

Tyler snorted as a slow instrumental track started playing through the ship's speakers; clearly Jesse had somehow given the cue to one of the crew to start the music.

"Okay one - that's adorable. Two - I'm gay: you bet I can dance, but only if you lead. Three - I would love that."

Jesse beamed and took the husky's paw, leading him into a slow dance. Jesse's other paw snaked its way to rest just beneath Tyler's shoulder blade and Tyler instinctively rested his own on Jesse's shoulder. The two had no reservations about pressing their bodies together: half-dancing, half-embracing.

Their gentle steps from side to side were perfectly in sync, slowly turning to the music. Neither paid much attention to anything besides each other; their fennec server was clearing the table on the upper deck while watching the two lovers move as one, beaming.

Jesse and Tyler danced for what felt like forever until an all-too-familiar song began playing on the speakers.

"It's no surprise that we ain't in heaven, we're on the earth..."

The husky and leopard opened their eyes and simultaneous smirks spread across their muzzles.

"You totally picked this."

"I swear to god I didn't."

The pair laughed at the coincidence, hugging each other tightly as though the laugh might make the other drift away like one of the thousands of floating candles on the water.

Their joined laughter trailed off as they gazed into each other's eyes, content to stay there forever. Tyler was the first to break the silence.

"Do you m-" he cut himself off. "I'm going to kiss you, Jesse." The smaller male said with more confidence.

"Please do, Tyler." Jesse responded. His shallow, baited breath was laden with anticipation. The excitement was almost tangible as they stared into each other's eyes - neither one sure who should make the next move as their breaths twisted and joined together, the warm evening zephyrs plucking them away and toying with them in graceful spirals and arcs invisible to everyone but the two lovers.

They moved as one, their muzzles joining in a kiss that electrified their senses. It was everything both of them wanted and so much more. Their lips and tongues touched in a language that neither could consciously understand but their instinctual minds spoke it fluently. It was a communication of more than words: a sharing of their desires.

All too soon the kiss was mutually broken and the aftershock left both in a stupor.

"Wow..."

"You can say that again. That was..."

"Fantastic?"

"Yeah."

"Should we do it again?"

"Absolutely."

The two lovers once again savoured the feeling of time almost slowing to a standstill as they exchanged an eager and passionate kiss. The soft and warm air of the evening carried their intertwined breaths away like the current moved those candles out into the bay.

***

Will and Zane waved as Gary reversed Noah's SUV back down the Jarvis' driveway. The leopard and horse exchanged a look that said "We're drunk and horny - we know exactly where this is going."

Zane gave a nervous chuckle and fished his house key out of his pocket, leading his similarly inebriated lover through the house and downstairs to his room.

Once inside, the weight of the evening's activity caught up with them and knocked them 14flat onto the bed. Their drunken fumbling with each other's clothes was almost comical in its futility. Eventually, they were bare before each other and breathing heavily with anticipation.

Will, being the less drunk of the two, figured he would try to initiate their lovemaking; He rolled over and began grinding his rear into Zane's lap.

"So, are ya gonna make good on that promise, kitty?" the stallion moaned, feeling Zane's erection rub between his buttocks.

Zane groaned and lazily thrusted at Will's rear. The palomino stopped grinding and twisted his upper body to look at the leopard. Zane was smiling but it was a distant smile, like his thoughts were a thousand miles away.

Will sighed. He knew it wasn't going to happen tonight. Zane was in no condition to perform, let alone consent. He rolled over and kissed Zane gently on the cheek.

"N-no, aren' we gon' fuuuh?!" Zane slurred, expressing as much frustration and disappointment as he could in his state.

Will shushed the leopard, pressing a finger to the feline's lips.

"You're way too drunk for this. It's okay. Honestly, I'm probably too drunk for this too. Let's just cuddle tonight, yeah?" the equine spoke softly into Zane's ear like only a lover would.

The feline grunted his reluctant agreement and hugged the stallion tightly.

"Thank you" Zane whispered.

Will began to get an inkling for what was going on in that mind. Zane was a natural top, just like Will, and it was strange enough for the horse to imagine being a bottom. At least with him, Will would only need to take about eight or nine inches of feline dick. If their roles were reversed, Will could easily see why Zane would be nervous about having a cock that was well over a foot long enter him.

It wasn't often Will considered his enormous endowment a disadvantage, but he couldn't help but think this relationship would be less tense if he was a similar size to Zane. God knows he wanted to fuck that kitty's butt so bad, but it would take time and patience.

He exhaled softly, knowing he was prepared to wait however long it took for Zane to want his cock in him. That gorgeously proportioned leopard was worth it.

***

After their very intense kiss, Jesse and Tyler had realised not only how late it was but also that they were cruising back to the marina. Once on dry land they thanked their captain and server, and made their way back to Jesse's car.

"So... You enjoyed tonight, right?" Jesse asked

His tone betrayed his uncertainty, much to Tyler's surprise.

"Yes, definitely. I had a great time, Thank you." Tyler reassured the leopard. It was strange to see Jesse so vulnerable. The thought crossed his mind that Jesse was simply an approval junkie. After all - as far as Tyler knew, Jessie had always been encouraged to do whatever he wanted all his life.

But...

There was something in the way Jesse asked the question that tugged on the back of Tyler's mind. The husky dismissed it for the time being, preferring to focus on their conversation.

"So... would you like to come back to my place for a while?" the canine asked, knowing there was no way to phrase the question without it sounding like a cheesy line... Not that it wasn't exactly what he meant. Jesse grinned in response, revealing his predatory fangs.

"I'd love to, Ty. Maybe you can give me a more ... thorough and detailed tour." the leopard glanced at his passenger with a cheeky smirk.

"You've certainly played your cards right for it." Tyler grinned back.

The drive back to Ensfield could not have gone any slower for the couple. After an excruciatingly long voyage, despite Jesse taking liberties with the speed limit in places, they arrived at the Perit High campus parking lot.

"You're sure I'm not imposing on you?" Jesse asked as he turned the engine off.

"No, I... Uh... Actually cleaned my apartment up in anticipation." Tyler responded sheepishly.

"I wish I had your ability to organise, my room's a mess and we'd probably have to compete with Zane and Will for noise if we'd gone back to my place." Jesse joked, not knowing how far he was from the truth. Tyler laughed at the comment and left the vehicle before the feline could assist him in yet another chivalrous gesture.

They made their way into the building and took the elevator up to Tyler's floor. Flicking his keycard between padded digits, Tyler led the taller fur to his apartment and granted them access.

"You really are a neat freak aren't you?" Jesse joked as they entered the immaculate apartment. Tyler blushed and decided to take the indirect compliment without quipping a response to the leopard that was ... very quickly leaning in toward him...

Oh god it's happening it's happening...

Tyler's brain froze as Jesse's paw caressed the smaller fur's head, tenderly tracing down his ear and brushing his cheek in a gentle and sensual way that made Tyler blush more than any lewd comment he'd received today. The husky watched in slow motion as Jesse leaned in further, bringing his heavily muscled body closer to Tyler's own.

"An adorable neat freak though..." Jesse qualified with his lips inches from Tyler's gorgeous face. He wanted so badly to grab this insanely attractive husky by the hips and slam him down on the bed, ravishing the lean canine body. He craved Tyler's pleasure, and he was sure every pheromone he gave off was screaming "I want to fuck you, Tyler Black!"

Tyler could indeed sense Jesse's desire - in fact it was inescapable. The husky made no attempt to stifle the small whimper that escaped his muzzle. Smelling Jesse's intensely masculine scent was making him light headed. He gathered his senses and courage and whispered to the leopard "Please Jesse... Please fuck me. I can't stand it anymore. I need you to take me."

Jesse's conscious mind disconnected at the statement, his instincts taking over. He projected a low-pitched, dominant growl and walked Tyler backwards until they fell as one over the back of Tyler's couch. They landed on the softly cushioned seats, Jesse being careful to not put his full weight on the smaller husky. After all, he was trying to bone him - not wrestle him into submission.

"You want me to fuck you, Ty?" Jesse cooed, his deep voice sending shivers down Tyler's spine.

"Oh god yes..." Tyler trailed off; wanting everything Jesse could give him. His legs were already wrapped around Jesse's waist and his tail was swept to the side, allowing the leopard complete access to his rump.

Jesse pressed his groin into the husky's still-clothed rear, his cock rapidly swelling to create an uncomfortable tightness in his pants. Grinding and rocking back and forth was an immense tease for both of them, and Jesse quickly let up to give Tyler a chance to acquaint himself with Jesse's malehood.

The leopard sat back and watched as Tyler scrambled to undo his pants and yank them down to Jesse's mid-thigh. Tyler took a brief moment to take in the sight of Jesse's bulge tenting his underwear. It was... seriously impressive. Tyler hungrily pressed his snout into the organ and inhaled Jesse's excitement.

The heavy musk commanded Tyler to peel back Jesse's underwear and let the feline cock spring to near-full attention. He wasted no time in grasping the swollen shaft and pumping the organ with his paw, keen to bring Jesse to a throbbing and twitching state.

Tyler approached the organ with his tongue hoping beyond hope Jesse tasted just as good as he smelled. The husky was not disappointed. Jesse's pre was just like the musk that enveloped him, but stronger and saltier. The taste drove Tyler to envelope Jesse's member with his lips, slowly bobbing his head up and down on the throbbing appendage.

"Ah... fuck, Tyler... That's good..." Jesse panted as the husky lapped at his frenulum. He shivered with pleasure as Tyler continued lubricating the feline prick with a mixture of saliva and precum. Very quickly, Jesse realised he was approaching his climax. He pulled his hips back and motioned Tyler to lie on his back.

Jesse almost ripped Tyler's pants off in excitement, exposing the canine's twitching erection. To reciprocate Tyler's torturous teasing, Jesse lapped at the canine's cock - drawing his tongue down the length and pausing at the knot that had already formed at the base. He suckled on the knot, causing Tyler to writhe in ecstasy and moan several profanities.

Jesse continued travelling down with his tongue past Tyler's balls and over his perineum until he found exactly what he was after. Tyler's tight pink tailhole pulsed in anticipation of the attention, and Jesse obliged - pressing his tongue into his lover's tailstar. He kissed and licked Tyler's hole with zeal until it was slick with saliva.

Lifting himself back atop the husky, Jesse aligned himself with Tyler's exposed hole and slowly began to press his throbbing cock into the hole.

Tyler cried out, half in excitement and pleasure, half in momentary surprise. It escaped his muzzle as an encouraging and excited yelp, which naturally spurred Jesse to sink himself further into the canine's tight rump.

"Oh GOD, Jesse... Fuck, you're so big..." Tyler moaned as Jesse slipped the widest part of his member past the canine's entrance. Within moments, he was hilted inside Tyler.

"Are you okay?" Jesse asked, not sure if the expression in Tyler's face was born out of pleasure or pain.

"Yeah I'm ready for it." Tyler encouraged.

Jesse pulled himself back out of the whimpering canine and slowly began rhythmically thrusting his hips back and forth; fucking his lover slowly and tenderly with every inch he had at his disposal.

Tyler's gasps and moans were more than enough to spur Jesse onwards until very soon he was pistoning his entire length in and out of Tyler's tailhole, much to the canine's delight.

"Fuck... FUCK... Jesse... Oh my god..." Tyler could barely control his volume. He wanted to scream out, to let the entire world know how good his boyfriend was fucking him. The sensation was so amazing; he knew he wouldn't last much longer if Jesse kept this pace up. He hoped this god of a feline would never stop.

"Ah Ty.... fuck, you're so tight..." Jesse moaned, enjoying the feeling of Tyler's ring clenching over his cock. He knew Tyler was close, so he decided to make sure everything ended with a bang.

Shifting his weight around, Jesse adopted a more stable position while holding Tyler's legs in the air and doubled the pace of his thrusting - ramming his cock with fervour into the smaller male.

Tyler whimpered and moaned at the unbearable pace his lover had chosen, and could feel his orgasm rapidly approaching.

"J-Jes... I'm gon-" before the husky could even finish the sentence, cum started shooting violently from the tip of his cock all over himself. He howled as he felt his orgasm rock his entire body.

Jesse watched in awe as Tyler showered himself in spunk. The sight was enough to trigger that final approach within the leopard, and with one forceful thrust Jesse felt his cock begin to spasm uncontrollably inside his lover.

The leopard growled with each twitch of his body, his own climax releasing waves of pleasure all over his body. When he finally finished cumming inside his boyfriend, Jesse's muscles gave out and he flopped his body onto Tyler.

"OOF. Guess I managed to milk my kitty dry." Tyler teased in a post-orgasmic stupor.

"You can milk me dry any time you like, pup." Jesse replied between laborious breaths. "So long as I get to fuck the cum out of you like that again."

"God that's lewd, but I love you Jesse Jarvis."

"I love you too, Tyler Black."

"Stay here tonight?"

"Definitely."

That night, the two lovers slept deeply - completely comfortable in each other's company. Both knew that what they had was special and maybe, just maybe, Tyler and Jesse had found their soulmate in each other.

***

The cool light of a desk lamp illuminated half of Stefan's face as he held his phone to his ear, checking the time on his wrist.

11:45, it should be a good time to call him.

He listened to the dial tone for an uncomfortably long time until the line picked up. He smiled; proud he correctly guessed an appropriate time to call.

"Hello. I guess I finally picked a good time."

He paused, listening to the response over the line.

"Yes. Yes I know. I tried to-"

He was cut off by the recipient of the call, much to his obvious displeasure - reflected in his facial expression.

"Look, I received a letter... No, I'm still the addressee for these things."

Another pause in the jaguar's speech.

"Yes. I think it's time to see if this..."

Stefan sighed away from the receiver of the telephone in an effort to minimise his apparent frustration.

"Look, the way I see it, this is one of your last options left."

He remained silent for what seemed like several minutes, finally speaking in the even and patient tone he was famous for amongst his students.

"Your prolixity aside, no other institution is taking you. It's here or nothing."

More silence fell upon the office, the jaguar listening to the other participant's argument.

"No. I'm sorry, but I'm simply not prepared to do that. What is the reason for your aversion to Perit High other than the obvious? It can't be just that you think I'm incompetent."

The jaguar raised a paw to his head, massaging his forehead with two leathery digits.

"That's just rude. What would you have me do about that?"

His expression changed from a frustrated frown to a surprised smile while he listened to the argument coming through the phone.

"So you will attend?"

He sighed, glad the argument hadn't turned out to be as protracted as he expected.

"Call me at work when you're in a position to organise your flights here. Welcome to Perit High, Vic. Love you too."

/////////

Perit High continues in Chapter 9: Confidant

Noah and Gary suffer a communication breakdown. Doctor Smoke explores the dynamic of the friendship group from Alan's perspective. A new arrival at Perit High throws a spanner in the works for Tyler.