FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A small dot in the deep cold of space was traveling closer to a large gaseous planet. The large planetary body wasn't its destination, but rather a jumping point to another planet's orbit. Only three systems had been colonized since the new "Age of Exploration" nearly one hundred years ago, but it was a rapid expansion. People and cargo alike were transferred to hospitable places throughout the reaches of space. The little ship among the background of stars approaching the gas giant was no different. The SK-2 was a small ship by every standard where the typical military or commercial vessel had at least twelve crew aboard. Large ships held at least three core batteries, if not more. The small SK-2 held only one. There were no showers, washers, driers, or refrigerators aboard and only one tiny bathroom that emptied into a waste compartment. However, it was the biggest small spacecraft authorized to fly with only two personnel aboard. Big was a fairly misleading term to use, and everyone knew it. Four rooms on the lower level were connected to three rooms on the upper level by a ladder. None of the spaces were particularly big, and the corridors were barely wide enough for two people to pass.

The quiet sounds of someone descending the fixed metal ladder softly echoed into the lower level corridor. Paws and hands climbed down to the lower level. The light panels in the ceiling immediately lit up when the lone figure's foot paw touched the floor. There were no thick glass windows to peek into space, not that there would be a lot of sufficient light to see with anyway. The canine calmly walked down the lower level hallway. The grey and white walls with hints of black turned right to left twice from one end to the other. A grey and grown tail swayed with every step as he approached a door on his right. Matt was a desert coyote, and he had an array of creamy and dusty light browns in his fur, except for the grey on his back. His uniform covered most of the earthy colors except for his head, hands, and digitigrade paws.

The door clicked open and more ceiling panels lit up as he entered a small room full of weights, two treadmills, and a pull up bar. Long flights in close quarters tended to wear the body out, causing health issues overtime. Practically speaking, there wasn't much else to do inside the space of a small house for nearly a month. His nose immediately detected a subtle musky odor inside.

"It smells in here again." Matt wrinkled his nose at the familiar sweaty smell. His claws softly pricked the hard rubber topped floors as he walked across the miniature personal gym. He went behind his side of a low wooden divider wall. The cramped space was one of the few places of privacy aboard the SK-2 model ship. The coyote took off his uniform and hung the long sleeved shirt and long pants on two pegs. He was left wearing a thin t-shirt and boxers, and pulled out a pair of thin shorts from the shelf.

"Today is... Weights, then treadmill." Matt read aloud some scribbling on a calendar pinned to the wall. His legs stepped into the workout shorts. He let the elastic snap against his waist snugly before walking back into the open. His partner was more than likely in the control room on the upper level, but Matt always carried some sense of modesty wherever he went. His eyes scanned the sets of dumbbell weights ranging from forty to five, with increments of five. Matt commonly used the tens, but his partner used the fifteens.

A sudden pinging from his watch startled him. The coyote raised his wrist and quickly tapped a button on the device.

"Private Matt Jasper Rosamund speaking." He answered.

"Hello Matt. This is Colonel Bryansk." A stiff voice greeted him. The colonel, a broad shouldered wolverine, was the ship's superior officer among others. "I'm calling again from Salix to see how things are going from your viewpoint."

"Yes sir. We're on track to reaching the planet early tomorrow morning." Matt paced the gym floor as he talked.

"That's good to hear." The wolverine kindly remarked. "Do you know the exact time?"

"No sir. You can double check with Lena if you want. I'm in the lower level gym."

"Who?" His questioning voice perked the coyote's ears.

"Sergeant Luliak, sir."

"Ah." He understood. "You two have gotten on a first name basis I see."

"We've been working together for a few months... I think seven now." He glanced up at the light panels in the ceiling. "Sir."

"That is true." The coyote heard his superior quietly chuckle wherever he was. "Do you have anything else to report?"

"Yes sir. The gym has an odd smell again, but nowhere else on board." Matt flared his nose as he talked.

"Is the air conditioning unit broken?"

"No. We checked that already."

"The moisture plates?"

"That too." Matt confirmed.

"We'll have a maintenance crew look into it as soon as you two reach Salix tomorrow. It was nice talking to you private Rosamund. Over." Colonel Bryansk arbitrarily ended the conversation.

"Over." Matt clicked a button, ending the transmission. 'The wolverine still calls whenever he feels like it.' The coyote picked up the ten dumbbells and started a rep.

***

Fifty minutes of exercise and ten minutes of stretching in funny poses went by quickly. The coyote returned to the wooden divider wall and stripped down. Still panting, Matt sat down on the wooden bench piece and wet a towelette with his bottle of water.

'Ah.' He leaned back, stretched his legs, and aired his fur out for a quick minute. Not having a shower for three and a half weeks meant improvising. He marked off the day's regiment with a little sense of accomplishment. Tomorrow morning they would be landing, and he could get some fresh air. After a quick wipe down with a dry towelette, he dressed into a fresh t-shirt and pair of boxers, then back into his uniform.

"All set." He briskly wiped out a few wrinkles and collected the dirty workout clothes before leaving the gym. "Checking the status panel..." He mumbled to himself and tapped a large blank screen embedded in the wall. The blank screen lit up and he tapped a few commands in. "Let's see here." Matt tapped the wall with a claw and observed the ship's vital readings. In green, the core battery was cool and the battery coolant was stable. Oddly enough the air cooling and heating systems showed normal readings too. In purple, the gravity level read at 60% where it was supposed to be. Gradual adjustments could be made to prepare for slightly different environments. This was all thanks to the "Gravity Board" that all ships were outfitted with.

"How did people manage space travel decades ago floating around?" Matt wondered. All other readings were in the clear, so he closed the screen. "Let's see what Lena is up to." He walked to the ladder and dropped his clothes by the large laundry bin before climbing up. His head peeked above the upper level floor. It was the combined kitchen and sitting area. A few cabinets for food storage, hologram projector for communication, small stack of books, and cushions on the floor for sitting were a typical setting for small spacecraft like the SK-2. Matt climbed up and walked across the combined, yet still small kitchen and sitting area to another short corridor. In a few steps he passed their room and took a single right. A few more led him through the open doorway into the warm control room where his partner was already inside.

The female Greenland dog was standing by one of the chairs before a large section of glass to view space. A set of control screens on the elongated desk were lit up with numerous information needed to operate and guide the SK-2. Her white tipped, curled red tail was resting on her lower back. She was a happy-go-lucky red and white piebald canine. Her entire head was red except for the end of her muzzle. Her heavy built frame was athletic with wide hips, solid muscles, and a petite chest. Even though she wasn't thin and graceful like a female coyote counterpart, Matt found her as very attractive. They made a great team working together on and off for several months on assignments across the explored cosmos.

"See anything new Lena?" He asked.

"Hardly." She half grinned. "How did your workout go?"

"The same." His nose flared at the room's cleaner smell. "But the gym smells funny again." He wrinkled his muzzle at the thought.

"Are the moisture plates turned off?"

"No. They're working fine, but it always happens when I go in to exercise."

"You should workout with me then." She suggested.

"You're always too early for me."

"Does thirty minutes make all the difference?"

"Yes." He leaned against the back of a chair. His eyes glanced down and noticed that her uniform was buttoned down a little bit again. The tuft of white chest fur freely spilled out from the opening as if desiring his attention. Matt looked back at the control station. He suspected that the well mannered husky had a wild streak underneath all that beautiful fur and pretty smile. "So. What course are we taking to reach Salix?"

"We're going to slingshot around this planet. I've kept an eye out and we shouldn't be in the path of its fourteen moons."

"That's good to hear." He stared out of the viewing window and watched the giant gaseous planet that they were slowly circling from outside its Roche Limit. The swirling orange surface was mysterious just like the rest of space. Matt stepped back and shuddered.

"What was that for?" Lena asked.

"No matter how many times I look out there it's still cold and creepy." The coyote rubbed his shoulders. "Unlike your I grew up in the hot forests and fields of Soderkompf."

"I know." The husky female held back a chuckle, but grinned. "I've heard that one hundred times." Lena was from an icy mineral rich region on the same planet north of Matt's homeland. Unlike his rural upbringing she was born into a noble family within the tech industry of a giant mega city. In comparison, Matt's family only had basic electricity and Internet access. Somehow two people with very different backgrounds ended up navigating supply ships for the army's delta division.

"If there's one thing that I miss it's-"

"The wind." Lena poetically finished for him.

"You have heard me one hundred times." He grinned.

"We've been huddled together for months." Lena reaffirmed and let her tail wag briefly.

"You're right about that! What do you plan in doing at Salix for a week before we are given another assignment?"

"I don't know..." She shrugged and rubbed her paw over the floor.

"They have plenty of lakes to swim in and lots of fresh locally grown food." He daydreamed about something other than the stale preservatives they had on board.

"I haven't thought about."

"Oh. Did you send a compiled status report update?" Matt noticed a stack of messy files on the corner of the desk.

"Everything that is important." She reassured him. "I don't want that hanging over my head when we land." That made sense to the coyote. Lena was the superior officer of their two manned ship, and that meant a few extra duties were piled on her on the cramped environment. Matt blew out a breath feeling hot.

"I know I just worked out, but is it hot in here or is it just me?" He loosened the top button his uniform.

"It's been warm in here for a while." Lena offhandedly replied. "Did you adjust the heating system on the lower level?"

"No. I just checked the main panel."

"The cooling system must be broken then." She presumed and tapped one of the desk's control panels. The temperature popped up and displayed a warm 25 degrees, much higher than the set 20. The heating and cooling systems had a safe lock minimum of ten degrees Celsius and a maximum of 27 degrees Celsius. This made it possible to live in the spacecraft until further repairs, but it was something to tolerate with a full coat of fur. "The battery coolant looks fine though. How odd."

"At least we'll land tomorrow morning to get it fixed." Matt shrugged.

"I'll put the ship's power on standby just to be safe." Lena walked out.

"Okay." Matt scratched his ear and watched her curled tail disappear. "I knew the room was too warm." He mumbled to himself and glanced at the temperature on the screen. It was just a hair away from the max already. Half the problem with working in a ship so small is that any little malfunction could be felt everywhere. The light panels above him dimmed slightly as Lena manually set the SK-2 into standby. 'No need in wasting this battery too.' Matt turned his communicator watch off and set it on the control desk. Lena came back in a few minutes with a neutral face.

"No luck?"

"Nope." She shook her head and fidgeted with her uniform. "I guess we'll have to wait till Salix."

"Guess so."

"Sheesh it's getting really hot in here." Lena unbuttoned her uniform's shirt and tossed it aside. The arctic canine was wearing a thin light grey tee shirt that loosely hugged her. It wasn't too difficult to tell what was hiding underneath.

"I feel bad for you with that thick undercoat." Matt unbuttoned his uniform's shirt as well.

"I'll have to prance around naked if it stays this hot." She half grinned.

'I wish!' He thought to himself as he chuckled. "You'll give me a heatstroke then." The Greenland husky giggled. "Any cool place where we can wait this out?"

"We can stay in our room. The sheets should still be cool." Matt and Lena walked over to their room. Their living quarters aboard the SK-2 were close, and the bedroom was no exception. They shared a bed that resembled a thin mattress on the floor with a few sheets and pillows. There was just enough remaining space for some personal items, a wardrobe of uniforms and undergarments, and necessary toiletries for the little half bathroom next door. Matt took a seat on his side of the bed and Lena rested on her side. With little else to do under the humid malaise they simply laid back for the time being. During a cooler night they would sleep back to back without trouble, but it was more likely that they would end up spread out on the floor tonight. Being a desert coyote Matt easily tolerated the heat but his arctic counterpart had a heavy fur coat to deal with. Lena unbuttoned her pants next and hastily tore them off.

"Careful." Matt ducked as they were tossed over his head.

"Sorry. I'm burning up here." Lena spread her legs wide and fanned her face. The Greenland dog was left wearing a pair of light grey panties and the thin undershirt. The downy white fur along her groin was especially thick and fluffy, not to mention messy in the heat. He respectfully averted his gaze with some regret. Matt had glimpsed the lovely canine beauty half naked plenty of times thanks to their close living conditions in space. She had a lovely red and white piebald coat of fur. The normally hidden red went from the middle of her back and sides down to her outer thighs, covering most of her rump along the way.

'Why is she tempting me so much?' He felt hot under the collar, and it wasn't because of the broken cooling system. Matt wished that Lena could pick another time to tease his eyes, even though he secretly enjoyed it. The female cleared her throat. Matt's ears dialed out hearing Lena clear her throat again, but he didn't move his gaze from the wall. It oddly felt tense in the room.

"Really?" Lena's serious voice startled him.

"What?" He turned and looked at the Greenland dog.

"I'm sitting here with my legs spread wide open, barely wearing a pair of panties, and you still won't look at me!" She held back a bark. Matt blinked and didn't believe the words coming out of his partner's mouth."I've bent over in front of you, unbuttoned my uniform by a few buttons, let my pants slip in the gym... What can I do to catch your attention?!" Her words caught him by total surprise. His wide eyes gaped back at her. The awkward silence between them only deepened. "Are you gay?" She finally asked.

"What? No! I'm just... I've never handled a woman before." He nervously fidgeted. His ears pinned back coyly. Lena blinked and stared at him for a moment.

"Do you want one to handle you?" Her voice picked up a mischievous tone.

"Uh..." He roughly swallowed, knowing that it wasn't the heat talking to him. "This is all really sudden Lena-" She suddenly seized his arm, and cut him off.

"Do you like me?" Her hazel eyes stared at him. Matt struggled to say a word as the barely dressed Lena crept towards him.

"I... I guess!" He stammered as she crawled overtop him.

"Tell me the truth." She eagerly wanted to know.

"It would be easier if you weren't hanging over me." He huffed and struggle to keep the greenland canine off him.

"You're the one with your hands on me." She slyly grinned. He immediately let go and she delicately laid on top of him. Matt squirmed and sucked in a deep breath from the heavier weight on him. Lena cupped his cheeks and nuzzled his neck. "Do you like me?" She whispered as she rubbed her muzzle over him.

"I do, but-" He suddenly froze up feeling her slowly licked his neck from collar to cheek. He placed his hands on the small of her back and dug into her thick red and white fur. "Oh gods!" He groaned as she nibbled along his neck next. 'This is happening fast!' The coyote could barely handle her, but he liked every second of it. Just as suddenly as it all began, Lena let up and slipped down his legs. "Huh?" Matt breathed and propped himself on his elbows. His husky friend crouched down and kept her legs spread for him to see while she dutifully tugged his pants off. The Greenland dog was a heavy-built canine. Her legs were muscular and the fluffy fur made them appear bigger. The contrast was even greater when she was with the slim and wiry coyote.

"Good to be gone." She pulled the coyote's pants off his paws and set them safely aside. He preemptively curled his legs up, but the female canine backed off for the moment. She winked at him and grasped the bottom hem of her light grey undershirt. Lena pulled the bottom of the garment up slowly for him, revealing her snowy white front. Her lower four little teats were a pale skin color, unlike the two dominate ones on her chest. The rising shirt revealed the cusp of her breasts, and then two firm, dark pink nipples. The thick buds of flesh appeared to blush in the open atop their small white furred hills. Her back arched as she flung the grey t-shirt across the small room. The canine's lovely white furred front was naked for him to see. Her eyes glanced at the pitched tent state of his boxers.

"Like what you see?" She tempted him and ran a hand down part of her front. A finger paused on the way down to circle each bud of flesh.

"Uh-mm." He closed his mouth and swallowed. His inexperience blatantly showed. "Y-you're really beautiful Lena." The shy coyote managed to speak. The Greenland dog laid down on the bed and playfully lifted a leg in the air.

"How about you take the last item off for me?" She licked her nose suggestively. The tempting offer was impossible to refuse. Matt crawled forward to her parting legs. His heart was pounding as he reached and hooked his hands under the hem. The fabric glided effortlessly over her legs. Lena giddily squirmed as he pulled them down her shins.

"Hold still-" He grabbed an unruly limb only for her legs to suddenly spread apart, flicking the little undergarment across the room. Lena parted the downy fur covering her sex and revealed her womanhood completely to him. The coyote's gaze locked onto her intimate place. Her triangular labia were already a little wet from the heat and arousal. A leg pressed his shoulder, nudging him closer to his elbows. His black nose inhaled. The luring scent oddly reminded him of the gym. Guided by mutual desire, Matt craned his neck forward and touched his lips to nethers. Lena shivered feeling the short fur touching her most intimate place. His hot breath washed over her sex like an erotic stream. Matt parted his lips. His tongue darted out and licked her sex with vigor.

"Ah!" Lena jumped at the sudden stimulation and squeezed his head. "Don't rush! I want you to tease me." She gently rubbed his head to demonstrate. Matt obliged and gently lapped at her folds without haste. Lena sighed and kept her legs spread for him. Through the warm air the sounds of soft licking echoed as the coyote's tongue tenderly bathed Lena's sex. Matt let her reactions guide him. A leg would occasionally move or a hand would reach down and pet him. The soft sighs were encouraging enough. Lena was in a blissful heaven as the pleasure slowly built up. "Mm!" Her toes curled feeling his agile tongue dip inside. Each moan following became more vocal, and her sex tingled with increasing sensitivity Lena scrunched her eyes shut feeling his tongue brush over her clit. "Ooohh!" Her hips slowly raised and settled down, but Matt continued the slow dance that she wanted. She but her lip as the sensations vibrated her core.

"I-okay! That's fine." She squeezed his arm. Matt backed off and watched her rising and falling torso. Her breaths came heavily in the heat.

"Did you... finish?" He asked. The Greenland female dog shook her head. A parted, smiling muzzle revealed all of her teeth. He looked down at her sex that was engorged with arousal. The fleshy triangular folds were puffy and blushing a rosy shade of red. A mixture of his saliva and her feminine juices gave the canine's womanhood a crystal shine in the sea of surrounding white fur. His member twitched at the sight inside its cloth prison. "Why did you want me to stop?" The coyote licked his lips and sat up.

"I want to finish with you."

"You still enjoyed it, right?"

"Mm. It was wonderful Matt." Lena sat up and embraced him. The tender hug felt nice and he reciprocated. Their fronts pressed together made his heart tingle warmly too. It felt good to love, and be loved. Lena felt something prod her below. She looked down and raised her brow in interest. "Still hiding something from me, hmm?" Her hands rested on the hem of his tented boxers. His ears fell back as he watched her carefully remove the final garment. His member sprang into view. The healthy red spire was engorged, throbbing in rhythm with his heartbeat. His legs raised as she flicked his boxers to the floor. Lena looked over the coyote fondly. Matt found it kind of natural, even though he was sporting an erection and they were both naked.

"What?"

"You look good Matt." She smiled and placed a hand on his knee.

"Really?" Her words caught him off guard. "I mean I'm thin and you have all the muscles-" A hand cupped his cheek.

"We're talking to much." She leaned closer and closed her eyes. Her muzzle opened and wetly smooched his mouth. Their teeth bumped and clacked together before finding a mutual equilibrium. Her hands caressed his body, making love to him like their tonguing kiss. Below, his canine member was partially buried in her downy fur, caressed with unbelievable softness. Matt placed an unsure hand on her shoulder, wanting to return the affection.

"Don't feel nervous. It's okay to touch me." She brought his other hand to her side. His hand simply started rubbing her as they deeply kissed again. His hands lightly rubbed over her haunches, navigating from her lower back to the base of her curled tail.

"Am I doing alright?" He whispered when they parted again.

"Yess." She hissed and squeezed his rear. Lena hugged him tightly and pulled him down to the bed with her. They took a moment to pause. Her half lidded eyes gazed at him lovingly. Lena leaned to one of his ears. "I want you inside me." She whispered. The coyote felt a tingle run down his spine. Matt shuffled off her and sat up. His rigid member was pulsating above her body. Lena helped part her fur out of Matt's way as he lined up. His tapered tip pushed her lips apart and easily glided inside.

"You're wet!" He grunted and started thrusting. Lena groaned feeling his knot begin to swell inside her. Her iron strong legs hugged his sides and crossed behind his back to help pace the coyote's erratic motions. The sounds of their passionate lovemaking reached the entire upper level.

"Oh gods don't stop Matt!" Lena cried out feeling her climax near, but Matt barely heard the female voice. They were both beyond the point of stopping, but through the thick heat there was something more than the wanton desires. The sensation was invigorating and reached a pinnacle.

"Ooh!" Lena gasped and clutched the covers below. Matt felt Lena's body seize up, but he didn't want to stop and continued ramming her entrance. The pressure continued to build into a final release. He came hard and loud. His back arched and body tensed as he rammed her to the hilt. Lena finally released the covers and a big breath. She felt Matt's member pulsating inside her, releasing all of his seed. Matt collapsed on top of her. Both were too tired to say anything in the heat. The hot contact of their bodies only added to the tired sleepiness. Content hot breaths echoed in the small space. The coyote stared at the furry shoulder in front of his nose as he regained his breath. A wonderful peaceful feeling spread throughout his body and enveloped him like a hug. He felt two hands rub his back, just as his eyes closed.

Matt awoke on his back and recognized the ceiling above him. The lights were still dim. His ears listened to the silence for a solid minute before moving. He stretched across the empty sheets.

"Lena?" He whispered and looked around only to find the small living quarters empty. The door was wide open, but that didn't surprise him. Matt slipped out of bed and ruffled his fur. He winced on his first step. The air was surprisingly cool again. 'Where are my-' He found his boxers crumpled on the floor next to Lena's underwear. His eyes stared at the light grey garment before reaching down to pick it up along with his boxers. Even at a distance he could smell Lena's more intimate, musky scent. 'Strong...' The coyote's sheath unconsciously stirred. Matt shook his head and set the garment aside. He slipped on his boxers and walked out of the room. 'I'm sore.' He could feel a distinct achy pull in his legs. A second set of stretched in the corridor made him wince and clench his teeth. Matt looked up and down the short white and grey hall. Her uniform piece was still crumpled on the floor.

'Where's Lena?' He walked to the control room. His paw steps were silent as he made the turn and padded a few steps more. He entered the open room and spotted a curled red and white tail poking through a gap in the back of a chair. The coyote crept closer to the side. Lena was sitting on the large pilot chair wearing only her thin solid grey tee. Nipples visibly poked against the thin grey fabric underneath. Her legs were spread wide with a paw resting on the control desk. The Greenland dog couldn't have been more beautiful to the coyote. His cheeks warmed. 'She's hot.' He liked the erotic pose. Matt swallowed and remembered that he was just out of her sight.

"Morning." He stepped forward and quietly greeted her.

"Oh. I didn't see you there." She put her leg down. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah... Did you?"

"Mmhm." She slowly answered and brought a thin item to her lips. She breathed in.

"You smoke?"

"No. It's a vapor wafer that simulates smoking." She blew out and set the device aside. The small talk helped loosen the coyote up.

"What about your legs?" He dared to ask.

"I normally like to air out after a good workout." She made him blush. Something finally clicked for the oblivious male.

"Is that why the gym smells so strong?" Her red furred ears fell back.

"I uh... I leave some of my workout clothes out on my side of the wooden divider."

"We have a laundry bin Lena." He wrinkled his muzzle.

"I thought it might help get you in the mood or something." She shrugged innocently.

"Who told you that?"

"Heck, I've been trying to give you every hint that I could think of." She gave an exasperated sigh. Matt merely shook his head at her unbridled determination.

"I guess I am hard headed." He softly chuckled and shifted weight to his other foot. "But you need to put your clothes in the laundry bin from now on." The humming of the working cooling system turned on again to regulate the ship's temperature.

"Do you think I went too hard and fast for you?" She suddenly asked him.

"Huh? You mean the sex?"

"No. I mean when I cornered you and forced an answer. All that."

"Oh." The coyote thought about it. "A little... I guess." He shrugged, not really bothered by it. An awkward moment of silence passed between them where their gazes wandered before reconnecting.

"The sex was great." Lena and Matt said in unison. They blinked before snickering together. Something about it made them grin.

"Ain't that the truth." She smiled. "Come here and sit down." Lena patted her leg. Her hazel eyes and wide stance were welcoming to him. Matt didn't say anything and sat on the husky female's lap.

"This is a little awkward." He tried making himself comfortable. His legs ended up resting over the armrests.

"Just relax." She wrapped an arm around his torso and rested her cheek against his shoulder. Matt watched her fingers curl through his light brown fur for a minute. The tender touch felt nice and sweet. "You know what it feels like to be stuck in a SK-2 with someone you're crazy about for almost four weeks, but you're too nervous to ask?"

"I have a hunch." He admitted. Lena grinned and looked off towards the window.

"We should go on a date when we land on our next destination." Her tail wagged. "I heard that Salix has a few resorts in the savanna outside the city."

"Isn't that going backwards?" His brow arched. The Greenland canine shrugged, but her kind smile remained. "Well, I'd like that." He softly grinned. They stared at each other with warm cheeks before contently looking out the front window. The gaseous orange planet silently rotated in the dark confines of limitless space. A little moon was visible towards the corner of their view. The ball of rock was probably one hundred times the size of their SK-2, but it was still a mere pebble to the planet it orbited. An odd feeling suddenly struck the coyote.

"Wait... Shouldn't we have arrived at Salix by now?" He remembered. A little hidden grin on the canine's face tipped him off. The male leaned over and typed a few commands on the control panel. A blue screen appeared with their destination path charted. "What the... We circled this planet twice during standby power?" An arm pulled him back into Lena's lap.

"I have it set for another round." Her low voice cooed. Matt's tail flicked up feeling a hand brush over his boxers. The Greenland dog's fingers deliberately traced over his sheath. He removed her hand only for their fingers to intertwine.

"Did you plan all of this out? The cooling system failure too?"

"Yeah." She admitted. "A mechanic told me a few months ago how it all works."

"All because you like me?"

"You do crazy things when you like someone." She half apologized.

"No kidding." Matt recalled how he acted too, but didn't feel particularly guilty about it. "Did you notify Colonel Bryansk of our... delay?"

"Not yet. I've been thinking of what to tell him." Her thumb traced over his hand. "He messaged us six times."

"We better think of something good so we don't get into too much trouble." A little ding on the screen pricked their ears.

"Speaking of trouble." Lena and Matt watched a screen come up with a message marked urgent. "Send him our coordinates. At least he'll stop worrying about us." She said aloud.

"He knows that we had trouble with the cooling system." Matt leaned over and started typing on the panel. "I told him yesterday."

"Ok..." She didn't see where he was going with this.

"We can tell him that we put the ship in standby power, like you did, while we tried fixing it."

"That's quick thinking." She smiled. Matt relayed the message before returning to the husky dog's lap. Her hand returned to his side. "Why can't you admit that you like someone that easily?"

"I've never been one to do that. You know, the butterflies in the stomach stop me."

"Same here." Lena admitted. "I felt too nervous about it, but when Colonel Bryansk wanted to reassign us on different ships for a few months I was afraid that we wouldn't see each other again for a long time."

"What? Why didn't Colonel Bryansk tell me?"

"I'm the sergeant. He doesn't have to tell a private."

"Shoot. If I had known that then I would've mustered the courage to talk to you about it." Their ears perked hearing the cooling system stop.

"Wanna go lay down together for a while?" She asked. "We don't have to fool around for a while if you want to eat first."

"Eat you or some food first?" He clarified making Lena chuckle.

"Food." She winked. They stood up and sauntered back to the living quarters. The bed still held their mingled scents from the night before. The canines laid down shoulder to shoulder and stared up at the ceiling. Neither said anything for a minute and simply enjoyed laying together. "Last night was great." Lena sighed and looked at him.

"It was a lot of fun." He smiled. A gentle tongue lovingly swiped over his cheek, and left a warm tingle behind. "When did my knot deflate? I'm pretty sure I tied you."

"I don't know. When I woke up you were still on top of me asleep, and your guy went back into hiding. I wanted to wake up with you, but I had to use the bathroom." She grinned and held his hand. "I rolled you off me, but you were out cold."

"I believe it. We went at it hard, and I'm sore." He patted a leg.

"Me too!" Lena placed a hand on her tummy. The female canine blew a content sigh through the warm quietness. "I like being open and direct with you." She grinned and lightly rubbed his leg.

"Not counting last night." He added. "We can't say it to each other, but we can show it." Lena giggled and stared up at the ceiling before an idea crept into her head.

"How about this then?" She rolled onto her side and lifted her shirt halfway up. "I bet you want my shirt gone." The pretty lopsided grin that Lena wore was contagious. He didn't say anything else and touched her lower tummy. He trailed up and ruffled through the sea of white fur. His thumb traced around one of the four lower nipples. Without haste or embarrassment, Matt could enjoy some physical intimacy with her.

"Your rock solid." He could feel the power resting underneath her fur. "How much do you workout?"

"A lot." Lena reassured him with a smile and watched him curiously explore her. His hand worked its way up to the central tuft of fur on her chest. She let go of her shirt and closed her eyes to focus on his touch. Matt gradually moved and began rubbing her breast in small, deep circles. A thumb and forefinger occasionally tweaked a firm nipple.

"Mmm." She huskily hummed and rubbed her leg over his. He treated her other breast and then her tummy to a similar treatment. Lena couldn't think of a more romantic way to spend the morning.

"Wow you're beautiful." Matt stopped and rested his hand on her hip. Lena's ears fell back in an amorous blush.

"Aww... Matt." She opened her eyes and softly cooed.

"I like you." He mustered the course to say it while looking into her hazel brown eyes. The coyote leaned forward to lick her muzzle, but the Greenland dog beat him to it. Matt leaned back and let her continue licking and nibbling his cheek and neck. He sighed when she finished.

"You want a lady who isn't afraid to take charge as long as she is gentle and you can trust her, right?" She guessed. The desert coyote nodded. A wide smile overcame the lady's muzzle. Lena rolled on top of the normally reserved coyote. Matt liked the full body contact and rubbed over the larger canine's rump. Nose to nose, she looked deep into his eyes and rubbed his ears. "You're smart, caring, and a nice guy in all. We work well together for a reason." Her voice softly spoke. "And I think I love you." Her words warmed his heart. Their muzzles opened and tongues slipped out to meet each other. The gentle tonguing kiss deepened and their hands started to roam. Bodies shuffled under the little moans and sighs. A loud gurgling growl interrupted the romantic mood. Their muzzles parted only to giggle. Lena rolled off him and sat up. "Hungry for breakfast?"

"Yeah." He sat up with her. The canines shuffled out of bed without letting go of their hands.

"What are you in the mood to eat?"

"I don't know..." He thought aloud. "But you can be my dessert." He pecked her nose. Lena's heart skipped a beat as they walked to the short corridor, hand in hand.