FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A cool breeze blew through barren trees outside of a grand cathedral with the naked branches shuddering against the chill air. Fallen leaves gathered in piles below the trees and poured out onto the trails in waves of deep orange and red. A few of those leaves floated through the wind thanks to the Autumn air urging them toward one last burst of life. It was through this path that a human walked wearing a hoodie and running a hand through dark strands of hair to get them out of his amber eyes. He stopped at the large doors of the cathedral and pushed them open before stepping inside. As usual, the once hallowed chapel of the cathedral was empty and the only light coming in was the sun filtering through the glass panes at the front. The human let the doors shut behind him as he stepped forward and between the pews while turning in a circle to drink in the architecture. He kept on walking until the cool brush of shadows fell across his back, the smile on his face growing as he turned to face the rising darkness. Wings and darkened bristled fur formed from the shadows along with violet eyes that appeared like wounds in that inky abyss. Fangs appeared from a pulled back maw, a hiss echoing through the cathedral but stopping as the human wrapped his arms around the beast’s body.

Irna’s voice came with a chuckle, “I should stop trying to sneak up on you. You’re hurting my ego each time you hug me instead of getting frightened.”

After a quick squeeze, Ander stepped back and beamed, “I’m sorry, Irna. Next time I’ll be sure to at least hop a bit before giving you a big hug. Right now, I’m mostly too excited to even fake a yelp. College is out for now and the next semester shouldn’t be as hellish. I’m not even questioning why you told me to come here without packing.”

The beast snorted, “Well, I did tell you to take your time coming here and thankfully you did. Everything you’ll need is waiting for you where we will be staying.” Before Ander could summon a question, Irna turned around and began walking, their tail coming up to flick the human on the chin as they continued, “Let’s go meet my family.”

Ander hopped forward to start walking behind Irna as he cleared his throat, “Just to be clear, we’re not actually meeting your family, right? That was just an excuse to give to my parents?”

Laughter bubbled from Irna as they reached the door to their domain, “Is that what you’re afraid of? Not a beast or that you would be meeting multiple strange creatures, but that they would be my family?” They turned their head just enough to catch Ander’s cheeks burning with color. Irna decided to take mercy on him just this time and ease up on the teasing, “Don’t worry. It was just an excuse to give your family a reason to leave you alone. Told them that you’d be occupied getting to know my relatives and they seemed to take that as you needed all the time in the world without them pestering you.”

The human brought a hand to his chest, “Thank goodness. I don’t know if I could handle a stressful meeting like that.”

Irna smiled and rolled their eyes before opening the door. As they walked through with Ander, they wondered how the semester had ended for him and if there were any leftover concerns but they hadn’t seen him beaming from ear to ear in a while and didn’t want to ruin the moment. They sincerely hoped that this trip could help the human wipe away the stress of the semester and perhaps a bit of the general stress of life. It would also be nice to spend time with Ander as a couple instead of needing to sneak away in the shadows of his apartment or this cathedral. Such a thought brought a warm glow to their smile as their tail began to swish from side to side. Together, Ander and Irna walked down the hall of their domain until the pair reached a door at the far side with a lock on it. Irna brought a hand up and whispered into it, the words coming out as letters of light that collected between their three digits to form a key.

As they unlocked the door, Ander asked from behind, “You think learning magic would be as tedious as college?”

With a hum, Irna answered, “I think that it would be another thing to do but we could take it at your pace rather than the pace of an institution breathing down your neck. Of course, I could breathe down your neck and I’m sure you’d enjoy it much more in the end.”

Ander chuckled, “I guess we’ll have to see sometime but uh, this door looks like the rest Irna, does it really lead to another world?”

They raised a brow and turned their head to look down at him, “Still skeptical that there are other worlds despite my existence?”

The smile didn’t fade from his face as he nodded, “A bit! I mean, I thought you were just a legend until I stumbled on you and magic existing is kind of something everyone either is ignoring or doesn’t know about.”

A smirk tugged at the side of their mouth as the key in the lock faded away and they grabbed hold of the door to open it, “Well then, let’s wipe away any sense of skepticism and visit my home. Don’t be scared and take a leap of faith.”

They stepped aside and folded a wing over their chest to bow and urge the human to come take a look. Ander stepped forward and peered through the doorway before turning toward them, “So...You want me to jump through here?” When Irna nodded they mimicked the motion, “Uh-huh. I can’t fly.”

Irna tried not to laugh as they spoke, “I know. That’s why I said it was a leap of faith.”

Ander breathed out with a puff and looked into the darkness again before bringing a foot through the shadows. When he didn’t fall through, he tilted his head and brought himself through the threshold entirely. Irna followed and allowed the door to shut. A spiraling staircase painted like the stars appeared as soon as they walked through the threshold. Several doorways dotted the way down and while Ander looked around with his mouth open wide, Irna continued downward with their wings folded together like a cloak surrounding their form. They could hear Ander trying to form questions with little sounds and halves of words that were cut with gasps and other breathy sounds most likely meant to convey some sort of awestruck surprise.

When he finally managed to say something, it was a brief utterance, “Amazing!”

Amusement tickled at the back of their mind as they descended the steps with Ander in tow and as they walked they made sure to note aloud and in a clear tone, “Each of these doorways leads to another world and I don’t think I have to remind you to not poke your head through any without my say so. We’re on our way to a specific place so you would be wise to keep close.”

Ander trotted toward their side while his eyes were scanning the environment, “How can you tell which one is the right one.”

With a claw, Irna reached out to touch the air and where their claw touched a thin wire appeared, “Energy. The taste, scent, and feel are unique to each place and person. To me, sensing these things is as natural as breathing is for you so I don’t need to mark these doorways to know where I am going. That being said, sometimes I forget.”

He snorted, “You forget?”

Irna chuckled, “Yup. I can’t be bothered to remember every single place that I step through and the life flowing through it, can I? Can you remember the name of every person and place you've met and been to?”

“I suppose you can’t, and good point,” Ander said with a hum.

The pair continued walking until Irna stopped at a particular doorway. They motioned for Ander to follow them and muttered, “The doorway goes through here but can be opened anywhere I desire so don’t worry about that. I love you so much Ander and I hope you enjoy what you see and are able to relax where we’ll be staying.”

Ander leaned against Irna, “Thank you. You’ve already done so much and the idea of spending a few weeks with you is enough on its own.”

Before their cheeks could burn any further and Ander could recognize the embarrassment on their face from such a sappy comment, Irna brought a wing around the human and stepped through the doorway. The shadows gave way to a pink-hued sun that graced the land with warmth. Ander and Irna had appeared at the base of a mountain dotted with trees and various forestry only interrupted by cut paths made of set stone and more. Mist poured down the mountain from various pockets where water gathered in great pools and it was at the first of those large springs where a set of wooden buildings rested against the mountain. The pair themselves stood at the bottom of a few steps that led to a path that took them higher up the mountain with lanterns on either side of the entrance atop statues of vulpine creatures holding orbs in their mouths.

“I know, I said I was going to take you to my home. This is the world that I came from but it isn’t necessarily where I grew up as you understand it. It is a hot spring, a healing one at that where creatures of all kind come to mend themselves and rest. I wanted it to be a surprise but I wasn’t quite sure if you’d like it or not. An adventure in a dangerous grove sounds a bit more interesting but maybe not as advised after a stressful semester.”

Irna spoke with their claws touching and their eyes averted from Ander as they looked off into the distance rambling on. They were going to start again with airing their doubts but a touch at their wing caught their attention. As they looked down, Ander reached up to clasp their cheeks to bring them into a loving kiss. A smile tugged at the corners of their mouth as they sunk to the kiss and lowered themselves a bit more to wrap their wings around Ander and accept the embrace in full.

When their mouths parted, Ander spoke quietly, “It feels different here, it looks different but the thought of being able to relax with you at some sort of resort is more adventure than I’d ever need or want. You know that I’d be up for any trip you took me on but when you said hot springs I nearly melted. Tell me they have good food here too?”

Irna placed their head against his gently while holding down a purr, “They cater to various tastes from the spiritual to the physical, carnivorous, vegetarian or otherwise.”

“While I don’t think I could try any of those spiritual meals, I’d be happy to try anything you put in my mouth.” He said with a chuckle.

They planted a peck on his nose and hummed, “Careful, or I’ll have something for you to eat before we get to the room and maybe I’ll take a bite of you.”

Color touched Ander’s cheeks but his smile only seemed to grow as he leaned to their touch and sighed happily. When they separated, Irna brought a wing around his body to start leading him up the steps and towards the bathhouse. To Irna, these sights were typical but they wondered if Ander had ever even seen a mountain in his own realm let alone this one. They noted how his eyes trailed toward the violet-colored leaves on the trees, his attention interrupted on occasion by a creature flying overhead with the clouds. Nothing seemed to draw any fear out of him, instead, Irna could only feel wonderment and curiosity with a radiating sense of love that made them want to stop the human there to kiss him again. For now, they held themselves back and continued walking.

The entrance to the bathhouse sat at the top of a set of stairs coming off the beaten path. There were two statues similar to the ones at the start of the mountain path sitting at the sides of the entrance as if welcoming those who had come to stay at the bathhouse. Irna urged Ander to step forward and open the doors himself. When he did so, the doors parted to reveal a lobby with a counter at the center where a fox-like creature stood behind it with a big smile and bright white fur, red markings over their eyes. The lobby itself was a large chamber with floating wisps of light in the air lighting the way. Ander stepped inside while allowing his eyes to wander and Irna followed with a small smile enjoying the curiosity flowing off of him.

When they got to the front counter, the fox leaned forward and clasped their paws together, “Welcome to our little slice of paradise. I’m guessing that you’re the human Irna told us about! We have your room ready with all of your little things tucked away and safe. I promise you this visit will be one to remember!”

Ander looked at the fox with a big smile, “Thank you! I’m sure it’ll be great here. Everything has been so amazing and the sights have been beautiful!”

The fox giggled, “My! He’s quite the flirt Irna, you never told us that!”

While Irna snorted, Ander’s cheeks flushed, “I didn’t mean it like that. Of course, I mean, you are pretty but I didn’t—”

Irna decided to spare him and placed a hand on his head with a sigh, “She knows what you meant. Our host here is just teasing.”

“And if I had the time to keep on teasing then I would without a doubt!” The fox said with a smirk, “But alas, I am a responsible creature and know that you two must be off to your room. Irna knows where it is but the key, little human, is for you.” With a flick of the paw, the fox produced a metal key that they offered the human. Ander took it carefully as the fox spoke, “Hold tight to that and may your time here ease the weights pressing on your heart and the wounds you hold physical, spiritual or otherwise. If you need me or my staff, there are phones in the room. Now, enjoy.”

The final words were said with a deep bow that Ander mimicked as he said, “Thank you. I’ll um, see you again another time.”

With that settled, the fox rose and waved as Irna placed a wing around Ander to lead him toward one of the doorways. They traveled through the bathhouse while occasionally crossing paths with various creatures and spirits that didn’t seem to care about Ander’s presence. This place welcomed many types of clientele and there were even a few humans that they passed. No one even seemed to mind that Irna and Ander were here as a couple. Once they arrived at their room, the human unlocked the door with the key and stepped through. Irna could feel his excitement bubbling as the room stretched out before them. There was a bed large enough for both against the back along with a sliding glass door that led to a private spring. Ander opened a closet that was already packed with luggage that belonged to him. As he continued to explore the various amenities in the room, Irna waited at the door with their wings folded and a small smile lining their face.

“I figured that the public springs might not be something you’re interested in too much so I asked for a room with a private spring. Honestly, I thought you would be a little bit more…” They paused and rolled a hand as they urged out the last portions of their statement, “Low energy?”

If it weren’t for the door at their back they might have fallen as Ander threw himself into them, Irna wrapped their wings around him as best as they could manage while he sighed, “Maybe I’ll crash at some point but right now I’m just so excited. It's something different, something far away from anything that I have to worry about and I’m here with you! I’m probably going to get a lot of use out of that private spring but...Can we go to that public bath? I wanna see more of this place!”

They hadn’t expected to see him like this and hadn’t expected to feel such a gush of excitement pouring off of him. Irna allowed themselves to be carried by that energy as they laughed and leaned down to place their chin atop his head and speak, “Fine...Let’s shower and head to the public springs then.”

After a quick shower, they set off through the halls of the bathhouse again to find the public springs. The trip took them up a floor and into another section of the bathhouse where they found an area where Ander could change out of his clothes and grab a towel. There was only one doorway covered by a curtain that moved aside to reveal the springs. Two levels of the mountain had been walled off with each section holding steaming springs of crystal clear water where a variety of creatures and spirits lounged about. Ander walked around the stone set edge with his eyes wandering about while Irna trailed behind. Together, they ascended the steps to the upper level of the springs where there were fewer occupants but also a view of the path they had walked up the mountain.

While Ander gawked, they wrapped their wings around his body and leaned down to press their cheek against his, “I know this is new to you but aren’t you staring a bit too much?”

Ander leaned against them while keeping his eyes on the sights, “Sorry. I guess I should try to relax a bit before I burst from excitement.”

Irna planted a soft peck on his cheek before separating to step into the water, “Join me in the springs then. I’m sure there are plenty of things you can stare at while we lounge about.”

“I’m not sure what you could possibly mean by that.” Said Ander with a chuckle. Irna smirked as the human let his towel drop and froze for a moment as he noticed that there were other creatures there with them in the nude. Some of them looked over at Ander in particular, winking at him or waving either to flirt or just saying hello. Ander sunk into the water while muttering, “Was I being that loud?”

They placed a wing around Ander while shaking their head, “No, dear. Most can just feel the excitement pouring off of you.”

Ander shut his eyes and leaned against them while sighing, “That’s a bit embarrassing. Guess I should focus on healing and relaxing right now.”

The excitement they had felt pouring from him still flowed beneath the surface but it was more restrained while he breathed in and out steadily. They had invited Ander here to relieve his stress but his initial reaction had made them nearly forget about that pain Ander expressed in his own world. With the excitement of something new dying down just a bit, they could feel something beneath the surface like a sore spot radiating dull heat. They didn’t reach any deeper than that and didn’t attempt to connect with it but they tightened their hold on Ander.

“Join me in an exercise, Ander.” They said quietly.

He hummed and leaned against them, “Okay...What is that exercise?”

“A healing exercise meant to draw out your stress and pain, one that will let it float away among the waters,” Irna said with a breath.

Ander remained quiet for a few seconds before he nodded with a shudder, “All right. I trust you.”

They could feel the small flecks of fear coming off of him embraced by a gentle trust that echoed far louder than the fear, “Breathe in and out. Think about how you are feeling right now. The water, the air, the elements against your body, and more. After you check something or if you feel like you’re thinking about too much, come back to your breath and root yourself to that feeling of air coming in and then out. Let your shoulders relax, and then down to your legs. Let that feeling spread throughout every inch of your body. When you’ve done all that. Go a level deeper. How does your mind feel? What has been bothering you? Who has been hurting you or has? If it gets too stressful, come back to the breath. It doesn’t have to happen all at once but if you can, take those thoughts and how they made you feel and let them wash over you. Remind yourself that you're okay. When you want to stop, let me know.”

Irna followed this exercise with their eyes closed, their words carried by soft breaths to instruct Ander in what they were doing. They could feel the steady movements of his body against their own as he breathed in and out. A small shiver traveled through his form when they had told him to think about what had been bothering him but his body steadied again as he kept on breathing. The pair repeated this process a few times until Ander prodded them gently in the side. They were almost frightened to open their eyes and look down at Ander. Irna did not want to see him crying, did not want to see that this had somehow backfired and they suppose that their own meditation had been about that fear and attempting to prepare for the worst. What if they couldn’t help him with this? What if it somehow made it worse? When they opened their eyes, their fears were brushed aside as Irna saw him smiling.

He wrapped his arms around their body and leaned up to plant a kiss on their chin, “That was nice. I feel like I should do that more often even if it is a bit scary. My head feels clearer than it has ever been like I can think and maybe that’s a bad thing and a good thing at the same time.”

They tilted their head and hummed, “Why bad?”

Ander sighed, “Because I can’t help but think about how badly I would love to abandon the life I’m living. My family, the school, all those things don’t really bring me any sort of happiness. The only things that have brought me happiness are art and the supernatural. I’m supposed to be afraid or even shocked at all of these things around me and you but how can I be scared when humanity has hurt me so much? I don’t even know if I want to be human.”

Before they had a chance to talk about that, a voice came from nearby, “Then why bother being human at all?”

Both Irna and Ander lifted their heads and searched for the source of the voice. They found the source standing at the edge of the spring wearing a grin and waving. It was a round-bellied dragon with inky scales and fiery eyes. A heavy tail trailed behind the stranger flicking side to side. The towel around his waist fell and he stepped into the water while Irna made note of a particular shade of rosy red touching Ander’s cheeks.

“What do you mean by that?” Ander asked.

“Well, first I guess I should apologize for interrupting your special moment but I overheard your little touching heart to heart and figured I’d put my own two cents. What I meant by what I said is that you could let yourself become something different. There are plenty of ways to transcend, transform, or otherwise.” The stranger then winked, “I could always make you something like me with a little bit of time.”

While Ander averted his gaze he answered, “Apology accepted, I guess but, I don’t know if that’s the right choice either.”

The strange chuckled, “You’re right. Becoming something else wouldn’t exactly solve your problems or fix what has happened to you in the past or present. You’ll still be yourself and more important than that, you’re human yourself right now. Do you dislike yourself? If so, you might end up disliking whatever you end up as.”

Irna narrowed their gaze and rumbled, “While our friendly stranger is a bit rude, he has a point. I don’t think you should dislike yourself.”

A small smile touched Ander’s features as he sunk to the water and looked up, “I guess that’s true. Still, I can’t help but think about letting everything go and just giving myself to something different. I always felt trapped like I couldn’t do anything for myself because I was told that constantly until I was thrown out into the big world alone and told to deal with it. Just do what my parents tell me to do and draw on the side. That’s it. Even if it drains me. Never thought that there would be any other choice. Now that I know that there are so many other choices and there is someone at my side supporting me, I can’t stop wondering about the possibilities. Not just about where I’m going but about myself.”

Irna smiled while watching him go through his thoughts. Whatever traces of fear they felt from Ander were pushed back by a genuine sense of wonder and hope, “I’m glad that you’re thinking about this. You should be able to choose a different path.”

Ander sighed, “It’ll take a lot of planning but I’m sure I can do it. As for my humanity, I don’t know...Do you think it would be a good idea to live as something else?”

It took a few moments before they were finally able to answer with a hum, “I don’t know. That isn’t something for me to say. That is only something that you can answer. If you’re curious, I guess I could help you find resources.”

The stranger leaned in to poke Ander on the nose, “And your new friend Jer is here too.”

Their tail came out of the water and flicked Jer's wrist and he brought both of his claws back with a chuckle as Irna huffed, “I don’t know you and I would appreciate you not labeling yourself a friend as you introduce yourself.”

Ander leaned against Irna, “I guess he’s welcome to talk and join us but you’re right, it is weird that he introduced himself as a friend. What a strange lizard.”

Irna smiled, “Lizard? Yet again you undersell a creature you should be more wary of.

“Aren’t you two cute? I figured that I would see if the human wanted a kiss or two and a conversation about their options in terms of being something different but I can see where I’m not wanted. Maybe another time?” Asked Jer with a grin.

A chuckle came from Ander as he shook his head, “I guess another time we could have a conversation. I’m not sure about the kiss but maybe two would do.”

Seeing such a bold little flirt from their lover brought a rush of pride through them as they leaned back to let the two talk while Jer responded, “Maybe tonight I could spend the night at your room?”

Ander snorted, “A bit forward. You should be asking both of us that question.”

“Oh, right. My bad.” Jer said while clearing his throat.

Irna rolled their eyes, “Seeing as we haven’t even been properly introduced, I highly doubt that.”

The human laughed, “They have you there! Let me do it then. My name is Ander and my lover here is Irna. I’m curious to know more about this place, curious to know more about what options I could have so I’d like to talk to you more but honestly, I want a night to adjust and rest. If it’s okay, could we meet tomorrow maybe or another time when we've settled in a bit?”

Jer inclined his head, “Sounds like a date to me. I hope that you rest well and that everything in life turns your way whatever it is that you decide to do.”

The pair inclined their heads in return before Irna spoke up, “It was good meeting you but I think that we should head back.”

Ander blinked, “Should we?” His stomach rumbled and he hummed, “Maybe we should.”

After saying their goodbyes. Ander and Irna got up to head back to their room. Irna still felt proud at Ander for talking to someone new and diving into flirting like that but also wondered what he was thinking. It must have been a lot to realize at once that there were so many options but he didn’t seem or feel perturbed so they simply walked with him to the room. When they arrived, they ordered food and had a nice meal together before Ander sat on the bed. He didn’t turn on the TV, didn’t close his eyes but instead had sat with a sketchbook and a few pencils and pens. Irna got on the bed to curl around him, chin on his head as they looked down at what he was doing.

“Tomorrow.” Ander began suddenly, “I’d like to know more about my choices. Not just the whole human thing but I guess, I want to start thinking about how I can look at myself, how I can look at the world differently, where I can go, and what can I do. Maybe it isn’t too late to change course in college or maybe, I don’t want to do college at all. There are so many things to think about that I think I might burst if I keep thinking! So...If it is okay with you, can we just lie here while I draw?”

Irna kissed the top of his head while speaking, “Of course...We can talk whenever you’re ready Ander. Just remember not to stress out too much about this stuff, we’re here to relax, right?”

Ander smiled and leaned against them, “I know.”

Once enough words had been said, the only sound left in the room was the scratching of lines on paper. Irna shut their eyes and drowned in the music of his work. Eventually, that song stopped as the pair drifted to sleep. Hours passed and the sun began to slide down until the sky took on an orange hue kissed by strong violets. Irna opened their eyes and noticed that Ander continued to sleep. They smiled as they brought their cheek against his to nudge him up but he muttered something in his sleep and remained lost in a land of dreams. Part of Irna wanted to keep trying but another was curious why he remained so deeply rooted in slumber? He did say that he would crash at any point and was this it? Thinking on it, they had never seen Ander resting so peacefully. He would wake now and then to check his phone or roll from one side to the other until his body adjusted and found a good spot against their warmth to rest. Right now, he just laid there with his head pressed against their body while he breathed in and out steadily. Perhaps they could take a little look into Ander’s dreams or maybe Irna could simply go back to sleep and enjoy the rest.

Curiosity trumped rest and they laid their cheek against his while their presence stretched out to touch his. They could feel the numbness of sleep curling around a nucleus full of sensations comprising his dreams. Sleep found them as they allowed themselves to be pulled into Ander’s world. Irna only wanted to take a peek at what he was dreaming and perhaps see if they could urge him to wake but they suddenly found themselves standing in a darkened world on a wooden pier. Not even the moon shined in this strange night but black spires rising from the wood with lanterns affixed to the tops appeared nearby to light the way. They walked between the light, ears twitching as they drank in the sound of ocean waves lapping at the supports of the pier. Irna found Ander at the end of the pier sitting at a bench.

They thought about turning away, about leaving him to his privacy but Ander’s voice came through the quiet, “Come on and sit with me. Guessing you’re not part of the dream.”

Irna folded their wings together and moved around the bench to take a seat while muttering, “I’m not. We slept until the sun started setting so I was hoping to prod you awake or just see what dreams kept you asleep.”

Ander smiled a bit while he held his hands together on his lap, eyes fixated on his connected digits, “I see. Sorry to worry you and sorry it is boring here. I kind of like the peace and quiet when I can actually sleep and well, I haven’t slept properly in a while. No college. No parents. Only you and a soft bed. I get to think about my choices. I get to think about all the good things coming out of being away from home but I also get to think about how little I’ve done for myself.”

“Is that why you’re stuck on this bench?” Asked Irna quietly.

“Well, no.” Ander answered with a chuckle, “I like this bench, this quiet and this darkness. It feels nice. You’ve done a lot for me and I’ll keep accepting and being grateful for that help but I guess in my dreams I’m realizing how tired I am among so many other things. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do when it comes to living and I want to make it to a point where I don’t need to rely on you, where you can look at me and rely on me in turn if you ever need it. I keep thinking, you’ll always protect me, you’ll always worry about me and you can do those things but me? I’m not strong enough. If you were feeling sad if someone were hurting you, what could I do? How is that fair to you?”

They tried to think of something to say but for once, they had nothing.

The smile on Ander’s face grew and he shut his eyes while hanging his head, “I know. You don’t have to validate what I said. Someday, I’ll be the one who helps you. That’s not me saying that I’m going to go out of my way to make a problem for you but I just want to have the capability to do so emotionally, physically, magically or otherwise.”

Irna nodded, “I’ll look forward to that. Seeing you blossom would be wonderful.”

Ander snorted, “Calling me a flower...You should save the flirting until we wake up.”

They huffed, “I was not—”

Their words stopped when they heard Ander snickering, “I know...I was just teasing. Now, I’ll wake up in a bit. No worries. Thanks for doing this since I should be eating as well, not only sleeping.”

Irna remained quiet for a moment as they looked down at the wooden boards, the sound of the water hitting the pier washing over them, “Ander...I hope you will never think that you have to do anything on your own but I’m proud of you for thinking about this type of thing. Somehow, I find myself wishing I could do more.”

Gentle digits looped through the fur on their cheeks to bring their face down and toward Ander, while the human leaned to press his head against theirs, “You do so much...Don’t think you need to take every single pain that I have onto yourself. I’m not your responsibility. I’m your lover.”

They smiled a bit and sighed, “You’re right. Maybe I was slipping into that mindset a bit and maybe you have helped me already. Thank you, Ander.”

With that said, they shared a gentle kiss and the world created by Ander’s dream began to fade away. Irna’s eyes opened and when they looked to the side they saw Ander pressing his cheek to theirs while muttering, “Good morning.”

Irna could say that it wasn’t morning, could say that they should have slept less but instead, they craned their head to plant a kiss on his mouth. When they pulled away they sighed, “Morning to you too.”