FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

4:30. The hustle and bustle of the city's night life is going to die down in... What, probably thirty minutes? It only makes sense that it would; that's when I get off anyway. If this were a more urban area, I could imagine the first cracks of light peeking from over the horizon. But not here. Just metal and concrete as far as the eye can see. My only complaint is that it can be pretty boring, standing here all night. I think I made a pretty good impression on my first night. Sean really knows how to pick 'em, though... A club bouncer wouldn't be the first choice I'd make, but hey, it's worked out pretty nicely.

I wonder how he's doing. He'd better be getting some sleep. Dumb-ass doesn't know how to take care of himself, I swear. Knowing him, he probably stayed up all night. Again. I swear, if he's still awake by the time I get home, I'm going to... I dunno, I guess drag him to bed and make sure the idiot gets some rest. The bitch has been stressing him out enough as it is, the last thing he needs on his plate is even more exhaustion to go with it.

I sigh. The clock ticks by, and the line to get in the club is empty by now, but hey, somebody has to keep watch, and they need a big guy like me to intimidate the rowdier bunch. All it takes is a well-placed leer and a snarl, and they go running. I gotta practice more when I get home. Show them my “ grrr" face. I mean, I could rough 'em up a bit if I wanted to, but why waste energy on causing even more of a scene when I can just make them run?

I hear the door open from behind me, and notice that one of the other bouncers has come to relieve me of my post. I look his way and give him a curt nod. Sup boss.

“Good first night here, Boo. Gotta hand it to you, I liked how you handled the riffraff tonight...Outside of that one incident where a customer couldn't hold his liquor, but you can't really be held accountable for someone else's piss-poor judgment."

Ain't that the truth. I give a proud beat on my chest as a response. I guess I am good at this, aren't I. He smirks and slugs my shoulder, and I, lightly of course, slug him back. He can take it. Yep. Sean sure knows what jobs would suit me. I wave him off and begin the walk home. A little ways through the city, by some dark alleys, to the station, and I can board just fine. I don't get the technology behind it... Why I don't need to go through the whole process of getting a ticket like the humans do. Don't think I ever will. So long as Sean doesn't have to worry about me, I'm fine. Probably has to do with the PC or some shit.

I take a seat, and wait. It's almost always waiting. Just three stops down the line and I'll be home. A lot of the people here look tired. I get looks from people. The unwelcome kind. The kind that tells me they don't like the fact that I'm sitting with them “unsupervised" or some shit. I'm not a kid, lady. I've been around this city for years, I know my way home, thank you very much. I know she's staring. She knows that I know that she's staring. At the first stop, she briskly hurries off the train. What does she think I'm gonna do, sucker punch her? Fat chance.

Second stop. Third stop, and that's where I get off. It's quieter here. The city always has some noise about it, be it traffic, or the thrumming of the bass in various clubs... But mostly the traffic. I look to the sky. Still dark. Still... Dangerous, I guess. I hear stories of muggings, but I've never seen one happen... Not like they'd be bold enough to do one in plain view of the public. Probably. I also doubt they'd want to go against a guy as big and imposing as me. I got that wild roar. If I can scare a drunk, I can terrify a punk. Heh...

There it is. Home. Lights out. Perhaps Sean actually got some sleep after all. Good... He doesn't know how much he needs it. Guy's got a fucking fine work ethic going on for him, but he drives himself way too hard. Don't know why he does. Unless it's her that's pushing for it, because of fucking course she would, the gold-digging two-timing cheating floozy. He tries hard to impress her, or do nice things for her, and these sentiments are sweet coming from the huge dweeb, but she... Just doesn't seem to... Appreciate him. Not like I do.

Not like I do... Listen to yourself, Boo, you're just jealous that your trainer's going for a girl. Fuck, why do I have to feel this way? We've been best friends for... What, twenty years? Going on thirty? Suddenly he finds another girlfriend and I just don't like her. I don't like the way she speaks to him. I don't like the way she blows him off. I don't like the way that she doesn't seem to care about him the same way he cares about her. Or maybe I'm just delusional. Maybe I'm just... Projecting? Is that the word I'm looking for? Am I the bad guy for wanting him to dump her and find someone else? Maybe if she treated him better, I wouldn't hate her so much... Things have been strained between the two, too. I worry what she might do to him when it all reaches a breaking point. It's a ticking time bomb, just waiting to go off.

The lock clicks when I place my hand on the device nearby. Green light. Happy little beep. Same tech on the station. Still no fucking clue how it works, but am I glad that it does. I don't think I'd be able to fumble with the keys to the house anyway. The silence in here is staggering... I close the door, the lock clicks shut again, and I make my way upstairs to our bedroom.

Not even a creak. How I managed to retain my talent for sneaking about, especially at this size, I'll never know. It was a lot more believable when I was a young Zigzagoon, but now? Fat chance. Nothing short of a miracle from Arceus himself. Great for scary stories and jump-scares, at least. Sean's there, a large lump under the tossed sheets. I hear him breathing. Hard. Quick. Troubled? Even in the dark, I can see his face pretty well. Scrunched up. He murmurs something... What could be on his mind? I place a hand on his shoulder, and gently rock him. I know, I know, I shouldn't disturb him when he's asleep, but come on, the guy's having a nightmare? How could I not?

Hey. Buddy. Come on, it's just a nightmare. Wake up... He hisses at my touch, lets out a sharp gasp, and goes silent. He's confused. Terrified. My heart aches at that face... Sean, what did this to you?

“Boo?"

I run my claws through his hair. Whatever it takes to chase away his demons. He sounds incredulous that I'm here. He clutches my arm, gives it a squeeze, and sighs... A relieved one. I guess I am the one piece of stability he can rely on in his life. He scoots over, makes room for me, and lets me climb in with him. He clutches my fur. I pull him in tight. I rub his back. I croon at him that everything's going to be okay. I can feel his heartbeat like this, racing, just as heavily as he had been breathing. I nudge him.

“I'll be alright... Just... Just a bad dream, is all."

Bullshit. I can tell that it was more than just a bad dream, if that was your reaction to it. You know you can't hide things from me. Twenty odd years we've been best pals, and you still don't want me to worry about you, you stupid selfish prick. I growl. I squeeze. No hiding things, especially when they scare you like this. You know this... Come on, let it all out. I won't judge. Well, maybe a little, but I'll keep that to myself.

He spills the beans pretty quickly. Had some dreams about camping out in the mountains, the rambunctious rapscallion, and brought a group of friends with him- I was there too, even; he makes a point to tell me that much. The whole thing plays out like a horror movie, with people going missing one by one, because surprise, surprise, they go off on their own. With as many flicks as we watch, you'd think your subconscious would get a little more savvy. Or have you been binge watching those documentaries about missing persons cases and other scary stuff? Wouldn't be the first time.

But that doesn't matter. What does is making sure that you calm down. Can't stand to see you like this. His grip loosens, and he breathes a solemn sigh, finally calming down from what had been tormenting him only minutes ago. Feeling better?

“Thanks, bud..." He lifts his head from my chest and gives me a lazy smile. It's forced, strained even... But even more-so, tired. I loosen my grip on him, though it takes some time for him to roll over onto his back. I do the same. Still dark. I'll probably get some shut-eye myself. “You're always there for me. Don't know what I'd do without you."

I snort. I smile. Can't hide the sentimentality, can you? I don't blame you, really... Wouldn't know what to do without you, myself. Twenty-something years. Long time for a boy and his bastard to be hanging together, but I wouldn't have it any other way either. I look over at him again. Drowsiness is starting to overtake him, now that he's calmed down. Good. His eyes eventually drift shut, his breathing slows down, and soon, sleep claims him. Sweet dreams, Sean.

And now I'm... Alone. At least, consciously. I stare up at the ceiling and just... Exist. There's a warmth in my chest. A familiar one. One that's been plaguing me for... I don't even know how long now. I wish I could tell him... I want to tell him. But I... Can't. I don't want anything to spoil what we have. I don't want to fuck up and ruin everything. I'm a fucking hypocrite. He's right there, he's right fucking there! But... Man, why did you have to be straight...?

As much as I want him to know... As much as I want him, I couldn't force that on him. Not my best friend. Not after everything we've been through together. But it hurts. It hurts. I'm being selfish and stupid and I want to scream. But I don't. For his sake. He deserves so much more than this, and me trying to drag him into something he wouldn't be 100% for would just ruin it all. It's not a crime to want something, is it? It's not bad to wish, right? Should I be upset that I have these feelings for him in the first place?

It's been a long night. Maybe I can drop this line of thinking for a while longer once I get some rest. I empty my mind, pick apart the thoughts one by one, and... Try to sleep. I look at the clock. It's almost 6.

I blink. I look at the clock. It's almost 3. The little dot on the digital display tells me that it's the afternoon. There's an ache from below, and I lift up the covers, peering beneath them. Morning, wood. Good to see you. What the fuck made you rise and shine today? Whatever. I lie down in bed and roll around a bit. Too comfy. Don't want to get out. But I have to eventually; A 'goon needs his grub. Maybe I should rub one out first, just to take care of this problem I have...

Or not. There's another voice in the house. A feminine one. Oh, for the love of- I know that shrill tone anywhere. Rosa. She's here. What's she bitching about now? As hilarious as it would be to walk down there with my dick swinging around and watch her flip her fucking lid, I can't stand her screeching. Our ears don't need that kind of torture. I reluctantly leave the comfort of a soft and warm bed and do my “morning" routine of stretches. Get the joints in motion, shake off the last of the sleep.

Alright Boo, you've stalled long enough. Time to go downstairs and see what all the fuss is about. They're too caught up in their conversation to hear me- not that they would anyway if my track record is to be believed. I fold my arms and recline against the wall, right outside the entrance to the living room where they're having their spat. Claws dig into my fur. I hate how nearly every time I'm around her, there seems to be some sort of argument between these two. I'm only half-paying attention to it.

Up until the point I hear that tone. The fake depression, where she tries to deflect the topic at hand when she realizes she's losing the argument, and then has the gall to expect sympathy, for him to drop whatever topic there was, and focus on making her feel better with soothing words. Sean, you beautiful idiot, you're too kind for your own good sometimes. I love you, but please just stop letting yourself get dragged into these messes. I'm done sitting back and listening to this, I'm going in there.

I loom over her while she's going on this spiel. She doesn't suspect a thing. Sean does, but only because he's staring directly at me. Only when she realizes that he's not looking at her does she ask what he's staring at. As if there would be anything else in this house that would get his attention. She turns around, takes a second to process that I'm there, and the shriek that leaves her is almost enough to make me smile. Almost. Still glad that I get to live up to my namesake. Sean's the first one to greet me.

“Heya Boo."

I wave.

“How long has he been here?"

Long enough. Glad to see you're not referring to me as an “it" in my presence any more, though. That's a step in the right direction, but a little too late. I walk by her and lean on the wall near Sean. He could use some backup here. Rosa doesn't like me, and I don't like her. Of all of his girlfriends, she's by far the worst. She glares. I shrug it off. I'm not going to do anything. Yet. Just listen. Watch this whole thing play out... But if she tries anything, I've got Sean's back.

“Go away. This doesn't involve you."

Ooh, right to the point, huh? I'd say it involves me plenty. This is my trainer you're dealing with. Sooner or later, their Pokémon will get involved, especially when relationships are on the line. Just like every other time you come here, you tramp.

“Hey, don't talk to him like that! He lives here too, you know."

I smirk. It's a small one, one that I'm sure she can't see. Every time I get brought up, he's quick to jump to my defense. Always looking out for me too, right bud?

“Why can't you just keep him in a ball?"

Now that you're actively talking about me, I'd say my continued presence here is justified.

“Because he doesn't like being cooped up in there. Boo likes to stretch his legs and be around people. I'm not just gonna lock him up in a ball until I need him."

“He's in the way."

Rude.

“He's family."

“About as much of a family as a Herdier, maybe. I don't get why he has to follow you around all the time."

“Wh- What do you mean? He doesn't!"

She folds her arms in that huffy and pouty way that makes her seem like a brat- Who am I kidding, she is a brat.

“Whenever I want to hang out with you here, you're always quick to include him. You always want to drag him along when we should be spending more time alone."

Especially when he goes to visit her. I know what they get up to there. I catch her scent on him when he gets home from those nights... Glad to see he's getting some, but she doesn't meet my standards. Felicity was a much better girlfriend than Rosa could ever be, but they just didn't click all that well. Shame. I liked her...

…I liked her. Huh. Funny how I didn't have this sort of possessiveness towards Sean when he was dating girls who were far more amicable towards me and him. Maybe it isn't jealousy, and I just don't like Rosa because she's a bitch. Like right now.

“Because I don't like leaving him out of things! It's polite. I keep trying to tell you that you're gonna have to get used to him if we're gonna be dating."

“Why don't you just get rid of him, then?"

You're- Did she just- You're shitting me. You can hear a pin drop with the silence she just caused from her stupid question. Sean looks like he's trying to process exactly what she said, as if the very possibility of her even asking that didn't even occur to him. I want to say that I expected this to happen, but... I didn't. Didn't think she had the guts. Didn't think she was as dumb as she was pretty.

“Excuse me?"

“Get rid of the Obstagoon. Just release it or something, trade it for something else."

There she goes using it again.

“No."

“What?"

“You fucking serious? You tell me to just ditch my best friend after I've known him for pretty much all my life and expect me to roll with it? No."

“You're actually going to pick that thing over me?"

Oh, so I'm reduced to a thing now, am I? You're going to point at me and refer to me as an object instead of a living creature?

“I'm not going to abandon him."

“I'm going to make this absolutely clear. You either get rid of it, or I'm leaving."

“Fine. Leave."

Not even a hint of hesitation in him...

“What?"

“Leave. We're through. If him being around is a deal-breaker, then I don't want you around him, or myself."

“You-"

“Get out."

He hasn't been this pissed off in a long time. You really fucked up, Rosa. Her face turns from its dainty pale color to bright red. All of that blood is rushing straight to her head. Of all the times I've seen this bitch fuming, but not this badly before. She must not be good with rejection. Her fingers flex. She hisses through her teeth. Her body tenses. I remain on guard in case she tries to pull something.

She bolts towards him. So do I. I wrap my arms around Sean and pull him close to me, locking him tight behind them, and I roar. Don't you dare touch him, you bitch. You're not going to hurt him. Not on my watch. She stops dead in her tracks with the color draining from her face. She wants to retaliate. She wants to do something. But so long as I'm here, you're not going to take a single step closer. You heard him: Leave. Get the fuck out, and never come back. You're not welcome here any more.

To my surprise, she does just that. Stomps out the door and slams it shut. The house shakes, but is otherwise silent. I was expecting more of a tantrum. Maybe she realized that if she did anything funny, she'd have a lot more problems than simply being dumped. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. I let Sean go. You okay there?

Anger turns to sorrow. I lurch forwards and pick him up before he hits the ground. That answers my question. A break-up is still a break-up, even in the spur of the moment, and the realization of what he did hits him hard. He turns towards me and buries his face into my chest, lightly beating on it. It's okay, bud, let it all out. No shame in being upset. There's a moisture against my fur. His breathing is hard. Shuddering. His body shakes. It never gets any easier.

He opens his heart to a lady he fancies. They get along together pretty well. Then something happens that causes them to end their relationship. On and off. He still tries, and I know he'll try again. But until that time, I'll be there for him. Just like I am now. Just like I have been. Just like I always will be. Friends to the end.

He mutters a thanks, muffled by my chest. He looks up at me, face and eyes red. Here in my arms, he takes comfort in the familiar. The constant. The comfortable. Someone he can always turn to when times get rough. Someone to lean on, and help carry our burdens. I croon at him. He clutches my fur. I pull him close. Grip him tight. Surround him in warmth. I can feel his heartbeat. His sorrow. How broken he feels by another failed relationship. It bleeds into me- I feel it deep inside my heart, a wave of longing, of yearning, to love and be loved in turn, making my head spin and my chest ache at how powerfully it washes over me, and... And...

I kiss him.

In an instant, my heart sinks at the realization of what I did. I kissed him. Kissed him. No... No, no, no, this... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I got caught up in the- His grip loosens. He looks at me- Please don't stare at me like that- I release him from my hold and, heart practically beating out of my chest, I leave the kitchen, head hung low. I fucked up. I plod up the stairs, my blood having run cold, and a deep shudder running through my spine with every step. I go to our room, and gently close the door behind me. He has nothing to feel guilty about with this- it's my fault.

As much as I wanted him to know... As much as I wanted him, I couldn't help but force my desires on him. My best friend. After everything we've been through together. And it hurts. It hurts. I was selfish and stupid and I fucked it all up... He needed me. He needed someone to help him cope with the loss, and my impulsive ass gave into what I've been dreaming of for years. It never should have happened.

I lie back down in the mess of a bed, feeling my whole world crumble around me because I made one stupid mistake. I rake my claws through my hair, wishing I could rewind time. But I can't. So I... Sulk. I guess. Or try to get my thoughts in order. Okay, so you kiss your best friend after he dumps his girlfriend, and then you have the gall to prance up to your room and sulk, what kind of friend- Ugh.

I need some cold water. I head out of our room and to the bathroom to wash my face. I look in the mirror. I look like shit. Or maybe I think I look like shit. I turn the faucet on and splash some cold water in my face a few times, and... Wow, now I really look like shit. Fur and water don't have a very flattering mix. I dry off my face and grab my brush and try to make myself look somewhat presentable. The Torracat's out of the bag now, I might as well sit down and... Confess. Not like I have anything else to lose at this point, right? Right... I've held this secret from him long enough. Time to face the music.

Something smells. He's cooking. I realize that I still haven't eaten anything since my shift last night. Dirty move, Sean, enticing me with the prospect of food to get me downstairs after what happened. Considering how soon it is after the incident, he wants to talk just as much as I do. I don't fight the urge to follow my stomach.

In moments, I'm back in the kitchen. Sean's at the stove. Pancakes in the afternoon. Oran berry pancakes, by the smell of it. You know I love those, you little sneak... I take a seat, and wait for him to serve. He wouldn't make these out of the blue unless he really needed to get my attention. He offers a plate, a triple stack, fresh off the skillet, syrup drizzling down the sides, and topped with a slice of sitrus for good measure- How dare you spoil me like this right now? You're being downright unfair.

“You okay?"

Not really. I shake my head and cut into the breakfast he made for me. I offer him some.

“No thanks, I'll make my own in a bit." he raises a hand towards me, gently pushing it in my direction, “But I figured you have a lot on your mind. It's okay... I do too. Once we're done here, we can settle this. Alright?"

I nod. There's tension in the air, but it's not nearly as apocalyptic as I'd expected. I sink down into the chair. I jumped the gun, didn't I. Worst-case scenarios running through my head. Too much, too fast. The food helps. His mom always did say that good food had a way of calming things down and clearing the air. She doesn't know how right she is. Or maybe she does. Smartest woman I know.

Breakfast continues in relative silence, and is gone before we know it. I'll clean up the mess later. Right now, we have more pressing matters to deal with. He leans forwards, and gives me a serious look. A leer to match my own. He's got that glint in his eyes, the one where he's thinking of the right thing to say, the right questions to ask. He needs answers, and boy do I have a lot to give. I stand up from my seat, the wood screeching against the floor as the chair is pushed back. He does the same.

“This is going to be a stupid question, but... You know how it is. Did you mean to kiss me back there?"

Right out with it and straight to the point. I'm glad he's not skirting around the issue. Kissing him was the last thing meant to do, and I solemnly shake my head.

“Okay... Did you want to kiss me, then?"

He immediately notices the bashful look on my face. I may be taller than him by a decent margin, but right now I feel about as small as a Joltik. All I can do is look at the floor, and meekly nod.

He goes silent. He opens his mouth a few times, taking a breath, but the words die on his tongue. His eyes shift around a bit, searching for... Something. Anything. He wants to process it first, I guess. After a heaving sigh, he finds the courage to speak a single word: “Why?"

Slowly, I reach over, and take his hand into my own. He doesn't resist. I guide his palm to me, into my fur, against my chest. My heart is pounding. I want him to feel it. I hold it there, and then bring mine to his. There is a warmth coursing through us... Feelings I knew I had, but was too shy to act on. Still would be, if not for... Well. That.

Again, he falls silent, understanding the implications. Again, he tries to speak, but fails to find the right words to say. “Since when?"

I shrug.

“Is this... This isn't a recent thing, is it?"

A vigorous shake of my head clues him in that, no, this isn't a new feeling. I instead spread my arms as wide as I can stretch them. Can't remember when I first getting these pangs of desire in me. I mean, sure, I'm pretty sure I've always been gay, but I don't know when I started seeing Sean in a different light. Maybe it's just the fact that our bond stretched on for so long. Maybe I wanted to deepen it further.

“Why didn't you say anything?"

The deadpan look I give him speaks volumes.

“You know what I meant."

Sean, you misunderstand... It's not the whole language barrier thing; That's never stopped us before. I reach out and tap his left pocket, and he hands me his phone. I scroll through his contacts, showing him the names one by one. Cassie, Dessie, Donna, Emily, Felicity, Heather, Joanna, Katherine, Leslie, Rosa, Sarah, Selena, and Vivian. Not necessarily having dated them in that order, but he never did clear out his contacts. Who knows how long he's had these people on here. Noticing a pattern yet?

He scratches his head for a moment, drawing a conclusion from the information I've given him. “You were jealous?"

Kind of? But that's not really the point I'm trying to make. A gruff snort is all I can give him. I scroll through the names again, slower this time. His face contorts into a puzzled frown, furrowing his brow until he finally connects the dots.

“Oh..."

Go on?

“Yeah... I guess that would make things awkward. I've never really been into guys..."

Which would go a long way to explain why you never really picked up on my feelings towards you... Not that I really minded. There were a few girlfriends you seemed real happy with, and I was genuinely happy for you. I couldn't take that away from you, didn't have it in me to step in and try to steal you away. Besides, they weren't all bad. Dessie was my one of my favorites among them all, but it didn't really work out between you two.

“So... Is it just me you like? Or other guys?"

I've had a few flings before. Nothing serious. Nothing long-term. One-night stands, for the most part, maybe a few repeat offenses with some other Pokémon around the city, but nothing really clicked among the friends I do have around these parts. But when it comes to love like this? You're the only one who's able to invoke these feelings. I put a hand out and lightly tilt it from one side to the other, you're sorta right, but not really. Yeah, I'm as gay as they come, but you... Well, you're the only one I feel this way towards. It's kind of funny that way, huh. Not for lack of trying though.

Sean drags his hands down his face, mumbling how much of an idiot he is. All those times he tried to hook me up with a pretty lady at the “daycare centers" make a lot more sense. It wasn't that they weren't nice or attractive, but we're just incompatible in that way. “This explains... So much. All this time, you've been gay and I had no idea."

I mean, to be fair, I don't exactly meet the stereotypes on it, or wear it like a badge. I'm also better at hiding my porn than you are. Just like my crush on you, I hid this one too. Didn't want it to become a thing that could come between us, or make things awkward when we're hanging out. Considering we sleep together all the time, that would have been a Donphan in the room right there.

He jabs my shoulder. “You coulda both saved us a lot of trouble, you dork. You never tried anything with me when we were alone, right? You never once tried to start stuff, or get all touchy-feely, or flirty, yeah?"

Well... Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to, and by Arceus are you attractive and my type, but... I guess I was afraid that it would cause a rift between us. That doesn't come close to the guilt I feel when I fantasize about you, either. Those weren't my proudest faps. I've wanted you for so long, and held myself back for our sake. Not just yours, but mine too.

There's another period of silence while he looks at me, observing, watching, reading. There's a crestfallen look about him now. “No, yeah, you... You got a point there. I say you could have, but I don't think I'd know how to react to it either. I mean, I don't..." He heaves a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose while whatever he wanted to say can't seem to pass off of his tongue. “A lot's happened today, hasn't it."

It hasn't even been three hours since I woke up, and I'm already tired of it.

“I don't know..." He sounds so defeated. Troubled. His own mind is fighting itself, trying to come to terms with everything. “So... It's... Too soon. Way too soon. I don't think I can give you an answer yet. Between the break-up and the kiss, and these feelings coming to light, I'm... Confused."

No kidding. It could have been a whole lot worse if Rosa lost her temper. It's a small relief that she left mostly quietly. I grasp Sean's hand in my own and give him a nod of understanding. Trying to start something up when the heartache is so fresh is asking for trouble. He squeezes onto it... That's a good sign. At the very least, I know he doesn't hate me for it.

“I don't want you blaming yourself for what happened today."

Sean...

“But I think the both of us need some time. Just to process everything. Let the dust settle, right?" He squeezes my hand again. “But I promise, none of this is going to come between us. We've been through worse, so we can figure this out together too. Got it? Now stop sulking and get over here."

I drag him into a tight hug. You have no idea how much this means to me. Or maybe you do. He's trying to put on a brave face, trying to be confident, but I hear his voice filled with uncertainty of the new, the strange... But I appreciate it all nonetheless. Together... Yeah, we can do this. Even if he rejects the prospect of romance, at least he knows the truth. Thanks for dragging me out of the room. Thanks for confronting me about it. For not ignoring what happened and pretending that it didn't exist. And... Well, thanks for the food. You can't cry on an empty stomach.

I- No, we really needed this. Although it still weighs heavy on me, I don't feel like I'm being crushed by it any more. I probably wouldn't be able to go to work like this. We stay like this for a while and let it sink in that... Well, this is a thing now, but we're not going to let it keep us down. We've been through a lot of shit over the years, haven't we. This is far from the worst of it. Another sigh leaves me, but it's one of relief rather than anguish. I let him go, and he backs off in turn. It feels better, having gotten it off my chest.

I head on over to the sink. He did the cooking, I do the cleaning. Fair's fair. I hear Sean call out for me, “Come to the living room when you're done, we still got some time to game before you head out for work!" And just like that, he's trying to get things back to normal. I guess we do need a distraction, don't we. Perfect. Means I can still kick his ass.

I keep an eye on the clock until 6:15 rolls around, and tap his shoulder to get his attention. Much as I'd like to keep hanging out with him, I do have a job to get to. He holds out a fist. I bump it with my own. I get myself ready, and he drives me to the station. It's a little more lively at this time of evening, with a lot more people here than there were at the crack of dawn... Comparatively speaking. Yes, there's more people, but nothing that I'd expect to see in the mornings when the majority of people head to work. I'm glad I got the night shift. It gets cramped in the train.

It arrives on time, we say our goodbyes, and I'm off to the city to get my shift started. I arrive at the club, greet the other staff, and check the place out before my shift starts. Eight and a half hours later, it's over with much fanfare. Second night on the job, and things go relatively well... With a few minor incidents. Probably a regular thing here. The train home is similarly uneventful. Time kinda flew by today.

When I arrive at our home, I notice that the lights are on. I unlock the door and head inside, and find Sean in the study with his headphones blocking out any and all noise. You're watching those mystery videos again... You're going to give yourself more nightmares at this rate. As much as I'd like to spook him, he's probably more than a little high-strung from all the stuff he's been watching. I lift the headphones off of him and give him a disapproving growl. He jumps in his seat slightly, but it's better than a full-blown freak-out.

“Boo?"

Boo.

“Oh... I did it again, didn't I."

I tap his computer tower. Defeated by the impenetrable logic of “it's 5 o'clock in the morning," he shuts down for the night. This is one argument he knows he won't win. With the stern expression of a worried parent, I leer at him until he gets off from his chair. You're lucky that it's a Sunday, or else you'd be in a load of trouble at work. I'm the last to leave the room, turning off the lights in the meantime. Bit by bit, the house goes dark, until the two of us retire to our room. He undresses, gets into bed, and I hop in after the lights are off.

He yawns. I follow suit. Contagious as they are, they do help me sleep. Hard to imagine that I finally managed to confess to him today, even if the methods were unintentional. Unorthodox. And here he is, the same as he always has been, as if nothing has changed between us... And really, it hasn't. A warm smile creeps to my face when it sinks in that my fears are unfounded, that he won't treat me any different knowing that I love him as more than a friend. Maybe he always knew, somewhere in his heart. I'll give him as much time as he needs to find his answer, whatever it may be. Even if he rejects it, I can rest easy knowing that I'll have some form of closure. I just need to remember not to force the issue.

I turn over and see that he's already fast asleep. Out like a light. The stream of constant mysteries and horror stories must have been one of the few things keeping him awake. Sweet dreams. You'll want 'em for how long you'll be sleeping in, you dumbass. I turn again, this time towards the clock. It's almost 6. It's been a long day... I deserve some rest too. My eyes close on their own.

Sean's gone when I wake up. Knowing him, he's out shopping. This solitude I have, the lack of responsibility, or rushing, or anything else for that matter makes me realize that I... Stink. Shower first, thinking later. I roll out of the bed, give myself a good stretch to get the day started, and head out to the restroom. Times like this make me glad I have opposable thumbs.

Hot water cascades down onto me, seeping through my fur and into my skin_._ What happened yesterday is probably going to be weighing on my mind for a while. I say that I'll accept whatever his answer is, I say I'll wait for as long as he needs time to think about it, but really... I'm anxious about it. The fact that he's open to the idea of getting together with a Pokémon is a good thing though. It means I have a chance with him... Or, at least I hope I do. Although I'm cleaning up, I still feel gross. Since the confession happened, the floodgates opened and now it's all I can think about. An obsessive Obstagoon. Egh, the last thing I want to do is get clingy like Cassie was.

I finish up and dry off once every last inch of me has been scrubbed clean, then head downstairs to get some grub. Now, I'm not much of a cook, but Sean did get me a homemade meal yesterday. The least I can do is repay the favor... Also I'm starving. I don't care what time it is, it's never too late for breakfast. The sound of his car pulling into the driveway comes at such a convenient time; food's just about done. He walks through the door accompanied by the rustling of bags.

Sean calls out from the front door, “Hey Boo, can you lend me a hand here?"

You got it. I give him an affirmative shout from my place in front of the stove, and serve our breakfast before heading out to help him with the baggage. The labor helps take my mind off things, giving me a much-needed break from all the anxiety I've been feeling. Of course, he notices the fresh meal for him once he makes his first stop in the kitchen.

“Aw, sweet. I didn't have lunch yet. Let's finish up here and dig in, yeah?"

It's nice to be appreciated. I yank the guy into a headlock and give him a noogie for his efforts. Groceries put away, breakfast on the table, we dine together while goes on about stuff as normal. I'll admit, I don't really pay much attention to what he's saying, but he does like to ramble, especially when it comes to stuff involving the paranormal. Hoaxes or not, he loves hearing about supposed cryptids all over the world, or hauntings, and all manner of dangerous things. Many of them turn out to have been Pokémon doing their own things, but the fun part about theorycrafting is just that: Coming up with the most bogus explanations for the shit that happens in the world, yet making some semblance of sense.

We hang together for a few hours, up to the point where I gotta head out for work. Like yesterday, he drives me to the station, the train comes along, and drops me off in the city where the walk to the club is effectively becoming a routine. Day three and I'm already used to it. Serve the shift, go on break, grab a bite, get back to work, and get off a few hours later. Go figure that today's my last day for this particular gig, but hey, it's been fun. Might even stop by here as a patron sometime. Walk, train, sit, wait, arrive, done. Finally time to head back home. Considering Sean's got work tomorrow, I'll be very disappointed if he's up late again.

Red and blue colors flash in a disturbing rhythm, drowning out the dull yellow of the street lights. Four pairs of them are in the distance, parked by... Our... house... When I see the ambulance come down the street, my chest tightens uncomfortably. What was supposed to be a casual stroll turns into a full-blown sprint down the sidewalk. What happened while I was gone!?

I'm stopped by an officer as I approach, alongside one of the RK-9 units on the scene, and they're in my way! That's my trainer in there, I have to be there for him, let me in, let me in, LET ME IN! But they don't. Their Arcanine pins me to the ground. I struggle, I growl, I shout, scream, please, just let me see him, I have to know if he's okay! Get that thing away from me! My vision turns red while a light shines over me, the officer is holding a device by my head.

“Obstagoon, male, nicknamed Boo, registered to Sean Walsh, local trainer ID 259018. Worked the night shift for the weekend at a night club over in the city as a bouncer. He must have just gotten off the train," the fed calls to one of the others on the scene. That little thing can tell them all that?

“No wonder he's as agitated as he is," a voice from above says, “Big guy comes home to see us here, I'd be in a right panic too if it were me."

I'm too exhausted to move much now. The weight on me sapped most of my fight away, and all I can do is hyperventilate until I get dizzy. The heavy dog licks my cheek to help me calm down, and... Well it's not working. I hear some chatter over the radios while some of the neighbors come out of their house to see what all the commotion is all about. Suitably calmed down, as much as I can be in this situation, the upper half of my body is freed, and I can at least sit up to watch everything unfold. Can't for the life of me move my legs.

I see the door open. Two people walk out. The first is the disheveled perpetrator, firmly cuffed behind her back. The second is the officer who apprehended her. She casts me a dirty glare, one that I return in kind. A firm paw forces me back down onto the ground as soon as I try to tear myself away. I swear, if I weren't overpowered by this dog... If you so much as laid a finger on him, I'd hunt you down and rip out your throat. You fucking coward, you knew I wouldn't be here, didn't you!

“Breaking and entering, attempted theft, aggravated assault... You've got a lot to answer for, Miss Thomson."

I roar when I hear what she did. A majority of heads turn towards me. Expletives and threats leave my throat like a river after a thunderstorm. You'd better pray to Arceus that you get dragged far, far away from here because that cold cell behind bars is the only protection from me you're going to get.

Given the all-clear, the paramedics are sent into the house, accompanied by a Chansey and an Audino. Rosa unleashes a tirade of incriminating rants directed at Sean and I, not even deigning to invoke her right to remain silent. Good. I hope she rots. Of all the people Sean had to date, it was the vindictive psycho bitch. All the more reason to have broken up with her.

A gurney is rolled out of the house, very carefully supported to not jostle its occupant. I don't even get to see him before he's loaded up in the back of the ambulance, which drives off in a hurry. With the police currently investigating the house, and the perpetrator and victim dealt with, the Arcanine gets off of me. I'm sore, but I can stand... But I'm still barred entry from my own home.

The cop who scanned me approaches at this moment, some of the crowd clearing out now that most of the action has ended. “You want a ride to the hospital? Hop in back. We'll get you there."

I do. I don't know, nor do I care whether or not it goes against protocol, but I need to see him. The car starts, and we're on our way. The ride is a silent one, broken only by the occasional radio chatter up front. The Arcanine has taken residence in the back with me. I can't help but start petting her. I need the distraction far more than I know; Sean's the only thing on my mind right now.

When we arrive, his status as my trainer allows me to skip most of the red tape and go directly to him, so long as I'm supervised. It's too bright here. Far too bright. The white walls, white ceilings, white floors, fluorescent lighting only amplifying the sterility of the environment I'm in. Too bland. Too blank. I can't think of another word to describe it but sterile.

As a recent arrival, the doctors are on the scene, assisted by other Pokémon. An Audino is examining him very closely while a warm green glow pulsates from her hand on the bloodied wraps around his torso. His shirt has been removed, most likely to aid in the treatment. There's a mask on his face, probably pumping sedative into his system to prevent him from moving. His skin looks almost pale in comparison... He must have lost a lot of blood. One of the doctors turns to me, passing me a sympathetic glance. He's already got a chart on hand. Initial diagnosis, probably.

“He's stable."

I realize I've been holding my breath because It all comes down in a relieved heave. My body can't stop shaking, I approach him, taking his hand in my own. Stable or not, he feels colder than usual. Still, I can only hope the worst of it is being taken care of by the Audino here. She pulls back once her healing pulse is exhausted. The bandages are removed, revealing what remains of a vertical gash over his left side. I hiss through clenched teeth- that could not have been pretty. The scar is cleaned off with what smells like alcohol, but with the injury gone, the bandages don't need to be reapplied. It'll serve as a grim reminder of what happened tonight, for long as it's visible.

“He's a lucky one, I'll give him that. Any deeper, and his recovery wouldn't have been as simple as a few rounds of healing pulse. Though his external wounds may be taken care of, there's still the matter of his anemia. He'll need to stay here for a while to recover."

Time and nutrition. That's something I can help with, at least. What matters most to me right now is that he's safe. He's alive. I'll want the full story from him when he's awake. I can imagine that the cops will want it too, for that matter. I can only imagine the legal battle that'll take place soon. It won't be pretty.

With the house under investigation for the attack and my only lifeline hospitalized, I can't exactly return. Sean's parents live too far away for me to crash with them until he's back on his feet, and frankly, I'd rather stick with him anyway. The only way I'll be allowed to stay by his side for an extended period of time is if I return to my ball. As much as I don't like it, it's the best option I got. They find it in Sean's closet, covered in a thick layer of dust, the permanent marker bearing my name on it still scrawled on the top half. It's brought to the hospital, and given to me, to my genuine surprise; I wouldn't have expected them to give me the time of day. I place the little thing on the chair, tap the top, and let it take me inside.

I never did like being stuck in this this space. It's pleasant. Cozy, even. Everything I need to survive is in here, but I crave the fresh air. The companionship. Being with my partner and other people too. Even if I can observe the outside world from this place, I still feel isolated. Lonely. I can always eject myself, but I'll have to keep my time in the open limited. I find a comfortable place to curl up in, and try to scatter my thoughts to the wind. It's been a long night... So very long.

My sleep is troubled, all I can think about is his recovery, his well-being. I'm sure the doctors won't mind if I take a while to stretch my legs and check on him, right? I walk to the edges of my home away from home, and knock on it a few times. I've been able to get out before, I just need to find the release button... Ah, right... Here. Hold for one, two, and three, and...!

Click. That's a good noise. I'm surrounded by a familiar bright red light, and dropped into the hospital room again, with only the dim glow of the monitoring equipment lighting the place up. My claws clack against the cold tile with every step I take towards Sean. I press my forehead to his. It hasn't even been a day, but I already miss you. I wish I could have done more, I wish I could have been there when you needed me most, I wish I could have protected you... But you would tell me that it's not my fault, wouldn't you. That I had no idea you would have been targeted tonight. That I did the best I could, and the fact that I'm here is enough.

This would be the perfect time for him to open his eyes. It would be perfectly cliché and straight out of a soap opera. Soft string music would probably play there, the miracle of my hope and tears bringing him out of his sorry state. The laugh that leaves me is a bitter one. Since when did I get so sappy? I'd be lying if I said I didn't want it to happen. As much as I don't want to leave him like this, I don't really have a choice in the matter. They'll take better care of him in this state than I ever could.

My head feels heavy. I don't want to lift it from him. But I do anyway, giving a firm squeeze to his shoulder when I finally break away from him. The fact that all you need is some rest to recover puts my mind at ease. I feel like someone's attached several weights to my legs, cuz they refuse to move. But he's alive and he's going to stay that way. Why don't I accept that and be done with it? It's not like I'll never see him again. He's not dead.

It takes what remains of my willpower to stop fucking worrying about him for two seconds and get back in my pokeball. He'll be here in the morning. It's not like he's going to wake up and leave all of a sudden. I don't even know what time it is, but I can safely say that it's time to go to sleep.

I hear voices coming from outside. Doctors are discussing his condition, I think. I still don't know what time it is, but I feel like I didn't get enough sleep. Too anxious, I guess. I strain my ears to listen to their conversation.

Except one of them leaves the room. Whatever it is they were talking about, I must have just missed it. The other doctor follows suit after scribbling something down on a clipboard and leaving it on a side table nearby. Now that the coast is clear, I can... Wait a few minutes before I pop out again. Spend some more time with him before I head out and see if there's a cafeteria I can get some grub from. Do hospitals even have those? Can't say I've ever been to one. I know the centers have basic snacks ever since the whole mart merger that happened all those years ago. For the people who stay here in the long term, they have to have something, right? It's not like a human can curl up into a ball that does this whole semi-stasis thing on them.

Whatever. Three, two, one, and click. I'm out of the ball. The lights are now very firmly on, and the brightness is oppressive. Sean looks significantly less pale now. Honestly, if it weren't for the environment, it'd look like he's just sleeping in and skipping work. I'd say he has a better excuse than many in this state. I lean my head into his and clasp his hand in my own. He's a lot warmer now too, the tips of his fingers no longer have this icy coldness about them.

Something grabs my hand- No, someone. Sean's fingers loosely curl around my claws. He grunts a little in his sleep. The anxiety that I'd been feeling before is coming back, but it's also excitement. I croon at him, beckoning him to wake up. I press a little harder- maybe I'm being a little too rough with a guy who got slashed several hours ago, but I can barely contain myself.

He grumbles. It's a strained sound, tired, exhausted, but it's there. His fingers roll over my claws a little more, trying to figure out what's going on without opening his eyes. “Boo...?" Stupidly slurred by his sleepy state, the way he says it sounds more like he swallowed a Politoed.

I lurch forwards and wrap my arms around him, I can't even fucking hold back the tears anymore. Fuck, dude, do you realize how worried I was about you? I get home to see your ass carted down to the hospital, I was screaming at them to let me go find you before you were brought out.

A hand pets over my back, and I squeeze him tighter. Too tight. I hear him grunt in pain- sorry Sean- and loosen my grip again. I'm just so glad you're okay, please don't ever make me worry about you like that again, you're going to give me a heart attack at this rate.

“Miss me that much? Heh... Still here for me, just like you always are. Knew I could rely on you to be the first friendly face I see after the stupid shit I pulled." He groans, slowly opening his eyes, and immediately shutting them again. “Fuck. Too bright... Hey, mind getting the lights for me?"

Gladly. A flick of the switch turns the room completely dark, save for the monitoring equipment in the room. At least it beats being blinded by the constant white all over the place.

“Thanks, bud." He shifts in his bed and slowly, with a lot of difficulty, sits up, head hanging low, turning to look at me. “You look like shit."

Said the pot to the kettle. Again, I go to hug him, which he eagerly reciprocates. Maybe I'm a lot more touchy-feely than usual, but I really missed you, alright? When you got dragged out of there, I was afraid that I'd never get to see you again.

“Missed you too, big guy." His face hides itself against my chest, arms loosely wrapping around me, their grip one of the only things keeping him from falling back down onto the bed after all the effort he went through to do this. He speaks something, partially muffled by my fur, and slurred by exhaustion. It's hummed so faintly that it would take a powerful ear to pick it up, but I understand it nonetheless: “I'm glad you're here."

I try to keep a healthy check on my strength, but it's hard. I'm afraid he'll slip away from me again if I let go, or that he'll just disappear like it's all a dream. Fingers dig into my back, clutching it tight enough to firmly ground me back to reality. That, and the sudden light that enters the room when the door behind us opens. The light is flicked on, causing the both of us to squeeze our eyes shut. Guess it's time to let go, huh. I pull back and sit down on the chair.

The doctor, dressed in a pastel blue as opposed to the blinding white of the rest of the facility, walks over to the counter to grab the medical charts. “Good to see you're awake. At this rate, you'll probably be out of here later this afternoon."

This afternoon? So soon? That's great! I sit back and listen to his subsequent orders and banter between him and Sean. According to the doc, I'll be enforcing a week-long house arrest to make sure that he gets enough rest. Additionally, he'll be prescribed an iron supplement to aid in recovery. Sean doesn't mind being off work for a week, and I wouldn't let him go out in his condition anyway. Still, I ought to hand it to the staff for making his recovery a speedy one.

A few tests are run on Sean before he's given the go-ahead to leave his temporary bedroom. Typical checkup stuff, also including his ability to walk, which is frankly less than stellar. His limbs are shaky. Stiff. He's definitely going to need to get back into the swing of things over the week, so long as he doesn't push himself too hard. Fatigue will be his main enemy for the duration of his recovery. He gets his shirt back too, though I notice a good chunk from the bottom is ripped off. I give him a questioning look.

“Needed a bandage."

Makeshift first-aid, apparently. Stuff he learned online in his browsing, or maybe it was just common knowledge to cover and apply pressure to the wound. Glad to know that he's resourceful in a crisis. All those times we went out alone in the woods paid off, but his parents were pissed when we did that.

“So... You're probably wondering what happened last night."

I jolt from my thoughts at the question. You bet your ass I am. You're going to tell me everything you know, got it? I lean forwards, listening attentively to his story.

Last night, after I went to work, he drove home and did his usual thing. Hang around the house, dread work the following day, typical stuff. Since he did have to go to work today, he actually did the responsible thing and went to bed early so he wouldn't be a zombified husk in the morning.

He woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of something banging loudly from downstairs, followed by glass shattering. Sean had the common sense to grab his phone and call the cops as soon as he heard the commotion. They advised him to stay and hide. As much as I expected reckless behavior from him, he complied without question, and stowed away in the closet. There were a number of things in there that he could use in the event of a confrontation. Anything was a weapon given the right circumstances.

There was rummaging coming from downstairs, sounds of stuff being thrown about, trashing the place. I remember the cops mentioning attempted theft, but not destruction of property. She must have been looking for something specific, if that's the case. After thoroughly trashing the place, she started walking up the stairs, checking and slamming drawers shut in the hallway, clearly not at all concerned that she was making any noise.

Rosa eventually made her way to the bedroom, taking notice that the bed was empty. Sean tells me that one thing he remembers hearing is a vindicated phrase along the lines of “choose a stupid rat over me" or something like that. He can't remember all the details that well, and I don't blame him. As soon as she approached the closet, Sean burst out of it. His hiding place was blown anyway, so he might as well get the jump on her.

He doesn't know how or when, but during the scuffle, she managed to score a bad slice on him with the knife she had been carrying. It was quick and clumsy, but it managed to gouge him from the hip to slightly below the shoulder, if the scar on him is to be believed. Adrenaline must have kicked in at that point. From there, his memory has a lot of blank patches.

The next thing he remembers is Rosa on the floor, himself a bleeding mess, and the flashing red and blue lights pulling up to his house. He tore apart his shirt to use as a makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding. He dryly muses that he's going to need to figure out how to clean out the stains in the carpet. It wasn't enough though. While he managed to find a way to slow the blood loss, he lost a lot of it, and I guess he passed out shortly after that.

From that point onward, it's all a blank, up until the point that he woke up in the hospital. That's all he knows of the incident. I think it must have happened at around five in the morning. Whatever Rosa was looking for, she never found it, but it's clear she held a grudge against the both of us. Him for choosing me, and me for getting in the way of her romance... If you could even call it that.

“You must have come home to a pretty bad sight, huh."

Understatement. I was in hysterics the whole time, it took a giant dog to keep me from tearing that bitch apart. Having murder under our belts wouldn't look good on our records, but by Arceus was it tempting to rip into her. Couldn't accept the breakup gracefully, nooooo, she had to go out for revenge or some shit.

Sean rummages through the belongings that were delivered to him, and picks out his phone from the pile, to which we learn it's almost 4 PM. He scrolls through the names in his contacts, and comes to one at the very bottom. It's a name I'm all too happy to see.

“Hey. … Yeah, I'm fine. … No, really. … Yeah. Look, I can explain later. Can you do us a favor? Boo and I need a ride. … Yes, he's here. … Sure, go ahead, I bet he'd love that. … Thanks, Viv. I owe you. … Should be pretty soon now. … Alright, see you then."

Looks like we got a ride home, and from someone I know I can count on. The two of us leave the room together, I learn that the place does in fact have a cafeteria. It was only logical; The long-term patients would need something to eat, right? It's not like they just randomly cook food for each individual person here. There's a menu and everything. The two of us order something hearty to get through the day, because boy howdy do we need it after all that.

As fortune would have it, once we return to the room after a proper meal, we grab our things and are given the all-clear to leave. If anything, I'm genuinely surprised at how fast this was. Going to a center for some quick treatment is one thing, but this? Well, I won't complain, not one bit. We're given the paperwork, Sean signs off on it, and we're out the door.

Sean's phone buzzes, presumably a text from Viv saying that she's either on her way, or already here. It turns out to be the latter. There's an annoyed expression on his face when he reads it. “Surprised she didn't get a ticket..." She always was a rebel. He texts her back, we head to the front door, and wait for her to pull up and pick us up.

As soon as the passenger door opens, she is livid, yet speaks in a very stern voice, evidently having her inner mom awakened by the events. “Do you have any idea how worried I was when I saw the news?"

“I don't think you could be any more worried than Boo was. Dude's been by my side since I got here. They even brought his pokeball here and everything to allow him to stay."

“I want all the deets on the drive home, and you're not getting out of it 'til you spill everything that happened. Sean, you're shotgun. Boo," the rear doors open, revealing a pair of Toxtricity who look absolutely stoked to see me, “You get to sit with the twins."

The terrible trio is reunited once again, but not really under the greatest of circumstances. Tick, Tack, and I would normally get into some shenanigans, were it not for the drama that unfolded. I wrap the both of 'em in a headlock. They grab my arms. The two of them send a small current through myself to frazzle my fur. I tell them how great it is to see them again.

Sean's speech silences the car. He tells her everything that had gone down these past couple of days. The breakup. The kiss. The confession. Come on, did you have to tell her everything? But rather than judge, Viv seems pretty cool with it, ribbing me for being hot for my trainer, but I know it's all in good fun. Tack gives me a high five for finally finding someone I'm interested in. Tick instead gives me a lot of innuendo.

“I can't believe you settled for a dickweed like Rosa. You know the rumors about her, right?"

“No? There's rumors?"

“Don't the other guys say anything about their dates? Okay, look. Bitch is a cheater. No joke, she really gets around. Likes the whole secret keeping thing. Her boyfriends are just sugar daddies to her. How much did you spend on her?"

Sean doesn't respond, looking ashamed from what I can see reflected in the rear view mirror. He was kind of at a low point in his life with the whole dating scene, and kinda latched on to a pretty girl he ran into at a bar. He was desperate, I guess. Probably didn't listen to the backtalk about her. Tried to brush it off as them being jealous, or something.

“Too much, by the looks of it. Come on, I know you, you've got better standards than that."

Standards or not, the shit that she pulled was cruel. She was manipulative and managed to wrap him around her little finger, effectively using the relationship as a form of emotional blackmail. I could see it tearing Sean apart inside, the dude was partially dreading interacting with her. Obligation and never wanting to be the bad guy was trapping him in that shit. That's probably how she's gotten so many people to sleep with her. I ain't one to slut shame cuz I've had several flings in the past, but her methods? Yeah, no, that isn't gonna fly with me.

Once Vivian hears of the attack, she eases up. “At least you tried to stay safe and didn't confront your psycho ex-girlfriend until there was literally nothing left for you to do, but I'm still mad at you. Do your parents know?"

“Uhhh..."

“You never called them, did you."

“I will when I get home."

“I don't believe you. Do it now, for all they know, you might be dead, or worse!"

Vivian's tone leaves no room for argument. The two of us together are really good at keeping Sean from doing stupid decisions- Well, stupider ones than normal, and she has the luxury of being able to speak with him directly. If college and all that crap didn't force them apart, I'd totally be all for their relationship. At the very least, they kept in touch over the years.

Sean knows not to fight a demand like that, aware that his parents heard the news and are worried sick about it. He pulls out his phone, and calls his parents. I can hear the worried voices on the other side. Viv gives him a side-eyed smirk, ever the typical “I told you so" expression. Better to get this nightmare over with, right?

The story concludes when he mentions waking up in the hospital with me there to welcome him back. She thanks me for sticking around him when he needed it most. And then we find ourselves back home. I half-expected it to be surrounded by police, but... No. It isn't. It's hauntingly quiet here. One of the front windows next to the door is shattered. Glass litters the floor. A lot of the decorations out front are displaced or turned over, I guess Rosa was trying to find a spare house key. She never would have found it like that; Sean's got more creative places for it.

Luckily for me, we don't need one unless the power's out. The scanner looks to be in working order. I place my hand on it, it chirps in response to my presence, and the lock clicks automatically. It's faster to use me than punch in the code anyway.

We... Have a lot of cleaning to do. There's so much shit strewn about the floor, but nothing outwardly damaged or broken. Scattered furniture and cushions, drawers yanked out of their tables, contents dumped out... It's not a pretty sight. If Sean's story was true, then Rosa wasn't subtle about her rampage.

The upstairs is a lot less of a mess. Rosa must have gone straight for the bedroom, thinking it the most likely place to find whatever it is she was looking for. There's an old, rusty smell coming from it... Blood. A rather large stain on the carpet, dried and browned from age. Vivian leaves immediately. I hear the faucet in the bathroom running. Footsteps go from the hallway, downstairs... Door opens. Door closes. Footsteps back up. Faucet turns off. When Viv returns, she's holding a wet rag.

“I know my way around a bloodstain thanks to all the trouble the twins get into. I got this covered. Tack, can I get a hand here?" The low-key Toxtricity hops on over and offers his assistance. “Tick, you help Boo with the downstairs cleanup."

Amped up and ready to roll, Tick flashes his trainer a salute and bolts downstairs. Gotta hand it to her, Viv knows how to take charge. We'll get everything squared away.

“Sean, you're going to sit your ass down and rest."

“But..."

“You've already got enough shit to deal with. I know you want to be active and help out, but we've got a good team. We'll take care of this for you. Doctor's orders, rest now, work later, got it?"

I like this woman. With her demands suitably satisfied, and Sean reluctantly laying down on the bed while Viv and Tack work on the mess of a bedroom, I head down to meet up with the other half of the Tacticians. This... Is going to take a while. There's also the matter of the broken window she used to get in here. I nab a dustpan from the supply closet and start picking out the remaining shards still slotted into the window and add them to the pile.

Tick and I make some pretty good headway on getting rid of the mess. Tack and Vivian come downstairs later on to help us out once they're done. It isn't perfect, but it's a lot better than before. We just need to take it one small step at a time.

It's kind of funny how much longer it takes to clean up a mess than make one. We got four hands on deck to deal with it all, and it still takes about an hour to finish off the rest of the major stuff. With most of the mess cleaned up, I feel a lot more at ease. Viv looks around the place, whistling at a job well-done. The only real thing out of place is the fact that we taped a bunch of cardboard to the broken window. It's a pretty shitty patchwork, but it'll keep the cold air inside and the bugs out.

“That oughta do it. Pat yourself on the back, boys, you've done good work today. Yo, Sean ," she shouts after a brief moment of celebration, “ Gonna run to the store and pick up some stuff! You want anything?"

“I'm good, thanks," comes the reply from upstairs.

“ Alright! Okay you three, hold the fort while I'm gone. Try not to set the place on fire or anything. Boo, why not pop in a movie in the meantime and see if we can all hang out for the night? The stab victim could use something to decompress."

That sounds like a good idea. I can probably dig through our things and find something for him. As much as he's into horror, a slasher film's probably a little too close to home for now. We need something corny. Cheesy. A classic B-movie that's so astoundingly awful that it's good. And I know just the collection of films...

Night falls. The gang's all here, bundled up under a bunch of blankets, watching old movies. Vivian brought home a couple pizzas and plenty of popcorn for the night as one of her ways to celebrate Sean's close brush with death. Being like this, the five of us just having a good time with banter and mockery going around, I think he needed this more than anything. A lot of the tension he's been holding onto sort of melts away.

We end up going through a full series of 'em by the time we're all ready for bed. Sean lets Viv and the crew crash down in the living room for the night, while the two of us head upstairs and settle down. I guide him upstairs, relieved at how well he's bouncing back from all of this. To think, he was so pale only a day ago. I'd have expected him to be shambling around a lot more. His movements are more sluggish, yes, but he's not weak. If he is, he's doing his hardest to hide it.

Once again, we find ourselves in our room. The stain's cleaned off completely. Guess Vivian knew what she was doing after all. I'd think everything was normal if I didn't know any better. His eyes are drawn to the closet he had been hiding in. Wouldn't surprise me that he'd be traumatized from it all. Couldn't blame him for it either. I feel the same way. I may not have been the victim in this whole thing, but the fear I felt when I got home last night will stick with me for a long time.

It's a mutual understanding between us. The silence stretches on, the stillness feels almost alien. But it breaks anyway. He makes his way towards the bed, undresses, and crawls on in, eyes turned away from his hiding spot. He doesn't want to think about it any more. I crawl in with him, just like I always do. We knock our heads together, murmuring that we'll see each other in the morning, and let the dark claim us.

My eyes open again, waking to the feeling of being pushed. Sean's awake. He stares at me, his eyes betraying his confusion. It's not a nightmare, the fear isn't there. He's deep in thought, and it's severe enough that he wanted to talk to me about it.

“Hey."

Hey.

“I've... Had a lot on my mind. Viv needed to have a word with me while you and Tick were downstairs. It's about... You and me. What you feel. I... I guess I'm still... Trying to figure things out."

You did kinda give her a little too much information in the car. She and the twins are gonna be teasing me about that for the rest of my life. I urge him to continue, he has nothing to be afraid of by speaking his mind, least of all to me.

“And..." I can feel his heartbeat quickening in his chest. He swallows a lump in his throat while he tries to think of the words. “She said I look at you differently. Not bad differently, but she's a sharp one. Picks up on the small details. Says I'm a lot less guarded around you, or less tense, or... Any number of things."

He clutches my chest hard, resting his head against it. As if possessing a mind of its own, my hand finds its way to his back, palm rubbing over it. If Viv says he's less tense around me, this is a notable exception.

“She asked me if I trusted you. Said yeah. Of course I do. Asks me why. Told her that we've been best friends since we were kids. We've been through so much together over the years. Tons of memories. Adventures. Told her that there's no guy I could rely on more than you. And then she asks what I'm afraid of."

So... You're scared too...

“I guess I'm afraid of the unknown. Of what could happen if I... If we do this. Up until a few days ago, I never even considered the prospect of dating a guy, but when you told me what you were feeling..."

Something changed, didn't it. Something you had no idea was there. You wouldn't have given another guy a second thought if he confessed to you, but... This is us we're talking about. Twenty years and counting is a long-ass time to be around someone.

“There's going to be a lot of first times here."

Yeah. For you, and for me too. But it's just like you said: We'll be able to work through it all together, every step of the way. You've got my back, and I've got yours.

“So I think... I think..." He swallows again, shivering. It's a sensation that's new and exciting but terrifying and so many things. Words at the tip of his tongue that he can't believe he's saying, but can no longer deny the truth of. “That I love you too, Boo."

And for a moment, everything stops. My thoughts, my breathing, everything. He's said it before, but that was friendly, familial, platonic. But this... The meaning behind his words, the sheer weight of them hits me harder than anything I could have possibly imagined, cuts me so much deeper, strikes me to the very core. I love you. Three simple words shouldn't hold that much power over me, but they do.

My hands slip under him, encircling him. I couldn't find the words even if I could speak to him. So I pull him close, hug him tight. The boundaries between us crumble, I can feel that this embrace is different than the many we've held over the past couple of days... Years, even. This one is more than that. A deep intimacy, an acceptance of the terrifying and new, a warmth stemming from the deepest parts of ourselves, spreading to every fiber in our bodies. The only thing that doesn't make it overwhelming is the fact that it's a feeling we share. One that we don't have to bear alone.

His arms wrap around me in turn. He brings himself to me, resting his head under my neck. It is a position he's found himself in many times before, a comfort he could always return to whenever he needed it. From the halcyon days of his childhood to the adventurous life as an adult, it remains a place where he feels a deep comfort, a security that words can't do justice.

This... This right here... As we lay together in our room, in our bed, a place we've shared for so long, the doubts begin to wash away, one by one. It feels good, it feels right. A rumble rises in my throat, a noise that has always soothed him. There's more I'd like to do with him, but for now, I'm just... Content. Content to lay here with him. Content to rest.

This weekend has probably been the most chaotic one I've had to deal with lately. An emotional roller coaster that never wanted to stop, and still doesn't. But for now, we've hit a slow point, one that can allow us to catch our breaths. My eyes, heavy from the ordeal, drooping from the sheer relief, close. I feel him in my arms. I feel the gentle beating of his heart. I hear his soothed breathing. His scent, his touch, his warmth. The sleep I fall into is the most relaxing one I've had in ages.

Sunlight peeks through the cracks in the blinds. That can only mean one thing: It's morning. Even though I've only been working the night shift for the weekend, it doesn't feel right to be up at this time of day. I stare up at the ceiling, not really wanting to get out of bed. When I roll over, I learn that I'm the first one awake. Sean's got his back turned to me, but is otherwise asleep.

So... It really happened. It still hasn't sunk in yet- I still can't believe he accepted it, and wants to give this whole relationship thing a shot. And all it took was getting traumatized and a pep talk from his ex. What a weird world we live in. My breathing quickens, followed by a sudden heavy feeling in my chest. We're dating. Myself, an Obstagoon, and him, a human. It feels like a taboo, a forbidden romance. Heat pools down to my groin, and--

...The thoughts of what we could do together... So many possibilities. So many new things for us both. Morning wood's a little late on the draw, but it's there. I roll over to my other side, turning my back to Sean. As much as I wanted this, I don't want to rush things. He needs time to adjust, too. We have plenty of time to figure things out.

Swinging my legs off of the bed and sitting up, I stare down at it. I wonder if he's even seen it before. Probably. I'm pretty sure he's walked in on me during some private time before; I know I've done the same to him. My tongue runs over my teeth... I should probably handle this before I go downstairs. Having our guests see me like this wouldn't be... Uh. Yeah. Maybe a shower will do me some good, too. I know he's going to want one too, come to think of it... He hasn't had one since Sunday.

There's some perks to keeping the flexibility of a Linoone and having a long-ass tongue. Being able to easily take care of my own needs is one of them. There's also perks to having a bottle of mouthwash nearby. Steam shrouds the whole room while hot water cleans off the sweat and grime that's been clinging to me. Our group really worked hard cleaning up the place yesterday.

As soon as I'm dried off and brushed, I look at my reflection in the mirror. Hey good lookin', you're going to get all the cute guys looking your way. And then I laugh. Don't need to woo anyone any more, do I? Got the hottest piece of ass for miles. ...I really shouldn't refer to Sean like that. He's so much more than some guy I'll take out for a fling.

Sean's awake. Morning, sleepy head. I walk on over and sit down by his side. He looks pretty deep in thought here, still parsing last night's confession. Trust me when I say I know the feeling. He yawns and reluctantly sits up, the sheets falling from his bare torso.

“I guess things are gonna be different around here, aren't they," I hear him muse. He folds his arms over his legs, still covered by the blankets as they are. I think I noticed a lump beneath them, but I can't be too sure on that one, but it looks to me that he's going to need some time alone. He slumps over, leaning against my arm. I feel like he's forcing himself to do this, trying to get himself ready for it all. “But hey, it's another new adventure, right?"

I gently push him away, and place my hands on his shoulder. He looks me in the eyes. I can see the fear in them. He sees the determination in mine. I don't want him to feel like he doesn't have a choice. As much as I loved last night, being able to hold him like that, if he needs time to come to terms with his own feelings, I won't press it. He may have admitted his love for me, but he doesn't quite understand it yet.

The tension in his muscles begins to fade. “Thanks." He inhales deeply, and lets it all out through his nose. “We'll figure it out. Play it by ear."

One step at a time, Sean. It's a chance for us to explore, figure out some deeper things about each other. It's almost funny, though... After all the girls he's dated, I figured he'd be less nervous about relationships. I'll give him a pass this time- I am his first boyfriend. Regardless, I nudge him slightly and point him in the direction of the restroom.

“Yeah, yeah. I stink. I'm going, I'm going." He tosses off the sheets, his erection springing up after being freed from the bed. I think we both forgot about it... I stare. He stares. A very visible blush forms over his cheeks. I'm no stranger to seeing his dick out, but now he's feeling self-conscious about himself. “I... Um. Right. I'm going to take care of this real quick and get cleaned off. See you whenever." He hops off the bed and heads towards the restroom. Credit where it's due, he's cute and he's got a nice ass.

Fighting back another stirring in my crotch, I head downstairs to see Viv and the twins going about their business. Tack's transfixed on the television, Tick's lazing about on the couch, and Vivian's browsing her phone. She waves, I wave back.

“Morning, Boo. My heart-to-heart with Sean help you at all?"

You nosy troublemaker, a woman after my own heart. I nod. It was the push he needed to crack that barricade he'd unknowingly put up around himself. My own confession was the catalyst that started it all, sure, but she was the one who managed to move things along.

“Kiiiiinda feel guilty about it, though... It was a little manipulative, what with him being so vulnerable and junk. He was a lot more receptive to the idea, but still... But I ain't gonna apologize for it- I'd say it was a necessary evil." She crosses her legs and scrolls on whatever she's reading. “Otherwise he'd sit on a decision for months and leave your ass waiting that whole time. Ain't gonna subject one of my favorite dipshits to that if I know I can do something about it!"

Manipulative... I grit my teeth at the word. It's a sore subject, what with Rosa's own bullshit and stuff. She's right, and while I don't exactly approve of her actions, she got results. Having him confront his own feelings now is a lot better than stalling and leaving him on the edge, constantly doubting himself. With Tack up there with her, he'd also have made sure she didn't go too far either. It's too late to take it back now, but I do appreciate her sentiment.

“Anyway, me and the boys are gonna be heading out pretty soon. Figured I'd at least stick around to say bye to you two." Hopping up from her temporary throne, she walks over to me, claps me on the back, and holds up her fist. I knock it with my own. “I know I don't have to say this to you of all people, but you take good care of him."

I tilt my head up, give her a confident smile, and draw an X over my chest. She doesn't need to worry about a thing while I'm around.

“Atta boy. Now I'm going to get us something to eat. I'm starving. You got any eggs?"

We always have eggs. Sean and I do like our protein. I take a seat on the couch between the twins. While Tack practices the ancient art of channel surfing, Vivian steps away for a while, doing whatever. As far as I care, she can have free reign of the place. Roughly twenty minutes later, Sean's walking downstairs to the smell of something cooking.

Five mouths to feed means that a lot of ingredients get used up. It's a necessary sacrifice to ensure we've all got full stomachs by the time breakfast is over. She does have the courtesy to offer compensation, but Sean tells her to keep the cash. She isn't having any of it and insists, forcing it into his hands. It's the least she could do for letting her crash for the night and raid the fridge. Sean only needed a ride home, everything else was strictly voluntary. He gives it back right away, proclaiming that the assistance in the cleanup and the pep talk were compensation enough. I have no idea why they're doing this, but it's starting to get annoying. Sean eventually wins out, and she keeps the money. Battles of politeness are weird.

With everything finally taken care of, Vivian calls the twins over and declares that it's time to go, mentioning needing to get home in time for her shift. I catch her slipping some cash on a table before she skedaddles. Looks like she got the last laugh after all. The twins give me a parting zap before they're out the door too. And then it closes. Sean and I are left alone for a week. No obligations, no work, no... Much of anything, but I will enforce his doctor-mandated house arrest. Any other duties that need to be done outside the house can fall on me.

It feels weird. It's only the second day of our vacation, and so much has happened in such a short span of time. The break-in and hospitalization happened on Sunday, the awakening happened a day later, followed by his discharge and pickup by his ex-girlfriend, who helped clean up the house and got the romance flowing between Sean and myself, and now... It's Tuesday morning. The sudden lack of action feels out of place. We haven't had a lot of time to actually rest these past couple of days. In spite of Sean's efforts, he looks as ragged as I feel.

He walks into the living room and drops himself onto the couch, the cushions bouncing him from the sudden impact. “Now what," he mumbles. He's just as lost as I am. He's not the kind of guy who has time to rest, but now? It's been forced on him, and he has no idea how to deal with it. No idea how to stop and think. Momentum has carried him so far that he forgot what it was like to kick back. Sure, we've played games, but most of it was done with a strict time limit in mind. Once that time is up, it's on to the next major responsibility. With all that's happened in these last few days, it was just ramping up more and more and more until it screeched to a halt, dead in its tracks.

I walk on over and take a seat next to him. He leans onto my shoulder, his fingers digging into his legs. My claws find their way to his back, scratching it through the fabric. If I were to look inside his head, I'd probably see gears struggling to turn, trying to do something when he's being forced to do nothing. Resting? He wouldn't know it if it bit him on the ass. His face is shifting constantly, puzzling, thinking, pondering whatever is going on in them. Judging by how intensely his eyes dart about, he also has a lot more on his mind.

“Guess it's just us now."

I suppose it is. Sean heaves a sigh. Alright, there's moping, and then there's whatever this is. I pat his back a couple times, urging him to tell me what he's thinking about, and he's looking desperately for a distraction. It's clear that his heart wouldn't be in it, though. I can tell when something's so intense that any activity he'd do just makes it even worse. That weird pokey feeling in the back of your mind, buzzing around and impossible to ignore forever.

And yet, he's restless. He's been cooped up and confined to bed for so long that the constant twitch I see in his muscles is basically begging him to get up and move around. I doubt I could endure it either. Playing bouncer at least had me constantly watching the crowd. There was noise, there was activity, there was stimulation.

“I guess this whole dating thing has me on edge. Maybe... Can I touch you? Like, really touch you? That's how it works, right? I've seen it in a lot of college movies and shit, but it's worth a shot, right? Explore? Experiment? Sorta get used to it, you know?"

Somehow, I expected this. It looks like this emotional roller coaster isn't ending any time soon. Just like that, the calm moment, if there ever really was one, is dashed into pieces. We've touched each other tons of times before, I'd expect him to be familiar with me... But we never took the opportunity to actually feel each other in depth. Here in the living room, with open windows, though? Not so much. I give him a tap on the shoulder to get his attention, and point upwards.

“...Right. Somewhere more private." He gets up from his seat on the couch and makes his way out of the living room, with me following suit. “Should I take my clothes off? You're already naked, thought it'd be fair."

Well, I am, but it's not like I put myself on display all the time. But sure, if that's the way he wants to go about it, I won't stop him. Once we get back into his room, I head towards the closet, picking out my ball among the other junk hanging around. There's a dial hidden right by the center button that allows for some minor adjustments. I remember reading online about trainers with more deviant tastes towards their partners disabling a setting on these.

While Sean undresses himself, I look for the dial, a ring that can be twisted, located around the central button. Just a twist to the left, and the ball emits a few red crackles, as something powers down. If the rumors are true, then...

“Woah... What did you do?"

I turn around to find Sean, and myself for that matter, covered in tiny red sparks. He's staring directly at my crotch. That means it's worked, then- I read about Pokéballs coming set with a hidden feature, a perception filter or something, that blocks out genitalia from sight. They're manufactured and enabled by default, but can be disabled when certain criteria are met. As far as I've read, though, it's not a perfect system. There are exceptions to the filter's ability to hide things, and I guess him walking in on my private time was one of them. It's too complicated for me to really understand, but it works, I guess.

“Okay. I guess it's fair now." He crawls up onto the bed, his skin covered in bumps. I can't tell whether he's cold or nervous, but I'd place my bets on the latter. He just stares at me, letting the knowledge that my equipment has been hidden from him for years sink in. It's a wonder that he never questioned it, even when he walked in during some of my self-service a few times. I've heard of the phrase ignorance is bliss, but this is kind of ridiculous.

But it also makes sense. Of course he wouldn't question it. As far as I'm aware, the thought of fucking a Pokémon never really crossed his mind. He's open to the idea as an afterthought, and only because I told him that I loved him. What surprises me more is just how nonchalant he is... Or maybe it's just him being nervous. So many strange things have happened to him already, maybe he's just burned out on surprises, and trying to go with the flow.

Today, I think, will just be for exploration. Learning about each other. Intimacy without needing to devolve into something as far as sex. It feels too soon for it, too far, too fast. These boundaries need to be crossed gradually. Too much, and it'll overwhelm us both. We have time.

I step over to the bed, intending to get in with him. He stops me, raising a hand and holding it out to me. Stop. I do as I'm told. He scoots over to the edge, breathing in deeply, and stares upwards. As he does, I look down at him and realize just how small he looks like this. His fingers find their way to my chest, digging into my fur. We've roughhoused plenty of times in the past, so he's no stranger to actually touching me, but now he's taking the time to feel me. Those gears in his head are turning, no doubt about it. My coat hides a lot.

He notices how firm it is. Pokes and prods at my muscles beneath, noticing that they don't give all that easily, fingers tracing the definition. When he stands, I let him come close to me, to explore and learn as much as he wants to. Even like this, I'm still a good head taller than he is. He knew I liked to work out with him, but to see what it actually did to me beneath all the fluff is something I'm pretty sure he was unprepared for. He finds a few buds along my pecs, giving them a light pinch. A low groan rises in my throat.

“You're sensitive there, aren't you... Huh. Don't know what I was expecting. Didn't realize you even had them." Sean moves up further to my neck, listening to the noise, feeling it travel through him. He mouths an unspoken wow, and spreads his fingers to my shoulders. I like this. I like that we're taking this opportunity to learn. I mirror his movements, placing my claws on his shoulders, slowly digging them into the tense muscle beneath, earning me a hiss from clenched teeth.

His muscles are tight. Not in a good way, either. He's going to need to loosen up significantly if he wants to recover. I'm not a masseuse, but I can probably figure something out for later. His skin is warm, yielding to my touch. Little white marks briefly form on his skin as I press into it, fading back to its normal coloration. I like that about skin. It shows what you do to it. I could drag my claws down it, and see little red marks appear where I trace... It gives me a few ideas.

He pats my arms, prodding the joints. “Can you... Flex for me?" Oh, so now he wants to see how strong I am. I tap his bicep in turn. I flex for you, you flex for me. I stand up tall, clench my fist, and flex. He rubs along my arm, fingers tracing the outlines beneath my fur. I may not be ripped, or even buff by any sense of the word, but I'd like to think I'm strong enough that my guns are in good form. I could throw this guy over my shoulder if I wanted to. Probably. Besides, my appearance was good enough to warrant being hired as a bouncer for a club, so clearly I'm doing something right.

Now it's my turn. He takes on the same pose I did. Sean's definitely not bodybuilder material, that's for certain. What he lacks in definition, he makes up for in strength and agility. I've seen what he can do, appearances are deceiving. He can hold his own in a scrap. My trainer's got a mean left hook, and I can feel it in his arms here.

I move down to one of his hands, nudging his fingers open. From his wrist to his palm, I take notice at just how soft they are. For someone who works as hard as he does, I'd have expected them to be a little rougher to the touch, but no, they're actually kind of squishy. Sensitive, even... He's scrunching his face and it's adorable. If his palms are this sensitive, it makes me wonder if he's touch-starved. Did he and Rosa never really do anything deeply intimate? Was it always just a quick lay, and then she was done? I don't think I really want to know.

I let him go, his fingers flex, there's a blush forming on his face. I give him my own hands, and he gives me the same treatment I gave him. He takes each one of my claws between two fingers, marveling at their texture. Smooth, sharp, I could probably impale a man on these things if I tried hard enough. A huff of breath leaves my nose when he begins poking my palms... I guess mine are sensitive too. Not as much as his, I think, but I do feel it.

He draws back, and holds his hand up to me, fingers spread out. I press into it with my own, mirroring his move. It's funny how similar we are. Taking the time to explore each other like this is making me realize that we're not all that different from each other... Well, I guess that'd be a loose way of putting it. I don't think I could say the same thing if I was something like, I dunno, a Vaporeon. These similarities, I think, are making it easier for him to come to terms with his feelings. Romancing a Pokémon like this is seen as a taboo in most places, isn't it?

He stares up into my eyes. There's a glint in them- One that I've seen since we were young brats ready to take on the world. He's got something he wants to try, something new and dangerous on his mind. An adventurous glare that always excites me when I see it, that spark that speaks to me, saying he's going to do something stupid. Doubt and determination alike is seen in his expression when he reaches his hands up to my face, fingers brushing against my cheeks.

I know what he's thinking. My heart's started pounding in my chest. After the embarrassment of last time, I've wanted to let him initiate. Let him decide when he's comfortable with it. Give him every opportunity to back out if he had any second thoughts. I croon at him, a concerned noise, I want to know if he's sure. I lower my head towards him, he leans up, his breath ghosting through my fur. He's nervous. I'm nervous. Time feels frozen like this, I feel a twitching in my fingers, an urge to pull him into a deep embrace and hold him tight, but I resist this urge as much as I can... Until he finally closes those last few inches between us.

He kisses me.

He kissed me. It was such a small thing, a gentle peck, barely held for more than a few seconds, but it happened. It happened. But this time, now that I know it wasn't some mistake done in the heat of the moment, but a choice he actively made, a choice I accepted- had been waiting for... Well, I've wanted this for a long time. Dreamed of it, even. Even if it was just a short meeting, it still happened.

It's sinking in for Sean, too... Realization of what he'd done is written all over his face, I haven't seen him this red since... Well, pretty much ever. “Wow... That was..." He's lost most of his ability to think, and I don't blame him; I have, too. “Um... Boo?"

He's looking down- Oh. I... Didn't notice. That kiss did a lot more to me than I thought it would. But I guess he knows now, what he does to me, what the thought of... Well, everything we just did, can do to me. I'm standing tall, and proud, and excited about it all, and it's sort of awkward. As much as I'd like to really deepen our bond, and do some experimentation with him, I think it's a little too soon for that. I put a little bit of distance between us so that it's not pressing onto him.

“You're... You're pretty big, aren't you." He's trying to make small talk, but we both know that the situation's become awkward. As much as I like him, I don't think he's ready to go that far with me. It also doesn't help that I'm effectively emasculating him. In multiple ways, even... He takes a deep breath, clears his throat, and finds his voice again, “Guess I still got that magic touch, don't I. The ladies can't resist me, and neither can you," he boasts, though it's pretty obvious that he's trying to ease the tension. I appreciate it.

I place my hand on his shoulder. We can pick this up later, give us some time to cool off and process it all. And maybe give myself some time to settle down too. We may not have gotten to explore ourselves fully, but maybe it's for the best; If we started touching each other even lower, I think we would have gotten the same result as being kissed. Frankly, the kiss was much better. And I think I've learned a lot, and have come to appreciate you more.

“Yeah. I think we've done enough for now." He pats my side a couple times and grabs his clothes from the floor. While he gets dressed, I walk over to the closet and turn the dial on my ball. Red crackles fill the air while the filter is re-enabled. Sean looks over to me once his pants are back on, still staring at my package. It doesn't do a good job of hiding things when I'm hard like this, if at all.

I wonder how I'd look with some clothes of my own. Might be something I could try later. I know with all of the contests around, trainers like to doll up their Pokémon in accessories and stuff, so it's probably not out of the question. I think I may have given Sean a lot to digest, what with that filter even existing in the first place, us being naked all the time... Oops. Some people are never ready for the truth, him included.

“Oh. It's gone..." Well, at least he's fascinated by this technology. Knowing him, he'll probably look it up later to see how it works in more depth than I did.

Yeah, all it takes is for me to stop being a horny badger and the filter takes effect again. It's only a visual thing though; it's still there, hidden away from sight. He's still staring though, and I can't help but roll my eyes on his fixation on it. I know it'll take some time for him to accept this sudden influx of new knowledge and all, but if he keeps this up, I'm probably going to tease him about it.

I walk over to him, clap him on the back, and turn to head out of the room. Might pick up a game or something to pass the time. There's probably something I can dig out of the collection...

The rest of the day is pretty uneventful, with Sean having hopped onto the PC doing who knows what. I've been hitting the races, realizing that I probably shouldn't be allowed to drive. Not like I can; it's not like I can apply for a license or anything. Sean leaves the study to get some grub, prompting me to do some investigation of my own. Let's see what he's been doing...

“Pokéball censor" is one of his most recent searches. He's been trying to do his own research, even having a tab open for it. History, developed by Sylph, instructions, properties, how it works, strength in numbers, blah blah blah, boring. What else has he got going on here?

I begin scrolling down through his history and find some of his results from earlier “My Pokémon is in love with me," “I think I'm in love with my Pokémon," “How to court an Obstagoon..." Oh, now we're getting somewhere, that is just too cute. It looks like he's been browsing several forums, trying to get as much data as he can. I am absolutely going to tease him about this later.

And then Sean walks into the room with an empty cardboard tube. I guess I've been caught red-handed, haven't I. “You little troublemaker." He slugs my shoulder with a crooked smile, all red in the face from embarrassment, “Just had to sneak around, didn't you. You know I'm gonna have to get you back for this, right?" He brandishes the tube at me, his smile turning to a monstrous grin- Fuck do I love that look he gets when it's his turn. “Get ready to run, bitch!"

And the chase is on. It's a stupid game we've developed over the years. He who uses the last paper towel reserves the right to brutally beat down the loser with the empty thingy. This is where my size works against me. I may have raw speed, but I can't navigate on the fly, and he's able to catch up to me pretty quickly with the way he's able to leap and bound over the furniture. Even with his recovery underway, he's still got his agility. The first blow lands square in my back, our laughter bouncing from room to room.

But it's evident that he's not quite up to par as he used to be. He tires out a lost faster than normal, I should have expected this, really. He gets a good four thwacks in before he's panting up a storm. When I go to check on him, he baps me on the snout- Dirty trick, Sean- And lets the tube drop to the floor, done with the chase.

“Sorry, bud. Not as spry as I used to be, I guess."

And now you're sounding like your grandfather. Up and at 'em, dork. Let's get you some water. Once I drag him to the kitchen, I see a couple of sandwiches he laid out for us. Looks like he got distracted with the cleanup effort and forgot about 'em. Still fresh, still cold, it's all good. I take a seat down at the table, waving him to follow suit. I gotta hear his story now, his search history has me intrigued. I mean, it's kind of obvious what he was doing, but I wanna hear it from him.

“So. History, right? You wanted to know?"

Right to the point, are we? Good. I'd rather not beat around the bush for this one.

“I guess I'm still nervous about this whole thing. I mean, it's only really been a day, but I wanna do it right, you know? Get advice from other trainers who've been in this situation before. See how they did it." He barely touches his food, I can practically feel his tension and uncertainty. I'd say it's pretty natural for him to feel that way.

After taking a few bites at my insistence, he continues, “And I'd say I've learned a lot about your species too. What makes you tick, or what your talents are. I want it to be a sort of... Equal opportunity romance? One where you can indulge in your instincts with me, I guess. That make sense?"

It does, and I genuinely appreciate the consideration he has for it. Instincts are hard to ignore... What worries me is actually indulging in them. What if I start going to far? What if it leads to a domino effect that results in me hurting him? Especially now, when he's still recovering from the incident, I couldn't stand the thought of that.

“Oh no you don't, don't you start giving me that “what if I lose control" shit."

But-

“You're a lot stronger than that, Boo. Have a little faith in yourself, won't you? You'd never let yourself go so far as to hurt me."

He says it with such conviction that I can't really argue against it. You win this time, Sean...

“...You know what?"

Hm?

“Let's do even more tonight."

Wait, really? But you said you had enough earlier. What sparked this sudden change of heart? I mean, I'm happy that he wants to, but isn't he worried about going to fast? It's only been a day since he confessed to me, and now he's willing to dive deep into our relationship, just like that... Just how far do you intend on going tonight?

“Yeah... Maybe it's stupid, maybe it's rushed, but I've known you for years. We don't really have to go on dates and go through that whole “get to know each other" thing. I mean, come on, we've hung out every single day, we know each other better than anybody else- We sleep in the same bed for fuck's sake, and here we are dancing around it all and trying to keep things normal when in actuality, it's just going to be a thorn in our side unless we actually do something. You deserve to be selfish for once."

I feel like my heart leapt straight into my throat. I've been holding back the _I want_s for his sake, letting him have all the time he needs to prepare, and now? Now he suddenly wants to throw caution to the wind and let me have something I've been desiring for a long time. There's just one problem. Sean's a top. I'm a top. This arrangement is going to be awkward. Equal opportunity, but awkward. That means we gotta make a decision here.

I stand up, giving him the wait here index finger. Claw. Whatever. There's gotta be something I can use in our room. Something to make deciding who's topping who a lot easier. Sure enough, on top of the bureau, there's some loose change. I take three coins, and head back down. I place them on the table. If we're going to go all the way tonight, we need to have some sort of prep for it.

Sean and I developed this little system, a best two-out-of-three coin flip whenever we're hung up on some a two-way decision. It's worked in the past, and I guess it'll have to work now. It doesn't go over his head either. Trust the coins.

“What are we flipping for," he asks, his tone dropping to something more serious. It matches my own grim expression.

When he stands up in his seat, I pull him close, turn his back to me, and give him a quick pelvic thrust, right up against his rear. That oughta let him get the message...

“Oh. You're a top too, huh."

Yeah. That's what this is all about. We gotta decide who'll be bottoming this first night. I mean, I can switch for his sake, but he's the one who said I deserve to be selfish. I guess it's going to be killing two birds with one stone here. If I win, he has the opportunity to back out and hold off for later. No backsies on the coin flip. If he wins, then he can't say I'm bottoming for his sake.

Sean swallows. I let him out of my grip. He understands the implications, and I'm glad I don't have to make myself even more explicit. “You got the coins, Boo. You get to make the call."

Alright. I make sure he's looking at me as I point to my head. Heads it is. I take the first coin into my hands, balance it on my claws, and give it a flick. The ring of metal can be heard over the silence as the small object flies through the air, spinning rapidly. I catch it in my palm, and slam it over the back of my other hand. Tails. The second coin flips in pretty much the same way. Heads. We got a tie here, and that's where the dreaded third coin comes in. This one decides our fate.

I take the third coin into my hand, and flip it. And then I fail to catch it. It bounces off the edge of my hand, clatters onto the table, and rolls off onto the floor. Whatever it lands on is the definitive answer to our conundrum. There are no do-overs with the coin, unless it lands on its edge. The noise stops, and we approach it to see the final answer: Heads.

Sean looks a little crestfallen when he realizes that the coins have spoken. Regardless of whether or not he backs out of it tonight, I'll be on top when we first get down to business. As much as I enjoy the prospect of nailing him, it's not like I'm not going to give him a good time. I'll treat him like a fucking king and make him as comfortable as he can be. I'm not a stranger to making sure my lay is well and truly satisfied. He's in good hands. Besides, I'm far more experienced in fucking a guy than he is. It's probably for the best.

“We're gonna need a lot of lube, aren't we."

Oh yeah. Good thing he still has that bottle in our room somewhere. You sure you don't want to back down, buddy? We can go a little lighter tonight and go deeper tomorrow. I'm giving you an out here, man, at least consider it for a little while longer. I like how impulsive you can be, but this isn't exactly something that should be taken so casually.

“Don't give me that look, Boo. This is going to eat at me constantly until we get it over with." Thoroughly finished with this line of thinking, he proceeds to pick up the coins and head up to our room. He's probably hunting for that bottle. I guess we're really doing it tonight. I'm excited, but fuck, am I nervous. How the tables have turned...

Night doesn't fall fast enough. Or maybe it does. I'm all manner of elated that we're going to be doing this, but I need to prepare for it too. For one thing, I can't be too careful with my claws. That boy's going to need some serious stretching if I'm going to... Deep breaths, Boo... Horny thoughts later. Safety first, though- I've filed down my claws so that he doesn't get torn apart, and that's really the best I can do to prepare for it. Everything else, I guess I'll have to wing it. It wouldn't be the first time I've popped a guy's cherry, so I should be okay, right?

I can only imagine that Sean's been taking this time to mentally prepare himself for this. He made his decision, and he's not exactly the kind of person to back down from them, hasty or not. There's going to be a lot of first times here: First time with a Pokémon, first time with a guy, first time being on bottom... If I were in his shoes, I'd probably be shaking in them.

It's about nine in the evening when he comes downstairs. Thud, thud, thud, his footsteps are heavy, forging onward in spite of his own fears and trepidation. He's in one of those moods, where nothing I can do will convince him to back down. He's made a decision to do this tonight, and he won't let anything tell him otherwise. Stubborn, obstinate, stupid, selfish... There are a lot of words that can describe him when he sets his mind to something, but I love him for it. He trusts me, and I trust him. We wouldn't have gotten as far as we did if that weren't the case, right?

I don't know what I was expecting when he walks into the room with me. Maybe he'd be dressed up a little more? Maybe he'd try to make this seem special? But there isn't a reason to, is there? He's the same as he always is on a lazy day where he doesn't really need to go out for anything, dressed so casually that I find it comforting in its familiarity. Still wearing that same ratty t-shirt, riddled with tiny holes, the color faded away, some of the threads having come undone through the years of wash and reuse. And gym shorts. Loose and airy, but form-fitting. Call it a guilty pleasure, but I've always liked how they show off his ass.

He stands in the open doorway, looking at me. His body language tells me a lot about what he's feeling. “I don't think I'm going to be more ready than I am now, Boo. Wanna bite the bullet and go upstairs?"

I slowly rise from my seat and begin walking towards him. Step by step, I close the distance between us, watching him for signs of doubt. He's anxious, I'll give him that, but he's dead set on this, no matter how much he shivers. I reach a hand out, placing it on his shoulders. I just need to make sure, and hear it from him again. He has every opportunity to tell me to stop, and I'll respect his decision.

“I told you, I'm not going to be able to let this go unless we do this together. The sooner, the better. This isn't just about me, you know, it's about you too. You keep putting things aside for my sake. I'm not backing out of this, and that's final. Quit second-guessing yourself and- Look, if you don't believe in yourself, then believe in me, alright?" He takes my hand into his own and firmly squeezes it. His face, although carrying mixed emotions, is full of raw determination. “I want this. I want you. I can take a lot more punishment than you think I can. I've survived worse." Well, he's not wrong... Fine. No more questions. No more uncertainty. Your heart has spoken to me loud and clear. Let's fucking go.

The first thing he does when he gets to his room is find my ball, and immediately turn off the filter on it. The second thing he does is rush me- I can barely react in time, but I close my arms around him. He does the same to me, trying to squeeze the air out of my lungs with how tight he's doing this. And then he pushes back, and I let go. I see the anxiety in him, the determination replaced by confusion.

He's still putting on a brave face, but his indecisiveness is kind of obvious. “Right, so, okay. Hug done, what's next? Like, how do we start? You're the expert."

Oh, so I'm the expert now? Not used to being courted? Come on, Sean, it's probably like dating any other girl. A proper gentleman needs to give his partner something to warm up, right? I close the distance between us again, guiding him to sit down on our bed. Just because he's going to be bottoming for me doesn't mean he shouldn't get some personal treatment.

It's almost funny. I've dreamed of this for a long time, wanted nothing more than to personally slip him out of his clothes. Now the time has finally come, and the blush on his face is adorable. I've seen him naked tons of times before, but this? It's the first time I'm undressing him personally. I slip my claws beneath the hem of his shorts, stretching the waistband out a little, and then sliding them down. He moves his legs to get the gray fabric off of him and onto the floor. I do the same with his boxers, tugging them down, and letting his legs go bare.

Next, I think my favorite part of this, is getting rid of that shirt. I've always loved the way he looked, and getting to appreciate him first-hand is a treat. I pinch the raggedy fabric and gradually lift it up, exposing his torso a little at a time. I want to enjoy the moment while I bring the old thing off of him, rendering the human fully bare.

He shuffles in place and gives me a cocky grin. The tease knows I like what I see, and he's trying to flaunt it. Keep that up, and you'll learn that, yes, I do indeed like it. Years of our hikes and casual training honed his body pretty nicely. One of these days, we should go out camping, maybe climb a mountain again... Imagining what we could do in that tent, all alone in the wild... I'm getting ahead of myself. There's more important things to be doing.

I bring a hand to the back of his head. My other is brought to his chin. I lean close, my heart pounding at the thought of going in for another kiss. Sean reciprocates in turn, pulling me towards him. Our lips meet for the third time, his mouth parts, his tongue slips inside my maw, dancing with my own in a kiss that would have the citizens of Kalos blushing at the sight. Something burns in the back of my mind, an instinctual desire to dominate his mouth with my own... A contest.

Sean's words echo in my memory. I deserve to be selfish for once. I succumb to my baser urges, and press into the kiss with more force, overtaking his tongue with my own, and sending it retreating back behind his teeth. I invade his mouth, forcefully pushing deeper, deeper, my tongue penetrating his throat. His eyes, beautiful as they are, betray his surprise almost as well as his gag reflex does. I pull back a little, if only to give him a chance to get accustomed to it. I'm not going to let him get out of this one that easily.

He's determined, I'll give him that much. The second time I slide it deeper into his mouth, he tries to pull me closer. That glare he's giving me, he views being able to take it as a personal challenge. The further I kiss him, the harder he tries. He never really has been one to give up easily, has he... Yet another thing I like about him. It really shouldn't surprise me when he stops choking on me and starts swallowing, almost by reflex. He's actually sucking on my tongue- Does he know what that means to my species? Does he know what he's even doing?

Instinct and desire, it's getting harder to process it all, and he's playing right into them... Of course he knows what he's doing. He's been doing his research. A deep, rumbling growl rises in my own throat, and he swallows that too. I push back on him, harder, harder, leaning into him until he falls back onto the bed, with me on top of him. I feel myself throbbing against his soft, warm skin, eager to take him as mine. I want him. Arceus, I want him... But I stop myself. He will be mine in due time, but I'm not going to take him just yet. I will my own lusts, my desires, the deepest, most primal parts of my species to back off. He deserves so much more than just being bent over.

My tongue withdraws from his throat again, retreating back into my own mouth. Our lips part, breaths heaving against each other while he tries to process it all. It's strange, he managed to take all of it, actively submitting to me with what he did. His grip loosens from me. I help him back up. There's still so much more I want to do with him before...

“That was... Holy shit..." Sean is stuck between weak laughter and catatonia, as if he himself can't believe he actually did that. The kiss had the same effect on me as it did on him. Something so passionate, where we pressed ourselves together like that, sharing in each other's feelings and warmth, his body responded in turn. Now he's hard as a rock, too... And I'm feeling greedy.

My hands find their way to his shoulders, and insistently press him down. I don't want him moving at all for this. Here, at the bed's edge, I find myself sinking to my knees, nose pressing into him, and taking in his scent the further down I go. It's something I've found myself deeply comforted by, something I've been intimately familiar with ever since we first met. But here and now, at this moment, that scent is stronger. Deeper. This time, there's something else mixed into it as well: Arousal. Maybe it's a matter of pride, but knowing that it's because of me that he's like this sets me off further.

I don't think I could fight back the resulting growl when I'm nose-deep in his crotch, taking in his natural musk like this, strengthened by our time together. It's not what I came here to do, however; There's something else I want. His hand finds its way to my head when I move to the crown of his dick. My tongue slips free and slides on down... Time to show him what I can really do with this thing. Considering how easily I can swallow myself down, he won't be a problem for me.

I give into my desires right away, and find myself face-first in his crotch again, giving it as deep a kiss as I can muster. Right down to the hilt, with no trouble whatsoever. Even his taste is irresistible to me. I feel like my mouth's gone on autopilot, sucking him off like this, letting him enjoy himself. His nails dig into my fur, scratching my head while he huffs and groans above.

I'm pretty sloppy at this whole thing. I slurp and suckle on his rod while my tongue thrashes about wildly, licking every last inch and swirling every which way in order to make him moan, to some success. Sean isn't a very loud lover, with his noises coming out as gentle sighs and groans. I don't need much feedback to know that I'm doing stuff to him, that he's enjoying himself very much. His hips have started moving- He's actively humping my face now, that's a good sign- And I can feel his dick throbbing every now and again in my mouth. A slick liquid, mildly salty, but no less pleasant starts oozing from his tip. He's really into this, isn't he. You like getting blown by your best friend, Sean?

I've reached something of an impasse, though. Do I want to finish him off, and drink him down like I've always dreamed of? Do I want to hold back, and keep him just on the edge so that when I do fuck him, our first time together will be that much more powerful? It's almost impossible to decide, my dreams of what once were complete impossibilities clashing with each other, both powerful wants, but only one can win in the end. And so, I rise up from my place between his legs, tongue hanging out and drooling with our mixed fluids before I send him too far. I'm going to call this one an investment.

“You've... You've had a lot of practice, haven't you." He breathes, still scratching the sensitive spots on my head, the bastard. “Give me a sec... Hoo... Okay..." He swings his legs off of the bed and scoots over. “Get on up here. I wanna try something."

He's got an idea and I think I like where this is going. As if I could ever refuse such an open invitation, I get up onto the bed, letting the mattress creak under our combined weight. I lay down next to him, while he turns over to me, seemingly still trying to catch his breath. Here we are, two dudes just laying around with our dicks out, hot and ready to bang each other. I want to know what he's planning.

I'm not left waiting for very long. He crawls on down towards my legs- I spread them for him, assuming that he wants to give me something in return for the treatment I gave him, and he settles himself between them after crawling over one. “Wow... Okay, I know I said you were big before, but seeing you this close... I'm a little scared of it."

He's lying. Come on, Sean, a little scared? I'm not exactly the best choice for your first time with a dick up your ass, and you know it. Credit where it's due, though, he's taking it in stride and not really balking at it. I sit up a little, reclining against the backboard of our bed. I can see him gawking at me, eyes darting all over the place, up and down and all around, unsure of where to start.

Of all things he starts with, he cups my balls in his palms, letting them rest there while he lifts and rolls them around. He starts mumbling half-sentences under his breath, his thoughts incomplete with his brain running a mile a minute. Grade-A prime Obstagoon jewels, each one the size of a grapefruit, or something similar- It's not like I have anything to compare them with, but that's what I'm estimating.

“How the fuck do you even walk with these things swinging between your legs? How much do you even produce? Is every Pokémon lumbering around with a big fat pair of nuts hanging out like this? No wonder Sylph made that filter, pervs everywhere would be caught staring if they knew about this."

I can't really hide the smile from his comment. Looks like he managed to find his voice after all. If anything, I'm surprised he isn't recoiling at the scent. Maybe it's because human noses aren't all that powerful, and maybe it's because I like to shower regularly. Or maybe it's because he's gotten used to it, having lived around me in this house for ages. I don't know. It's kind of cute, though, him ogling me like this and really getting a feel for how his best friend really is down there. It feels nice to have him feel me up and explore like this, studying, experimenting, looking all quizzical and-

“Fuck it."

He buries his face in them. Just like that, sinking into them and huffing- Huffing? He's breathing my scent? Trying to, at least... I can imagine he wants to give back, or see things from my point of view, considering I was doing the same to him only a few minutes ago. Maybe it's because I like to clean up often that it isn't too much for him to handle. I shudder in response to it, something about him being there feels so... So good... My claws find their way to his hair, scratching into his scalp while I let him take his time.

He pries himself out from between my legs, looking almost dazed. I guess I can't really blame him for needing some air after that. He braces a hand on one of my legs, pulling himself upwards until he's staring down my shaft. He's got that look about him again, taking full advantage of his position by licking the crown. It feels different when he does it. I've sucked myself off before, I've had other partners take me into their mouths, but this... It's probably my emotional attachment to him that makes this whole thing all the sweeter.

His movements, however, are pretty sloppy and uncertain. I think he's trying to mimic his previous girlfriends in giving oral, but it's plain to me that he's winging it. It also doesn't help that he probably can't fit me all that well without some serious throat training. I think he knows this, and is trying to stick to the basics, keeping his mouth on the tip while he uses his free hand to jack me, and oh Arceus, does it work well. His fingers clasp around me, pumping in slow, full motions. His mouth encircles my crown, his tongue darting out and swirling over the rim.

The rumbling in my chest, my leaking cock, my claws in his hair, all of them tell him that I'm enjoying it all. Every stroke of the tongue, every pump of those delicate fingers, even the noise he's making serves to intensify the pleasure I'm experiencing from it. I swear, I am going to spoil this boy when it's my turn to bottom for him. I don't want to ruin his fun, but I nudge him a little, getting his attention. I slip my hands under his arms and pull him on top of me, pressing another kiss to his lips. I can taste myself on him, and the reverse is probably true too. It feels all so unfathomably raunchy that I can't help but smile about it.

There's still more that needs to be done. More prep work. I want him to be ready for it, I won't accept anything less than perfection. I want him to take all of me when I lay into him, and I want it to be as smooth as it can be. I palm over his rear, squeezing tightly on it. He flinches, apparently not used to being touched there. I spread his cheeks open, giving him a small thrust of my hips.

Sean responds by directing my attention to the end table next to us. “Lube's in the drawer there."

I set him down and leave the comfort of our bed, picking up the bottle he left inside just for the occasion. I'll take care of that after one more thing. I gotta stretch him out first, but we'll start it my way before the lube comes into play. I give him a tap on his arm to make him look at me, then twirl a finger around. Sean turns over to lay on his stomach. Grabbing him by the hips, I pull him towards me, and let his legs dangle from the edge. This is probably the most comfortable position for him considering what I'm about to do.

I can hardly believe the sight before my eyes, having his ass exposed like this. I kneel down, hands finding his way to his cheeks, prying them open, and staring at his hole. Perhaps this is one thing he may regret from choosing an Obstagoon as his boyfriend. There's no way he'd be able to prepare for this... My tongue runs over my teeth, and soon finds its way dragging over his balls, his taint, and finally between his cheeks, licking over his virgin ring.

His reaction is immediate. He squirms against my touch, fighting back the urge to squeal in delight, though I do get some adorable sounds from him. Poor guy, I haven't even penetrated him yet and here he is cursing under his breath, wriggling around with every lap of my tongue. He hasn't even felt the half of it yet. I press further into him, pushing, prodding, demanding entrance inside him. A sharp gasp leaves Sean's throat when the prehensile organ finally breaches him. Hard part's over, let's give him some loving.

Probably the most shocking part of this whole ordeal is the fact that he stopped moving as soon as I penetrated him, save for some sort of twitchy, shivering thing he's got going on. Only when his muscles relax does he say something, though burying his face in the sheets is making it hard to understand him all that well. I probe him deeper and deeper with my tongue, exploring every inch of his inner walls, and forcing him to endure as much as I can muster.

His movements start up again pretty quickly once I get to work. Is it reflex that causes him to back his butt against my muzzle, or is he willingly trying to ride my face? Hard to say, but I'm not complaining if those are the noises he's going to make. Music to my ears. My instincts scream at me to do what I do best, and devour his hole, coating it with slick saliva that's sure to help matters along. That's not even the best part. With my tongue, I get the luxury of a very thorough exploration. The hunt is on to find his button, and when I do, I am going to abuse the power I'll wield over him for as long as I can. I just need to pull back if I think he's getting too close. I don't want him spilling to soon.

But I can't find it. Not in time for his cries to reach a fever pitch, his hole reflexively clenching down on my tongue. He's close. Too close. I want so badly to push him over the edge and tease him about cumming while getting his ass eaten out, but not tonight. I want this one to be special. Reluctantly, I pull back from him to let him come down from his rapid approach to his peak. I suppose I'll have to save that deep prodding for later. The least I can do, given the circumstances, is part from him with another light kiss. Unfinished business, but some things are simply more important right now.

I stand up, taking the bottle of lube into my hands. Before I do anything with it, I need to make sure he calms down... That's twice I've edged him tonight. If I know anything about my own physiology, that means he's probably going to have a pretty big load when he finally pops. I want to see it, I want it all. I want him to cry my name when I get down and dirty with him.

But not tonight. I don't want there to be any ravaging, no screaming, no threats of the bed breaking from breeding him so thoroughly. Tonight is so much more than fucking my trainer. This is something I want to use to deepen our bond together. I want to show him just how much he truly means to me. I want to show him just how much my heart cries out for him. My instincts can fuck off for now.

I smear a generous portion of the lube on my blunted claws, and spread the slick fluid over his hole. He shivers at its touch, the cold fluid shocking him out of his heightened arousal. Another curse leaves his lips in the form of a whisper, only silenced by an affectionate croon. My efforts in eating him out don't go unrewarded, as the first claw slips inside of him with minimal difficulty. I gently push my finger in, slowly tugging in a few directions to stretch his hole. It's stubborn, not surprising since he's never been pegged before. He hisses through his teeth while I work on it.

When I'm positive I've gotten as much headway as I can with one finger, I pour more lube onto a second one, and begin pressing at it. Two is better than one, and should allow me a little more leeway. Sean's not too eager to have it fit inside of him, though. His ass is putting up a big fight in getting it in, earning plenty of whimpers from him. I lean down next to him, muzzle by his ear, growling softly in it. He's already doing such a good job getting this far, he just needs to breathe and relax. I'm not going to rush him.

His clenching stops after I soothe him for a while. It's enough for me to push the second claw in, which earns me even more straining. I keep them lodged in there, oozing with the cool liquid until he stops straining himself again. Easy there, Sean... Same thing as last time, deep breaths, don't try to fight it, alright?

Again, he loosens up and lets me gently push my fingers inside of him, down to the knuckle. Slow thrusts help prepare him for the main event, my fingers spreading out and twisting a little more. He's doing such a good job with this so far, he just needs to keep it up for a little longer. At least enough for a third finger, repeating the whole process over again. Three is enough, I think. I've thoroughly coated him in lube, stretched him out as well as I can manage... He's ready...

But I'm not. Physically, at least. I still need to give myself a coating too, right? I'm not going to go halfway in preparation, especially for something as delicate as this. I roll him over onto his back, noticing the dazed look in his eyes as I stand up. He rolls over to look at me, just as I squirt another generous helping onto my palm. He looks down at my shaft when I begin applying the liquid, hissing through my teeth. It is cold...

He knows what's going to happen next. He places himself down, head resting on a pillow. He doesn't say a word, but I can hear his heartbeat from here. He's waiting for it, nervous, anxious, the anticipation is tearing him up inside. Only when I'm confident that I've given myself a proper coating do I join him in bed, hunkering down over him. I nuzzle his neck, giving it a few licks to ease his worries. I promise, everything is going to be okay. Relax, remember? Breathe. It's okay to be afraid. This is something new for you, right? Let me lead. I'll handle the hard parts from hereon out. Although I see the anxiety in his eyes, there's an emotion that shines out above all others: Trust. Even though he's nervous through all this, he's not going to let it get in the way of us. I lift up his legs, line myself up with him, and push...

I'm glad I gave him plenty of prep work for this moment... He's wiggling beneath me, his body reacting of its own accord to keep me out. It won't stay that way for long. Again, I lean down and give him a soft growl, listening, feeling for him to relax. He reaches up to scratch my head, holding it down by him.

“Hang on, I wanna try something. Just... Just wait a bit, I think I read this online..."

At that moment, his entire body tenses, clenching down with as much force as he can muster. Is he trying to tire himself out like that? If he exerts as much effort into keeping his body tight like that, then maybe it'll work. He holds himself like that for a minute or two, gritting his teeth while he goes red in the face. Just when I'm about to suggest he ease up, he lets out a strained sigh. I can feel most of the tension in his ass melt away.

“Okay, okay, try now. That might work, just... Please go slow."

I wouldn't have it any other way. I start pushing again, the reflexive squeezing being a little less intense than it was before. I guess it worked, for what good it's doing me. I make a little more headway this time around, feeling that tight ring get forced open around the head of my dick- Arceus is he tight. Maybe I should have used more fingers.

“Fuck!" Sean's body tenses again, clamping around me like a vice. I stop everything I'm doing and hold myself there, just barely inside him, waiting for him to calm down. It's a simple fact that humans just aren't really made to take Pokémon of my size. At least, that's what I think. Sean would kill me if I backed off now, and I'm not going to disappoint him like that. Not when we've already come so far.

The pressure eases up again after a little while. I take that opportunity to push in a little further, the stretch eased by the generous lubrication. When he said that we'd need a lot of it, I didn't want to take any chances, and boy am I glad I didn't. This is hard enough as it is, I couldn't imagine going in dry. I nuzzle his chin, lick his cheek, groan a question. I need to make sure he's okay with every clench he gives me, every roadblock I hit for these invisible thresholds that make him tense up.

“It feels... Weird..."

Weird or not, I need to know if it hurts.

“I'm fine."

Are you? I'm not budging until I get a definitive answer.

“Yes, I mean it. Just keep doing what you're doing, okay? I'll let you know if you need to stop." His body eases up again, and he wraps his legs over my back. Looks like that he doesn't want to give me a choice in backing down, determined to see this through to the end. It goes on like that for a while, steadily inching in further and further, feeling his body tighten and loosen in equal measure. It requires a lot of restraint and patience, and my instincts are screaming at me to just slam myself inside him, and mate with him like I rightly should. That this human should be my bitch. I tell them to fuck off.

It keeps going. I pull out, and push even more of myself inside of him, being met with a sudden squeeze. I hold myself there until he relaxes, and pull out again, getting a little further with every thrust, all while I'm keeping a close eye on him, his face especially. He grits his teeth when his body tenses, yet he assures me he's okay every time I stop. In and out, I keep this going, taking it as slowly and gently as I can manage, even if I am prying him open like this.

Our hips meet. I feel my balls pressing into his skin. He took all of me, every last inch surrounded in a tight, pulsating warmth. I hold my breath, feeling myself inside of him, throbbing, leaking, oozing... Holy shit.

“Holy shit," Sean whispers, removing any and all doubts to how fucking surprised he is. He brings a hand to his stomach, rubbing over- That's a pretty big bulge. “You're a fucking beast. You- Did you seriously shove that all in- Arceus, that's..." His shock twists his expression into a disbelieving, crooked grin.

I think he's getting used to it. The longer I stay inside of him, the less outright tension I feel, but he's still squeezing somewhat. I think it's safe to start moving now. Little by little, I bring my hips back, up to the point where only the head of my cock is inside of him, and then thrust forwards again in a single, smooth motion. An involuntary, but satisfied rumble resounds in my throat when my hips smack against his. I hear him gasp, but I don't sense any pain behind it. Some strain, that's natural, but... He's not at all hurt by it. I think it's safe now, safe for me to show him how far my love for him goes.

Since he's got his legs locked around me like this, I want to try something. I want to hold him through this all. I let go of his legs and lean down, embracing him and gently pulling him upwards, sitting him in my lap. Something soft, something sweet, something special. I hold him tight to me, licking over his neck, soothing him while I pump myself into him. Slow strokes of the hips, full thrusts inside of him, gentle movements to keep the strain on him at a minimum. And it works. Every time I hilt myself in him, it comes a little easier.

Sean is enjoying himself. He's leaning hard against my chest, soft moans and whimpers leaving his lips. He's even started humping into my fur. This... I like this. I like being able to hold him close, and let these worries melt away, seeing him look so content in what's happening, that the trust we have in each other has come this far. It lights a fire in my heart, the way he embraces me, the way he squeezes when I hit a sensitive spot inside of him, his scent, the sounds, all of it.

“Boo, I... I think I'm getting close..."

Me too, buddy. I can feel it coming, rising more and more, a feral desire to drive myself as deep as possible into you. Emotions and instincts swelling to a crescendo, telling me to satisfy you and myself in turn. The rumbling turns to groans, and the groans into growls. I've been holding back so far, but now I feel some of that control slipping. My grip on the human in my lap strengthens, my movements begin quickening under the feverish desire to bring him to climax, a wanton need to drive him to call for me in submission when I claim him as mine, mine, _ mine . I stare at the crook of his neck, bearing my teeth of my instincts' accord. I see- _know what's about to happen, and I'm powerless to stop it.

I hear Sean cry my name. I feel something splashing against my abdomen, something sticky and making a mess of my fur. The rhythmic pulsations of his ass send me over the edge. My balls tense, they rise, they churn, and I pour my seed into him like a promise. His stomach swells with each gush, something I've always dreamed of but never expected to become a reality. And yet, mixed with the feeling of rapturous bliss is the taste of blood. I've laid claim to him after all...

I lick the fresh mark I gave him, cleaning him of the mess I've involuntarily made, admiring the handiwork of my jaws. Better several punctures than a gash, and my saliva should lessen the intensity of the bleeding, so long as I keep cleaning it. Do I regret it? ...No. Not at all. I feel like he knew this was going to happen, too... That he knew I'd leave this mark on his neck. Isn't that right, Sean?

“That was..." His breath comes out in shudders. His nails dig into my back. He actively rubs his face into my chest, reeling from it all. “Fucking intense... So glad I have the rest of the week off, I'm gonna be sore for... Hoof..." He shifts awkwardly in my lap, though I can't blame him given that he has a giant dick up his ass, still pulsating with my release. I have a lot to give.

I think I can speak for both of us when I say I'm exhausted. Exhausted, but satisfied. I spent pretty much all day- No, these last several days worrying about our relationship as a whole, and here we are, coming down after having sex. A hand brushes over my cheek, I turn to the source, and I'm dragged into a breathless kiss, leaving me a little dizzy by the time it's over.

The two of us collapse on the bed. I really don't want to pull out of him. If the size of his stomach is any indication, we're probably going to have a lot of laundry to do tomorrow. Sean's going to have to look up how to clean cum out of a mattress. I don't think either of us have the capacity to give a shit about it right now. Not after what we just went through together. Maybe next time we'll be more prepared.

Fingers clutch into my fur. “Not gonna lie, that was a lot to take..." He pulls himself up a little, the movement causing a trickle of cum to leak out of him. “Shit, that feels weird... Gonna have to get used to all this if you're gonna do that again." He pulls himself up to my neck, nuzzling into the crook. I feel teeth against me, and give him an opening. He bites into me, deep and hard, trying his best to break through the fur and skin. Payback, yes, but its meaning is clear. He is mine, and I am his. Together. The marks we leave on each other will be proof of that. “Love you, Boo."

Love you too, Sean. As I come down from my high, feeling myself soften inside of him, I withdraw from his ass, the dam having broken, and a flood of my seed oozes from his spent ass. He groans at the sudden void left in his chest, among other things I bet. He's going to have a really weird gait tomorrow, I can promise that much.

He buries himself into my chest again and mumbles something under his breath. I grab his hair and pull him out so I can hear him properly. “Next time, I'm topping." I've got no objections. Fair's fair. For now, though, I think we've earned a rest. I start fading away, contented that he's here in my arms.

I can't remember the last time I slept that well. Sean's still asleep, and I don't really want to get out of bed. We crossed a line last night, a pretty big one at that. It's just another step in our relationship together. I feel like we've come out a lot stronger for it as well. We've shared so much with each other over all these years, I guess this being the next step is kind of logical.

My claws find their way to his back. I guess I can't help but spoil him a little. Not when he leans into my touch like this. Even in sleep, he finds comfort in my touch. I wonder what he dreams about, if he even does that. I certainly blacked out last night, but hey, last night might as well have been a dream, considering that I was living one of my deepest fantasies. Next time it's my turn with him, I'd like to try more. Maybe I'll have a look through his history and see what he likes.

He stirs in my grasp. I gently rouse him awake, giving him a good morning croon. He doesn't open his eyes, but he does murmur a greeting back to me. I think the first thing we should do is get ourselves washed off, then maybe grab breakfast. Sheets can come afterwards. But for now, we can just lie here in bed, and think about what we've done. I'd say it was pretty magical.

“You hear about that thing with Sinnoh," he mumbles, still shaking off the sleep. I can't say that I have. “Some history texts were found to have been mistranslated by a number of anthropologists. Something about humans and Pokémon eating at the same table in the ancient past."

Really? That's the first thought he's having when he wakes up?

“Apparently the new translation's saying that they used to get married." He nuzzles into my chest again, I feel his awkward smile in my fur. “Guess that means we're bringing back an ancient tradition, huh."

I let out an amused snort at the remark. I guess we are, aren't we. I can't really complain, I wouldn't be surprised if other trainers got it on with their partners. It's food for thought.

Sean is the first to get up, but winces when he sits up. “Ah- Fuck- Ow that... Uuuugh, you really did a number on me..." Dragging himself out of the bed, he practically limps forwards, bracing himself on the end table. I'm not having any of it. I get out much easier than he can and rush to his side, where he leans on my shoulder. “Thanks, bud."

While the two of us head to the bathroom, with him and his weird walk, I take some time to reflect on what's gone on in these past few days. It's been a storm of crazy events and emotions, something right out of a television drama that Sean's mom likes to watch. I think of my trainer, my partner... My boyfriend, and all that he's gone through too. We're a couple of idiots in love, aren't we. Us against the world, that'd be something. But seeing how he's taking all of this, how much faith we have in each other, I realize that there's a very simple truth to all this: I'm happy with him. Through all our years together, we've come this far, and we can go even further. Whatever difficulties we face, we can face it together. He has my back, and I have his, forever and always.