Predation. Chapter Two.
Story by Roofles on SoFurry
Predation
Chapter Two
By Roofles
Shaun was in the middle of a competitive match wondering how he got into this situation.
Inside the PC cafe downtown in a small, rented room for the night, the sheep sat in front of the desk
where the PC was set up. Next to him, resting against the wall was Travis. The coyote was on his
handheld console, playing a game as the two enjoyed each other's quiet company.
Shaun didn't want to admit it helped.
Being here alone in the room was strange. With his friends online, it wasn't so bad. It was when they had
to log off and get ready for work or bed that the loneliness set in. Sheep traveled in flocks for a reason.
Even sleeping nearby, each other. Something about needing the constant presence of others around
them to feel safe.
Shaun just didn't expect a coyote to be comforting to have around.
Travis had settled in to Shaun's right and slightly behind, against the wall. He'd taken his shoes off near
the door and had a blanket wrapped around himself. It was colder in the building than it was in most
other places. Even with the heat generating from the PC. The temperature seemed regulated because of
that.
The coyote had his legs crossed behind Shaun. Travis was almost large enough to reach from one wall to
the next just sitting down with his legs out. The rooms varied in size and Shaun had never needed one
with all that much space finding the "pen-like" design relaxing.
Shaun had worried at first about Travis. Then worried for Travis. The coyote seemed to be perfectly
content with where he was at, playing his game as Shaun expertly fired the sniper rifle in his own game.
The enemies head exploded, and he moved to a new location to continue supporting his teammates.
"Nice! Finally. Much easier than playing without Shaun," Alice was the type to go in guns blazing or firing
rockets randomly hoping to score a kill. It made the other team expose their hiding spots, allowing Shaun
to pick them off one by one.
Shaun just never let Alice know he was using her as bait.
"Yeah. Where were you at?" Clem asked as he focused on the objective as the others covered him. "Had
the shits?"
"Ew, disgusting." Alice laughed though.
"Should eat more fiber." Bruno tried to be helpful, but he wished they all would shut up with the
bathroom humor.
"It's not like that. Something came up. I had to take care of it." Shaun glanced over at the coyote whose
ear flicked but otherwise remained focus on the game in hand.
"More important than us?" Alice gasped. "Well, I mean, more important than me?" She corrected.
"Everyone is more important than you." Clem laughed. The rodent and feline began getting at each
other's throats again.
"BRB," Shaun said, muting his microphone and taking his headphones off.
"Colorful bunch." Travis said not even looking up from his screen.
"They're not bad." Shaun said in their defense. "They can be a lot, though."
"Never said they were." Travis covered a yawn, closing his eyes before going back to the game. "You
feeling better?"
"I'm fine." Shaun lied.
The sheep was surprised enough when Travis helped him out. He was pleasantly surprised to join him for
lunch. He did not expect the coyote coming back after to spend the night. It had gone unsaid but with
Travis showing up with the overnight rent pack, it was clear he was planning to stay longer than a visit.
"Won't anyone miss you at home?" Shaun asked. It came off a little more accusing than he meant to. His
ears splayed out as he tried to apologize without saying the exact words. "I mean, just, you know why
I'm here. What about you?"
"Family." Travis said the single word in confirmation that he'd been listening early. A simple way of
repeating what Shaun had told him without going too far into it. "I don't got anyone waiting me back at
my place. At least not family."
"Oh," Shaun eyes widen. A moment of silence lingered longer than he was comfortable with. "I'm glad
your here." Shaun suddenly blurted out, and Travis glanced up at him.
Their eyes met and there was something spoken. Neither were sure what it meant, it meant something
and that, in turn, meant something. Travis smiled and Shaun felt his face warm up again as he averted his
eyes. The sheep unsure why that soft gaze was getting to him like this. The coyote looked back down at
the console.
"Sorry the room is cramp." Shaun brought up, tapping a finger on the counter that took up most the
space. It was where the PC and gaming set up was at. The screen was large, and it was one of the
reasons Shaun loved coming here.
The PC screen he had at home was small. It worked well to hide what he was doing and looking at the
very least. It made gaming almost impossible in a PvP matchup. It allowed him basic, if specific, searches
and could easily wipe the history after every use. The sheep needing to cover his tracks from his families
prying eyes.
"Some of the other rooms are bigger, yeah." Travis said with that casual, yet playful tone. His tail
thumped against the padded floor.
"S-should we look into another room?" Shaun asked. "I don't want to take your space."
"It's your space. You paid for it." Travis chuckled lightly, his face pulled up in a smile for a moment. "I
should be saying these things to you. Having a stinky coyote hanging out."
"I don't mind!" Shaun said a little louder than he should've in the small room. Travis glanced up at that.
"I mean. It's nice. To have company. I just want to make sure you're comfortable."
"It is a little cramped." The coyote shifted and stretched out a leg. He settled back. Another moment
passed. "Is it cool if I get comfortable?" He asked with a subtle hint at something Shaun wasn't sure of.
"Yeah." The sheep answered, glancing back to watch the coyote.
Travis sat up, stretching his arms up high. The coyote took off his jacket and hung it on one of the nearby
hooks on the wall. He opened and aired his shirt out, twisting one leg then the other. Shifting his bulk
and weight before sitting back down. Closer to Shaun than before.
"Much better." Travis said stretching his legs behind Shaun's back. "You don't mind?"
"No..." Shaun blushed and the two knew it was only thanks to the isolation of the room that the sheep
didn't say anything when Travis moved a leg over the sheep's lap. "I'm comfortable." Shaun said and
there was another soft thud of Travis's tail wagging. The coyote flexed his leg, hugging the sheep's front
with it before settling back.
"Yeah. Me too." Travis said as he fussed with the blanket. He put it over himself, over Shaun's front and
let it bundle behind the sheep. "You warm enough?"
"I am."
"Good."
Another moment lingered.
"Do you usually game like that?" Travis asked, glancing up.
"How?"
"Nothing." The coyote looked back down, tapping at the machine idly. "It's a little stuffy in here."
"Is it?"
"If you're fine, it's cool."
"No, what do you mean?" Shaun asked, pushing it further as he looked towards the coyote. Only then
did Travis look back up at him.
"I mean. We're both dudes, right?" Travis asked as Shaun nodded. "And we're staying up all night?"
Again, the sheep nodded. "Like a slumber party," the coyote licked over a fang, refusing to make eye
contact.
"More like a gaming party." Shaun thought it over. "I used to do this with some other friends. Hanging
out. Gaming. We'd connect our computers together. Was fun..."
"Old school. Love it." Travis nodded, tapping a finger on the handheld machine again. "How'd you guys
do it?"
"Do what?"
"Like, hang out. All night. You stayed dressed up or like what?" Travis glanced back at the sheep.
It took Shaun longer than it should've for the sheep to understand what Travis had been hinting at. "Oh,"
Shaun's ears perked up, and the sight made the coyote's tail thump again. Only once. Travis didn't want
to show he liked seeing the sheep brighten up like that. A look of surprise that quickly bloomed into a
warm smile that lit up his face as he let out a soft laugh that sounded almost like a "baa."
Shaun pulled out his tucked in shirt. He lifted it up over head, taking it off as the coyote watched.
Drinking in the sight as the sheep's soft wool "poofed" out comically as Shaun set the shirt neatly aside
after folding it. He felt Travis's leg squeeze slightly, hugging him just enough to show the coyote's
approval.
"You mind if I...?" Travis motioned and Shaun shook his head. The sheep tried not to watch as the coyote
took his shirt off revealing a mixture of white, black and brown strips of tawny fur that blended nicely
together. Travis scratched his chest with dull finger nails as he got his fur breathing. "Thanks. It's been
stuffy."
"Is it?" Shaun gulped, feeling several degrees warmer.
"Yeah. My fur gets a little thick this time of year. Have to keep it tucked in during work. Nice to get it out
in the open."
"Is that what you do at home?"
Travis's ear flicked, looking to the side. "Sometimes." He said without going into whatever the issue was.
"Sometimes..." Shaun brought up. "I go outside. At night. I get up on the shed out behind my house. I
just sit up there. Looking out over the fields in the distance... it's nice."
"Yeah...?" Travis looked at him.
"It's nice to get away." Shaun reached down hesitantly, touching Travis's leg. The coyote felt a shiver run
up that leg, from where Shaun touched, as those slightly hoofed fingers brushed through the fur. "I can
just relax up there. No judgement. Not underneath a microscope. Sometimes I take my shirt off. In the
summer time, I mean." Shaun blushed. "It's... nice to feel the wind through my wool."
"Sounds nice." Travis said in no more than a whisper. "Getting away. No judgement..." He added under
his breath, frowning as thoughts came and went from his life. Family. Work. Societies expectations and
standards.
"Heh, yeah." Shaun smiled then and Travis felt his chest tighten slightly at the sight. If only for a second,
his heart skipped a beat. "You should get out more."
"Hey!" The coyote growled softly. Shaun's ears perked up, and Travis covered his mouth. "Sorry. I was...
playing."
"I was too." Shaun swallowed again, feeling nervous. He was sweating lightly and wasn't sure if it was
just because of that or something else. "Is that... alright?"
"We are here to game. To play," Travis chuckled lightly, glancing to the side. "Your wool feels good.
Against my leg." The coyote mentioned as if in passing, not looking at Shaun. The sheep felt Travis's long
leg hug him again around the waist. Just enough. Not too much. The coyote didn't want to be
presumptuous.
"Well, you smell." Shaun teased and the coyote's ears splayed out.
"Hey!"
"What? You're the one who called himself a stinky coyote." Shaun mentioned and Travis grumbled.
"It's just what people say about me. About coyotes. We're not big and cool like wolves. We're just...
scavengers." There was something about that word that stood out to Shaun, but he wasn't sure what the
difference between a scavenger was compared to a predator. It was clear Travis had been teased about
it, though, by other predators. Especially the more common and popular ones like wolves.
"I don't mind."
"What?"
"Your smell." Shaun said without thinking. The words floated in the air between them as their brains
worked over what Shaun had said. The sheep's face turned red, eyes widening slightly. "I mean..."
"Thanks." Travis curled his toes, looking to the side. "Even if you don't mean it." He muttered.
"I do, though!" Shaun insisted and felt like he was putting his foot in his mouth. He groaned, covering his
face. "Sorry. I'm... bad at this."
"Me too..." Travis said and the two shared a look before averting their eyes. "You don't mind...? I mean, I
did get off work. I changed my pants," Travis said as if that'd be enough instead of a shower.
Shaun laughed at that, covering his mouth with a closed fist.
"Yes. Taking your pants off is totally the same." Shaun teased and Travis grumbled, folding his arms over
his chest. The coyote didn't move his leg from Shaun's lap, and the sheep didn't show any signs of
wanting it removed.
"It's just... more comfortable. Is all." Travis's ears splayed out.
"What is?"
"This." Travis said without addressing any one specific thing.
"It is?" Shaun glanced down at their close proximity to one another. "It is." Shaun agreed and Travis
curled his toes again, his tail thumping softly.
"Cool." The coyote said noncommittal.
"Yup." Shaun was the one to smirk, laughing at the coyote's embarrassment.
"Good."
"I agree."
"Stop that."
"Stop what...?" Shaun teased further.
"Stop... nothing." Travis huffed, pulling his console back onto his lap. "Aren't your friends waiting?"
"Oh. Right." Shaun turned back to the PC and put on his headphones. He glanced at the coyote before
reaching down and pet Travis's leg again. "Hey, guys, I'm back."
"About damn time." Clemm said.
"We just lost. Again! You aren't allowed to leave until I have to go to work!" Alice yowled on the other
side. Shaun was glad these headphones adjusted to the different sound levels or Alice would've blown
out his ears.
"Everything good on your end?" Bruno asked, his concern was evident even if his tone remained neutral
as ever.
"Yeah." Shaun glanced at the coyote. "Things are going great."
"Good." Bruno started up another round and Shaun joined his teammates as the night ticked by.
Shaun wasn't sure when Travis had first moved. The coyote had leaned forward, just enough to plug the
charger into the handheld. Then he was back to where he was. An hour ticked by as Shaun lost himself
behind the keyboard. Shooting down the other team skillfully. It was only as they agreed to take a bio
break that Shaun noticed the coyote sitting closer to him.
"Huh-," Shaun removed his headphones.
"You're rather good." Travis noted having been watching the screen. His ear flicked, "my console needs
to charge. Handhelds never last long when you're playing the newer games."
"Ah," Shaun nodded at that. Understanding as the plug ins and charging station was at the counter here,
nowhere else in the room.
"You play often."
"Yeah." Shaun nodded again feeling the coyote next to him. A hand was on his shoulder, Travis leaning
forward just enough to look at the statistics on display after the match.
"Could go professional." The coyote said. It was hard to tell if he was just shooting the breeze, being
honest or teasing the sheep who felt that creeping warmth return to his face.
"Nah. I would have to show myself then." Shaun said, before explaining. "I enjoy this because no one
knows who I am. The anonymity of being online allows me to be who I want to be. Instead of who I am."
The sheep explained. Travis shifted next to him, sitting slightly next to and behind the sheep.
Shaun felt the coyote's legs around him but said nothing as Travis rested his weight against Shaun's back.
Then the sheep felt Travis rest the bottom of his muzzle between his small horns. The coyote draped his
arms around Shaun in what could've been called a hug. But the coyote didn't push further than that.
"I get that. It's nice. Being behind a screen. Makes things safer." Travis said and Shaun felt the coyote's
heat seep into his wool. It was the smell that made Shaun blush further. A mixture of the coyote's musk,
the sweat of the day combined with a vanilla scent from the shampoo Travis had used that morning.
"Yeah..." Shaun agreed, his voice dying on the tip of his lips as he savored the moment. He was afraid to
say anything. A part of him wanted space, a part of him wanted Travis to go further. Further where?
Shaun wasn't even sure as the coyote took a heavy breath. Shaun felt Travis's chest push against the
back of his head. Felt the coyote shift to reposition his tail.
"You don't mind...?" Travis asked in no more than a whisper as his hand brushed over Shaun's front.
Through his wool. Petting him. His fingers trailed through his curly strands and Shaun shivered. Not from
the cold. Travis was warm. He smelled. His body was heavy. The presence of the other, larger male made
Shaun shiver.
"N-no," Shaun said and Travis tilted his head to look at the sheep's face.
"Are you..." Travis opened his mouth, about to ask but didn't find the courage to do so. He was afraid to
ask if the sheep was afraid of him. If he didn't like this. The smell of Shaun brought something out of
Travis. He was cute. A soft sheep that had strayed from the flock.
Shaun had followed him in the hallway. Travis had led the sheep around and a part of him liked the idea
of that. The idea that Shaun trusted him enough to follow him. That Shaun had let him stay. Looking at
him with those bright innocent eyes full of something Travis hoped he wasn't reading too much into.
"Your wool is soft." Travis said.
"Is it?"
"Yeah. It's soft and warm. It smells like you," the coyote nosed Shaun's shoulder.
"Is that bad?"
"I like it."
"Thanks..." And the words faded away as the two sat there. Shaun hugged Travis's arms closer and the
coyote shifted closer. Closer they pressed. Closer. Closer as their hearts beat quickly, the air grew warm
between their bodies.
The two were afraid to break that moment. To say something, do something that would shatter the
comfort they found in each other.
A hot breath tickled Shaun's neck, and the sheep felt the warmth radiate from the spot throughout his
body. Pressing the front of his body behind Shaun's back, the coyote leaned down. Closer. The breath
whispers against Shaun's face. The curve of his back fitting perfectly against Travis's front.
"Hey?" Travis said and Shaun felt a shiver run through him.
"Yeah?" Shaun could smell Travis's breath as the coyote tilted his head, fangs exposed.
"Can I kiss you?" The words made Shaun's mind go blank. The sheep gave a weak nod, and he felt those
fangs against the side of his short snout. They brushed through his fur, opening and a hot, slick tongue
licked over his cheek. "You scared?" Travis breath washed over him.
"Yes."
"Of me?"
"Of things."
"Yeah. I get that." Travis chuckled softly. He didn't pull back, and he felt Shaun's fingers holding his arm
tighter. Shaun was shaking but the sheep also wasn't letting him go as if he were trying to ground himself
using Travis's body as an anchor. "I can stay. If you like. Keep those scary things away..."
"You going to kiss me again?" Shaun didn't look at him. Staring blankly forward. The sheep shivered and
he felt the coyote squeeze him gently.
"Probably. Is that why your scared?"
"Maybe."
"Cute."
"I'm not cute..." Shaun breathed out, licking his suddenly dry lips. He glanced over at the coyote then
back again. He wasn't sure where to put his legs or his hands. The coyote made this look so easy. "People
always think I'm cute."
"I think you're cute." Travis brushed the side of his muzzle against Shaun's. "Does that bother you...?" He
whispered the words, and Shaun was sure he didn't mind anything the coyote did at that point.
"Not at all."
"Good. 'Cause you are. Cute." Travis turned the sheep to the side and Shaun eyes widen as their noses
touched. "Cute." The coyote smiled seeing the red take over Shaun's cheeks. Travis bared his teeth, and
Shaun shut his eyes, feelings the blunt front of the fangs against his lips before another soft lick followed.
Shaun let out a "meep" as Travis encouraged him to lay on his back, half-tackling him to the padded mats
under them. The coyote smirked above him, looking down at the sheep.
"Was that too much?" Travis asked.
"No." Shaun answered and the coyote went down for another kiss. Lips brush, breath was exchange and
a hesitant play of tongues ensued.
It was hot, he was heavy and Shaun pressed against Travis's chest with nervous fingers. Fingers that slid
underneath the plush, soft fur to touch the skin underneath. Hot. Travis was hot and the sweat of the
coyote ran over Shaun's finger tips as the coyote leaned down over him, on him. Travis was on him, and
Shaun wasn't pushing him away.
Excitement and fear danced and played, swirling together as the sheep's fingers gripped tighter. Pulling
Travis forward, closer, nearer eliciting a startled "yip" from the canine as Travis found himself on all four.
Not supported by hands, but by elbows.
They were so close, drool trickle down from parted lips and dripped onto Shaun's cheek.
"You're adorable," Travis said, licking his lips. He was trying to control it, but his fangs glistened with
drool, strands dangling as he panted hotly. The coyote's fingers opening and closing as his nails dragged
over the padded floor. His tail lashed behind him in a frantic wag.
"Why do you keep saying that?" Shaun squirmed under him. The sight was heavenly, and Travis let out a
soft growl that built in his chest and rumbled past his lips.
"Because." Travis leaned closer, brushing his muzzle against the side of Shaun's face. Whispering into the
sheep's ear. "Because, I want to devour you." Shaun shuddered and Travis moaned softly at the sight.
Teeth parted, the coyote moving down towards Shaun neck.
"W-wait!" The sheep let out a startled noise and before he could stop himself, headbutted the coyote
knocking Travis off him. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"
Travis rubbed the side of his face, wincing. The coyote looked at the startled sheep, half naked laying
there next to him. Shaun was shaking slightly, breathing heavily as he stared up towards the ceiling
hyperventilating.
Carefully, Travis reached over, placing a hand on Shaun's chest. The sheep jerked, then stilled. Catching
his breath, he looked at the coyote watching him.
"Did I hurt you...?" Travis asked.
"No..." Shaun said softly. "Just..."
"Did I startle you?" Shaun nodded. "Were you scared?" The sheep gave a weak nod. "Should I go...?" The
coyote asked, lying there next to him. Shaun's eyes widen at that. Travis winced, seeing the sheep
needing to think about it.
He tried not to read too far into that.
Travis had pushed things too fast.
He should've been more mindful, more careful of Shaun's needs instead of-,
"No." Shaun said the word and the coyote's ears perked up. "I just need a moment." The sheep took a
hesitant breath, shuddering before lying on his back. Travis kept his hand on Shaun's chest, and the
sheep held it with both his own. It took two of Shaun's hands to match one of Travis's.
Shaun was nearly half the size the coyote was. Even lanky, Travis was tall. He tended to hunch around the
others. Travis didn't even realize he'd been doing that around Shaun since the sheep began showing up
at his place of work. It was painful and it made his back sore after a while. Still, Travis did the simple
gesture out of courtesy.
And here he was pouncing on the sheep the second the two of them had time alone together.
"It was nice." Shaun spoke first and Travis let him. One ear flicked, the coyote's eyes looking back at the
sheep. "The kiss. I mean. I, uh, that wasn't the problem." Shaun continued to play with Travis's hand with
his fingers. Tracing each one down to the dull tipped nail. "You have paw pads..." Shaun said for reasons
he wasn't fully sure. Just to talk. To voice his thoughts aloud.
"Heh, yeah..." Travis smiled softly, turning his hand over so the sheep could get a better look. "You have...
hoofs. And horns," the coyote winced, touching the forming bruise on his cheek.
"Sorry." Shaun whispered and Travis shrugged a shoulder. Watching as the sheep stared at his hand. "You
have claws. And fangs..."
"I do." Travis agreed.
"Have you ever needed to use them?" Shaun asked and Travis had to suppress a laugh.
"Uh, like as into hunt?" Shaun nodded. "No, Shaun. I have never needed to hunt a day in my life. I like...
pizza." Travis said, thinking about it. The sheep glanced over at him. "Uh... what do you like?"
"Pizza is nice. I have to get the dairy free kind of cheese..."
"With lots of vegetables?" Travis eyes smiled for him.
"Yeah. Uh, bell peppers and pineapples, onions, mushrooms... oh! I love sun dried tomatoes!" Shaun
turned towards Travis and the coyote's ears perked up. He didn't move as the sheep faced him.
"Yeah?" Travis asked with a soft voice.
"Yeah." Shaun nodded eagerly, glad to be talking about anything other than the fact he had head butted
the guy who had kissed him.
"What else do you like...?" Travis asked.
Shaun thought about it. "Food or...?"
"Anything. Whatever you want to talk about."
"...I like bowling." Shaun said, thinking about it.
"Bowling?" Travis suppressed another laugh as he smiled at the answer.
"Yeah. Something about a hard object smashing into others... I like it." Shaun smiled and Travis matched
it.
"You just want to be the ball. Smashing into the pins." Travis noted and the sheep eyes lit up as his
cheeks dimpled as his smile grew.
"I wish! That'd be the best sport." Shaun chuckled as his fiddled with his hands, unsure where to put
them. Travis offered his hand and Shaun took it, placing it against his chest. Travis could feel his
heartbeat. It was calming down from before. "You?"
"Me? I've never really gone bowling."
"I meant... what do you like, Travis? Outside pizza and old school video games...?"
"I like this." Travis glanced down at his hand, and he felt Shaun's heart quicken. "Chilling with friends..."
Shaun's ears lifted at the words, folding back and rising once more as the sheep tried to read between
some hidden meaning that wasn't there.
"Uh... with..." Shaun tried to ask.
"Yeah, dork. You." Travis glanced up at his face, looking into those rectangular pupils watching him.
"What do I look like in those eyes?" Travis said aloud, not meaning to. He didn't expect an answer.
"Big." Shaun said and the coyote's ears folded back. "Scary... but also warm. And friendly," Shaun held
Travis's hand, rolling onto his back and pulled the coyote a little closer with the motion. "Cool..."
"Cool?" Travis quirked an eyebrow.
"I always thought you were super cool. Whenever I saw you. Like you didn't care about anything. Chill
and relax. I wanted to be like that..." Shaun admitted, turning to his other side, inadvertently causing
Travis to hug him from behind.
"Like what?"
"Confident." Shaun grumbled, getting frustrated at himself. "You saw your chance and took it!" Shaun sat
up, looking at the coyote who was laying closer to him. "I wish I could've just... continued."
Travis smirked at that, tilting his head playfully. "And where did you plan for it to go?" Shaun's eyes
widen; his cheeks blushed. "Cute."
"Don't start that up again!" Shaun glared and Travis smiled back.
"Are you sure you want me to stay...?" Travis sat up slowly, making sure his movements were obvious as
not to startle the sheep. That headbutt hurt.
"If... if you want to stay, yeah." Shaun fidgeted.
"I do." Travis said and the sheep looked at him. "Just... try not to head butt me again." The coyote winced
with a soft chuckle.
"Don't startle me!" Shaun warned in return.
"How did I-," Travis asked but the sheep didn't let him have the high ground.
"Don't try and weasel out of this," Shaun glared, a playful smile tugging on his lips. "Sure, the kissing was
nice. The teeth was... different. Exciting, uh, arousing..." The sheep flushed. "But the hand was too
much!"
"Hand?" The coyote asked about. He'd been so caught up in the moment he hadn't even realized his
hand been drifting lower down Shaun's front. "Oh." Travis eyes widened, ears splaying out as he gave a
goofy smile. "That."
"Yeah, 'oh that'," Shaun glared accusingly at the coyote. "You can't just go groping someone!"
"I wasn't groping someone!" Travis grumbled back, sitting up and folding his arms, pouting. "I was
groping you."
"And that made it okay?"
"Yes." Travis blurted out, then bit his tongue. "At least I thought it did..."
Shaun blushed even further at that.
"We had great chemistry. Things were going good. You smelled nice, you were cute. You said you liked
my smell. It was a lot of mixed signals frankly," Travis sighed, resting back on his arms. His tail thumped
once. Then twice. "I'm glad you let me stay."
"...Me too." Shaun nodded, pulling up his legs and hugged his knees. Resting his head on top of it. "It's
just..."
"You've never?" Travis asked. It was rather obvious. Painfully obvious, Travis thought rubbing his cheek.
Shaun blushed and that was answer enough. "You just have a lot more experience..."
Travis grunted a reply, thinking it over as he looked around the small room. It was small and cramped
and was beginning to smell of the two males locked inside. Then Travis looked at the monitor.
"What if we..." Travis thumbed towards it. Shaun looked at it, confused. "What if we, uh... fuck... No! Not
fuck, I just meant," the coyote whined. "Why is this so hard now?" Travis swallowed, licking over the side
of his fangs. "What if we put something on. To watch... together."
"That... that sounds nice." Shaun nodded.
"Yeah. You could, um, just wait a minute." Travis got up, crawling over on all fours to mess with the PC. It
gave Shaun a perfect view of Travis's ass and his eyes watched as it wagged back and forth with his tail.
The curve of the ass meeting the thickness of his upper thighs. Down furry legs to socked paws.
Shaun was glad he was a nervous wreck, or he might've done something foolish, like sneak a picture. Or
head butt the coyote, again.
"I'd suggest a scary movie if I know you wouldn't be able to handle it." A part of Travis wanted to do that,
to see how Shaun would react. Would he snuggle up close? Or would he start head butting things...
Travis decided it was best not to risk it.
He put something familiar on.
"Really?" Shaun snorted a laugh seeing the old children show beginning to play.
"What? It's a classic!" Travis shrugged, settling back. He pulled the covers over, getting comfortable
before glancing towards Shaun. He lifted the side of the blanket up. "You coming?"
Shaun felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. Even half-clothed, it was something to be invited into
another man's blanket like that. Would he? Were they? Did Shaun want that? He knew he did but his
body was having extremely mixed reactions to it.
"Hands above the waist this time. Promise." Travis said, tilting his muzzle down to show his eyes.
"Okay..." And Shaun crawled over to join him.
"Your soft," Travis said, gently pulling Shaun up against him after the sheep had slipped his legs inside.
"Here," Travis laid them down on the padded mat. One arm behind the sheep. Guiding Shaun gently
down before resting behind him.
The two faced towards the monitor as lightning went off in the show and Travis gave a soft chuckle.
"He looks like a square piece of cheese. I miss the old design."
"Yeah... it's a classic."
"I once had a stuffed animal that looked like that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It was like a block of cheese. Loved it."
"What happened to it?"
"...My dad threw it out." Travis said, pausing longer than was necessary. "He said I needed to grow up
and stop playing with baby things." The coyote shrugged, resting back on an arm. Playing it off,
dismissing the issue.
"I'm sorry..." Shaun touched the arm wrapped around him and the coyote stiffened slightly. The simple
touch made the coyote flinch, as if he expected to be hit for speaking up... Then relaxed into it. Shaun
felt Travis pull him closer, hugging him softly from behind. Pressing his chest against Shaun's back.
"It's all good." Travis lied easily. He said it so much, he was beginning to believe it himself. "Just
encouraged me to move out. Get my own place. Able to buy and watch whatever I want now. Money
willing."
"You live alone?"
"I got a roommate. Roommates, technically. It's complicated." Travis snorted. "Like anyone can live alone
anymore. Everything costs too much!"
"Yeah. That makes sense." Shaun took a moment. "I ended up staying with my parents longer than I'd
like because of that. Money is always seemingly the issue, among other things..." Shaun didn't like the
thought of leaving the flock. Even if the sheep despised them, they were his flock.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah... They're a lot. I save a lot of money by living there, sure. But there are other costs I have to pay
for from living there." Shaun frowned, not even watching the show now. His finger tapped on the mat as
he thought it over.
"Like what kind of costs? If you don't mind me asking. Don't want it to be too personal." Travis knew
what that was like. When people poked their noses into problems they had no right sniffing around. And
yet, Travis was holding his breath. Waiting for Shaun to answer him.
With Shaun, Travis wanted to be personal.
"It's mostly my dad. He's..." Shaun was trying to find a tactful way to describe his racist, homophobic,
xenophobic prick of a father.
"A bastard?" Travis offered and Shaun actually found himself laughing at that.
"Yeah, something like that." The sheep nodded, resting back on Travis's bicep. It was nice. Made for a
good pillow. He could smell Travis. The smell of the coyote behind him. He thought it would bother him.
It was more comforting than anything else. His instincts made Shaun become acutely aware of the smell
of a predator but with Travis... Shaun liked it. "He'd flip his lid if he saw me here with you like this."
"Because I'm a coyote?" Travis knew as such.
"And you're a male." Shaun gave a weak shrug. "There really is NO winning here."
"Ah, double whammy." Travis snorted, shaking his head.
"You're also not part of the Harvest Church. Can't date outside the species, the religion or someone of
the same sex." Shaun laughed now as he counted out all the reasons why Travis and him shouldn't work
out according to his father.
"Wow. I stood no chance!" Travis barked a laugh and Shaun nodded in agreement.
"You know when you hear about people pulling guns out when their kids bring home someone? My dad
would actually do that. Not has a hyperbole. He literally would. He has a shotgun up on the wall and
everything. Been itching to use it since..." Shaun grumbled.
"Since?"
"Well, he claims that your kind is 'invading' the country and that we need to arm ourselves against the
eventual civil war. A war that zealots like my dad are trying to start. Bring about the end times or some
shit, I don't really know. They're crazy."
"Wait, if we're invading the country how can it be a civil war and not a war war?" Travis asked and Shaun
let out another laugh.
"Logic? Reason? Statistical data? Or common sense? That stuff doesn't apply to my father and his crazy
friends. The church isn't much better." Shaun turned onto his back, looking at the coyote who was
slightly leaning over him now. Shaun's side pressed against Travis's chest. He could feel Travis breathing.
For a second there, Shaun thought Travis was sniffing him. For some reason, that made him smile. "They
go to this bar every night after work. Complaining about everything wrong. It's awful."
"Did he bring you there?" Travis asked and Shaun groaned at the thought, covering his face now.
"Only once. Apparently I was a disappointment and embarrassed him in front of his friends." Shaun felt
Travis's hand on his chest, rubbing over it gently. "It was actually the biggest compliment. That him and
his racist friends didn't like me because I wouldn't go along with their hate mongering."
"What an asshole."
"Yup. Once I get settled a bit more, I plan to move out. Where? Who knows. Just away from that
house..." Shaun shook his head.
"And your mom?" Travis scratched his fingers through the wool and thought it might be the softest thing
he ever felt. He wondered if Shaun would give him some of it after shearing it off during summer time.
The coyote could stuff his pillow with it. And the mattress. His mattress really needed it.
"She's in denial. The other way people handle things. Pure denial for how bad things are getting."
"Ah, right, you mentioned that..."
"What about your mom?" Shaun asked, ears lifting up as he looked at the coyote. Travis gave a smile at
that. A tender soft smile that only a pup could have for their mother.
"My moms the best. You'd like her." Travis said and his eyes were something else when he thought about
it. "She's a total free spirit. A total biker mom. She drives all around the country on a motorcycle. I'll have
to introduce you next time she's in town."
"Would she like me...?" Shaun frowned. Travis was the first predator he'd ever had a chance to talk with.
He wasn't sure about meeting others, let alone Travis's cool biker mom. Shaun saw where Travis got it
from now.
"She would. She'd tease you until you headbutted her too!" Travis laughed and Shaun flushed at the
thought.
"Please, no! Headbutting you was bad enough!" Shaun covered his tiny horns at the thought. "I don't
want to head butt your mother."
"So, you're saying it's not a possibility?" The coyote teased.
"Oh, it's a very real possibility! I'd do it too; I just know it. I'd do it again! Like, without a doubt, I would at
least try if she kept going." Shaun looked horrified at the thought. "It's like a defensive response." The
sheep stammered out. "I can't even help it. I, uh, once bashed my gym teachers face in."
Travis let out a snort of a laugh, barking loudly that turned into a yipping cackle. "No shit, really?"
"I didn't mean to!" Shaun blushed, laughing along. "He got right up in my face. You don't do that to a
sheep. He was yelling at me about something I didn't even do wrong. If you ever see a sheep leaned
backwards from you, move away. It's like a spring! We start building up that tension before snap! Pow!
Right in the kisser."
"Yeah. Felt that." Travis winced as he laughed, rubbing the spot on his cheek. "Thankfully I always look
like I'm bruised." Travis joked about his tawny coat of fur.
"What do you mean?" Shaun looked at the brown furred coyote. He had splashed of black and white
throughout his fur. The sheep traced his fingers through the fur innocently. Travis shivered from the
action.
"Sorry, it's more of an inside joke. I get by on dark humor..." Travis shrugged. He didn't stop Shaun from
petting through his fur and his ears folded back as the rough tips touched his skin softly. Travis had to
stop himself from letting out a whine from the feeling of being pet.
"Travis..." Shaun glanced up at the coyote. "What did you mean...?"
"My fur hides bruising well. Like really well. The color, the thickness, the pattern even... Made it easier to
go to school." Travis said and Shaun still wasn't following fully. Travis picked up on that and sighed,
resting onto his back. "You told me something personal, I should probably tell you something also."
Travis didn't. Not at first. The coyote laid on his back as he mulled something over, chewing on the
thoughts before shaking his head. Trying to find the right words to explain. Travis wanted to be personal
with Shaun but didn't want things to get too personal. That was the problem with his last relationship. It
got too real and the other person bailed.
Shaun shifted at his side, turning towards him and waited for the coyote to continue. The sheep didn't
pressure him or pry further, letting Travis have the time he needed to find those words that were so
rarely spoken out aloud. Words that those who knew them, thought about them. Constantly...
Travis took a breath and then went for it. Words that had ended relationships in the past, he told the
sheep. Even knowing what it could mean for them. Because only cowards kept secrets and the one thing
Travis learned from his dad was not to be a coward.
Not to be like him.
"So, like, my dad used to beat me." Travis shrugged, playing it off as if it were normal. "I'm used to
getting hit. Said I was good at taking a punch. Make me a man. Whatever, some bullshit to excuse what a
prick he was. My fur's tone and thickness helped hide the bruising he gave me. No one even questioned
or asked about it. I got used to it. Thinking it was normal."
"Travis. Holy shit." Shaun parted the fur on Travis's chest as if expecting to see bruising.
"Yeah. My roommate used to get on me about it. She was pissed! Hah, angrier than I ever been about
it... Took me a while to get to the fact that it wasn't normal. When I was a pup, I assumed everyone went
through similar things. That everyone knew about it, we just didn't talk about it. You could understand
my surprise when I learned I was the odd one out." Travis scratched at his neck, looking to the side. "So,
yeah. That's probably the most fucked up thing about myself."
"Damn. Now I feel bad I gave you my lame story. My life seems... okay, in comparison." Shaun pulled
back. Travis glanced over at him.
"My suffering doesn't, like, lesson yours." Travis snorted, shaking his head. "You got the whole emotional
abuse. I got physical. It's still abuse, just in a different package."
"Financial as well."
"What?" Travis asked, confused now.
"I got financial abuse on top of the emotional abuse. They won't let me get a job or earn a living; afraid
I'd jump the fence. I would. I totally would if I could," Shaun chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a little.
"Also, psychological. They'll text me and then gaslight me about it after... then spiritual. My whole church
life is a mess these days because of everything..."
"Trade you." Travis said, offering his physical abuse for those things. Shaun laughed and hook his head.
"Fuck no!" Shaun rested back down on Travis's arm and the coyote smiled at that. "Why are parents so
freaking lame? If you are going to have kids you'd think they at least try and not fuck things up. They
always tend to."
"Heh, that's one way to put it. I word use far harsher words." Travis chuckled, his eyes softening as the
sheep looked over at him.
"You're incredible." Shaun said softly making the coyote's ears perk up.
"For what?"
"For putting up with all that. For going through that and not coming out a piece of shit after." Shaun said,
thinking about it.
"It's nothing special." Travis rested onto his back, looking up at nothing.
"I think I would've become the very thing I hated, if I went through something similar." Shaun thought
about it, tapping a hoofed finger to his chin. "It's one of those thoughts I'm thankful for..."
Travis flicked an ear. "Thoughts?"
"Well, like, okay!" Shaun turned to his side, facing towards Travis. The coyote smirked at that as those
bright eyes looked at him. Shaun didn't hold it against Travis that the coyote had a fucked-up past. So
many people did. As if Travis had some hand in it all. "Okay, so think of me as gorgeous." Travis snorted
and Shaun punched his arm. "Listen! I thought if I was like drop dead gorgeous, the handsomest sheep
there ever was? Then I'd be a real prick."
"Oh? How do you figure." Travis turned to face Shaun who didn't pull away when the coyote leaned
closer.
"Well, if I was like super handsome and popular, I think it would go straight to my head and I'd be an
inflated ego... jerk!" Shaun chuckle and Travis's ear flicked again at the pleasant sound. Cursing didn't
sound right coming from the sheep's lips. "Maybe it's just how I was raised... but still, I think I'd be like an
evil super villain if given the opportunity."
"How does that apply here?" Travis asked only to hear Shaun continue to talk.
"Well, I mean... the Harvest Religion teaches that only with hard work can we amount to anything. Tilling
the fields, sowing the seeds, back breaking labor, etcetera. Only through struggling can we know who we
are. Break the body, free the spirit. Someone who was given everything from the start has no room to
grow." Shaun shrugged. "It's like a mighty oak tree that's planted in a pot. It's beautiful at first but won't
even become anything more than it is. Not that I follow the teachings all that close but when you're
forced to go through that your entire life. It eventually effects your world view."
"Only through suffering can we have happiness?" Travis thought that over. "That definitely sounds like
religion."
"Only through suffering can we understand others." Shaun said in turn. "It's empathy, jackass." Shaun
snickered as Travis smiled at the sheep teasing him. "At least, that's how I try to see it. Us farm animals
are called such because the majority of us work the fields and are, well, farmers. Thus, farm animals. We
have an entire religion about it!" Shaun laughed and it came out more like a "baa."
Travis smiled at that, letting out a soft laugh himself. Here he was with a sheep, alone together, talking
about religion. Stranger things couldn't have happened.
"In other words, me getting beaten was a good thing?" The coyote laughed, using the humor to help
mask the pain.
"What? No! I just meant." Shaun groaned, resting his face against the coyote's chest. Travis's ears perked
up at that, looking down at the sheep. "I meant, like... fuck. What did I mean? I kind of lost track of my
point along the way. Something about oaks and trees and suffering..."
"I think you were trying to comfort me." Travis carefully wrapped an arm around Shaun, pulling the
sheep a little closer. "And you did. Just not in the way you meant to." The coyote chuckled as the sheep
shifted closer, pressing against Travis's chest.
Shaun took a heavy breath and let it out in a shuddering gasp. He could feel the warmth of the coyote.
The smell, the sweat, whatever shampoo he used on the floor. Vanilla. That's what the smell was. Travis
smelled like vanilla and Shaun loved that. The arm tightened around his back and Shaun pressed his
forehead against the coyote's side.
"Are you headbutting me, again?" Travis asked, looking down at the sheep with an amused smirk on his
face. "Seriously?"
"Shut up." Shaun mumbled as he softly pushed his forehead against the coyote. "It's relaxing."
"To headbutt me?" Travis snorted, tail thumping against the floor.
"Yes. I mean, not just you. To do the motion. It's almost like a mantra. It's relaxing." Shaun muttered,
unsure how to explain it as he softly bonked his head against Travis's chest. Nudging and pushing the
coyote's pec.
Travis tried not to point that out. That Shaun was basically face planting Travis's chest.
"I do something similar." Travis watched Shaun continue it for some time, finding it both amusing and
cute while knowing how painful it could be.
"What is it?"
"Humping." Travis said and couldn't hold back his laugh seeing the look on the sheep's face as Shaun
stopped mid-motion. "It's a canine thing."
"Is it...?" Shaun glanced up at him. "Sounds like a horny thing."
"I mean, did you take the family couch pillow and set it up. Get on all fours over it and dry hump the fuck
out of it?" The coyote asked.
"I think my family would've had me neutered if I did that." Shaun said with a blank face, horrified that his
parents might've. Travis just snorted at that, laughing softly. "Do you still... hump?" Shaun blushed,
unable to look at the coyote.
"Sometimes. When I'm in the mood." Travis scratched his stomach, subtly adjusting himself as the sheep
looked away. "Why? Interested?"
"I am not asking for-," Shaun let out another frantic sound as he covered his face with both hands. Shaun
ended up both collapsing and head-butting Travis's chest. "Why would I want that?"
"Have you ever been humped before?"
"No!" Shaun said and it came out like a "maa."
"Then how would you know if you like it or not?" Travis asked, one hand slightly down the front of his
pants as he scratched himself. His was trying not to get turned on but everything Shaun did was slowly
driving him crazy with need.
Travis wanted to hump.
It was like an addiction.
And the coyote wanted to hump this sheep.
"Why would I want that?" Shaun said louder than needed, laughing after. Travis's ear flicked. It sounded
like a genuine question and the coyote rolled back to the side to look at him.
"Because it feels good." Travis answered him.
"Does it really?" Shaun rolled his eyes.
"Yeah," Travis reached out a hand, brushing Shaun's side. The sheep froze, stiffening like a plank of wood
before relaxing into that touch. "You just have to make sure you do it properly. Carefully... slowly."
"There are proper ways to do it...?" Shaun glanced at that hand, then up at Travis and back down. Travis's
tail thumped, his heart beating faster as he looked at the nervous sheep watching him.
Travis was playing with fire. He could see Shaun rearing back if he went too far down. Travis tip toed that
line with his fingers as Shaun watched them carefully.
"There is a proper way to do everything." Travis shrugged a shoulder, his eyes lingering on the sheep. "I
won't force you to do something ya' don't want. Just thought, since you were curious... It's just us here,"
Travis looked towards the door as if to make sure it was locked. "I could show you."
"You want to show me... humping?" Shaun laughed hard enough to curl up slightly on himself. "What
does that even mean! Like, are you going to hump your backpack in front of me?"
"No!" Travis blushed, ears splaying out. "I was going to hump you!"
Then there was silence.
The only sound was the coyote's ragged breath panting through partially parted teeth. It was hot and
heavy as Travis's chest rose and fell. He blinked several times, calming down.
"I mean..." The coyote tried to explain.
"Do I have to take my clothes off...?" Shaun asked and then there was another heavy silence that
followed his soft, sheepish words and the implications behind them.
Shaun hadn't said no.