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“C'mon, man! You need to loosen up a bit, relax and enjoy yourself!"

“Ugh...Roger...you know I don't really like bars. That's only a place where you relax, I don't relax at all."

“Well, if you did them right you'd relax just fine."

“Rog, I can't...you know I don't drink."

“It won't kill you to get a little buzz going. You might even enjoy it, and enjoy life for a while. Just give it a try!"

“I...I don't want to. John...would find out, and he wouldn't like it."

“Well, maybe John wouldn't find out if you threw his ass out already. That's not the only reason that's a good idea, but it's the best one for the moment."

“Roger, I...really don't want to talk about this right now."

“Well, come with me to the bar and I'm sure we'll find lots of other things to talk about."

Eddie sighed; Roger could be relentless sometimes. “Fine...okay. But I'm not drinking. I'll just be the designated driver, okay?"

The red fox rolled his eyes in an exaggerated motion. “Fiiiine...I'll just have to drink enough for the both of us, then! Just remember, that'll be your fault!"

“I'm willing to take that risk." Especially to keep Roger off his back about John...that was a conversation he didn't really want to have again. Not that he could keep it from happening, not as long as he was with John, but at least he could stave it off for a while. It was a tough thing to talk about with Roger...he knew that Roger didn't like John, and John didn't like Roger, and Roger didn't really understand that Eddie loved John. And that all made things difficult for Eddie…

He'd been dating John since he was 16; the dalmatian had a few months on him but they were both in the same year, and he'd been a total sweetheart. It was a very nice couple of years...but after high school ended and Eddie moved in with him, things started to change. John wasn't accepted to any colleges, and he'd taken it hard...he started doing labor work, and started drinking. And as his mood had soured, things had gotten a bit rough between them...literally. Eddie saw his temper come out, worst when he'd been drinking but present even when he wasn't. He yelled, he threw things, he hit Eddie...it was scary, painful, and he just tried to avoid it now. It wasn't always easy to do, sometimes John wanted a target to take his anger out on...he would apologize afterwards, hold him and say he was sorry. Well, usually...a couple of times lately he hadn't even apologized, just gotten cold and distant. Maybe something else was wrong.

Roger never had liked John - they'd been very different all through high school, and John had pushed Roger around a bit - and he especially didn't like that John hit Eddie. It was almost impossible for them to meet up once without Roger trying to convince him to leave John, run away and never look back. He didn't really understand...Eddie didn't want to leave John, he wanted the John he'd known back, the one that had been so nice to him all through high school. He wanted to fix him...he was sure he could, he'd seen the best side of John, and if he got better, even Roger would like him, he was sure of it.

And maybe John would like Roger...John didn't like Roger at all right now. He would tell Eddie all the time about how he didn't want Eddie hanging around with him, always insulting him, and sometimes getting angry at Eddie just because they were together. But Eddie couldn't leave Roger behind either...he didn't have many friends, really any apart from the fox, John didn't approve of most of them and told him to stop seeing them, but he'd known Roger since they were three years old, they were as close as friends could be, and they'd made a promise to stick together through thick and thin. Eddie was certain that John's dislike was jealousy...Roger had graduated at the top of the class and was working on a degree at one of the better universities, and John had been very bitter about not making it even into a mediocre one. Surely they could resolve their differences, if Eddie knew how.

But to do that, he had to be clear-headed. No drinking...he'd seen what it did to John, he didn't want that to happen to him. Roger was never a violent drunk, but if the risk was even there...going to a bar was a sure sign that he was with Roger, John would know if he smelled any hint of it. He might get angry again...Eddie didn't want him to be angry. Maybe he could think of another place they could've gone…

And before he knew it, he'd pulled the car into the bar's parking lot. He'd been driving on automatic, barely paying attention...that could have gotten him in a lot of trouble, if John knew...he shook his head as he parked, killing the engine and throwing the door open for fresh air. At least as fresh as it could be around here.

Roger practically dragged him inside, his energy overcoming Eddie's inertia with ease. The inside smelt of liquor and wood, thankfully avoiding some of the worse possible scents that could be present in a bar - no smoke, no vomit, no ill stink of drunken, unwashed winos. Then again, it was only early evening, there was still time for that...Eddie didn't plan to be around that long, though. He let the fox guide him to a seat, weakly smiling as he tried to pretend he wasn't feeling uncomfortable.

“Yeah, now, this is a nice place! You should really try to relax, Eddie, no one's gonna bite you! Well, I might, but only in jest, not like you haven't felt that before anyway, right?"

“Er, yeah. Definitely...I still have marks on my arm from that one a few years back."

“You do not! You didn't even have marks a month later, I checked!"

“Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they aren't there."

“Right...I can't leave as many marks on you as John does, then."

Eddie flinched a bit. “That's not...I don't have…"

“I'm not gonna examine you here, but I've seen signs of it here and there."

“That's different. You know I...You know I got with John because I enjoyed when he got...rougher when we made love. A few marks are just a sign that we've had a good time."

“Uh-huh…" Roger knew that wasn't a lie - Eddie had confessed that after Roger had seen him walking gingerly, he'd been worried that John had gone too hard on him and been rather shocked to hear that Eddie had asked for it that way. But at this point he was fairly sure that most of the marks occurred during points other than sex, and there was no way Eddie wanted those.

“So, uh, how's your classes going?" It was an obvious deflection, but Roger honored it,he needed to get off the subject for a moment himself, it was hard to talk about when Eddie wouldn't do what he needed to.

“Oh, they're going how you'd expect. I love the computer science and engineering courses, I hate the English and history stuff. I don't know why they require those kinds of classes for me to graduate. I'd really much rather just take the courses I want!"

“Yeah, that's one of the reasons I wanted to hold off. I just got so tired of school, if I could choose everything I wanted and nothing I didn't I'd've been more eager to try it."

“I hear ya. You should give it a shot at some point, a degree means a lot these days! I mean, it's kind of a shame that it's almost required for a lot of stuff, but that's how it is, and you'll probably still like it!"

“I probably will at some point, I just need some more time to figure things out." What Eddie didn't say was that he wasn't planning on going yet in part because he didn't want to upset John - if the dalmatian knew he was going to college when he hadn't been able to get in, it would have infuriated him. That had been extra incentive for him to hold off...he hated his job at the local department store, but he'd rather have that than an angry boyfriend. Or angrier.

“Well, you know you can talk to me about that if you need help sorting out your thoughts. Speaking of figuring things out, why don't you go figure out what we're drinking? I need to hit the can, you can order me something, put it all on my tab."

“Okay…" Eddie felt unease creep back up as the fox trotted off to the restrooms, but swallowed it down and walked up to the bar. He ordered a beer for Roger and an orange juice for himself - it netted a look from the bartender, and he felt himself redden a bit, but no one was going to make him start drinking if he didn't want to. Still, it didn't help wth his feelings of self-consciousness.

He was preoccupied enough that as he stepped back, he didn't notice the person behind him. He stumbled back forward after the collision, it felt like he'd hit a wall rather than a person, though the fuzziness of the contact told a different story. Quickly he spun around, already starting to babble out an apology...but upon seeing the obstacle, his tongue got tied, and he rather forgot himself.

The person he'd hit was a German Shepherd, and he was huge. He had to be at least seven feet tall, and though his body was covered with modest, rather professional-looking clothing, including a collared button-down short-sleeved shirt and khakis, there was a clear impression of muscle on him all over. It was a physique that would have caught just about anyone's eye, and it certainly had Eddie's...for a moment, he even forgot what would happen if John even thought he'd looked at a guy like that.

The canine's voice brought him back to himself. “Sorry about that, you okay?" He peered out at Eddie over his sunglasses.

“I...er, s-sorry! I didn't see you...I didn't mean to hit you, sir."

“Don't worry about it. I didn't really see you either...must've lost you among other people." Oh, that was a treat, his voice was so deep and strong, Eddie almost shivered. “But it's fine, I've had much worse collisions, most of them weren't wanting to run into me." He held out a hand towards Eddie. “I guess I should introduce myself. The name's Rex. You?"

“Eddie...it's nice to see you, or I guess meet you, Rex." See was more apt, looking at the big dog was a heck of a breathtaking thing...he knew he shouldn't, he wouldn't want to upset John, he had to try to control himself. “Sorry...I guess I'm not used to meeting such big people, I'm not sure what to say."

“No worries...I know I can be kind of intimidating. Actually kind of a benefit at times." He flashed a grin at Eddie as he pulled off his sunglasses and shoved them into his shirt pocket. “Probably wouldn't have trouble seeing people if I didn't leave these on...kind of a habit I have lately."

“I should be watching where I'm going anyway. Not really used to bars...I don't drink, I'm only here because a friend wanted me to come."

“Well, you shouldn't let anyone make you drink if you don't want to. I've seen a lot of lives ruined by people who let alcohol rule their lives rather than controlling themselves."

An image of John flashed unbidden into Eddie's head. “Yeah...I've seen that, too. That's why I don't want to drink...I mean, maybe I wouldn't get...that way, but I don't want to...I don't want to risk it."

“Certainly fair. I have a couple of friends who I've made swear to me that they'll tell me if it looks like I'm developing a problem. It's kind of a thing in my line of work, so I'm trying to be extra cautious about it. But a little bit to help me relax can be pretty nice, just a bit of unwinding after a hard day."

“I guess…" A cough behind Eddie got his attention, and he turned to see the bartender setting his drinks down. He picked them up and turned back to Rex. It would have been nice to talk with him further, but...he was too tempting, John would be furious if he knew, it was best for him to part. “Ah...well, uh, Rex, it was nice talking with you, but my friend's waiting for me, I gotta bring these to him."

Rex nodded at him. “Nice talking with you too, Eddie. Enjoy."

Eddie nodded and shuffled back to the table, hoping that his face wasn't red. It had been a long time since he'd eyed up a guy like that...he had a boyfriend, one who didn't like having to compete, he avoided eye candy as much as he could. He'd just been caught off-guard...and there was Roger at the table, grinning at him with that maddening I know something happened grin that just seemed ten times smugger on foxes than anyone else.

“Have a good chat?"

“It was nothing," Eddie mumbled as he sat the fox's beer in front of him. “I just...bumped into him accidentally, I didn't want to be rude."

“Dude, why'd you run off? You should've kept talking to him, made a new friend! You can't just have only me, much as I like you you need other people to talk to, too!"

“I dunno...I don't think John would like that much."

“Well, to hell with him. Why wouldn't he want you having friends?"

“He's...fine with me having friends, as long as they're the...right people, you know?"

“Oh? Has he ever told you what the 'right people' are?"

“Well...no, he just...says he'd know."

“Yeah, sure. C'mon, Eddie, why should he dictate who you're friends with? We all have other people in our lives, you should too! Besides, he looks like a nice guy, I wouldn't mind being friends with him myself! Invite him over!"

“Er...well, I don't...know if we should disturb him...he might be waiting for someone…"

Roger rolled his eyes. “If he is, he'll tell you. Just go ask!"

“All right, all right…" Eddie swallowed but stood up and slowly walked back over to the bar. Rex was still there, still standing out among everyone else, waiting for his drink. This seemed like it might be a bad idea...but, well, Roger was right, John didn't have to tell him who he could be friends with all the time. He'd not liked a lot of Eddie's friends in the past...but maybe he'd like this one? Maybe he didn't have to find out...maybe it wasn't going to be a thing anyway.

Rex turned around just as he got there, holding a beer in his hand. He seemed a bit surprised to see Eddie approaching. “Oh, hello again. What's up?"

“I, uh…" Oh, what to say...it seemed so weird approaching again out of the blue when he already said he had to go, how could he not make it sound awkward? The answer came to him without him fully realizing it, he was already speaking when he caught up. “My friend, uh, said he wanted to meet you, thought you were an interesting guy...so, uh, d'you...wanna join us?"

Rex smiled a bit at him. “Sure, I wouldn't mind that. It'll be nice having someone to talk to."

“Oh! Uh, great!" He hadn't actually expected an agreement, but there was a bit of elation in his heart on hearing it. “Okay! Uh, just follow me…" Now he knew he had to be red-faced, but he tried to hide it, fortunately the bar wasn't lit that well. Rex loomed over him as he walked him back to their table, it felt almost like the shep was stalking him rather than following his lead. Still, he felt surprisingly unperturbed...something about Rex felt comfortable, oddly enough.

Roger was standing at attention even before they arrived, raising a paw warmly to the new face. “Hey there! I'm Roger, Eddie's buddy! And how are you?"

“I'm good." It was a concise but friendly response, accompanied by a handshake. He didn't seem to be put off by the energy of the fox, which gave Eddie a bit of relief - sometimes Roger came on a little bit too strong, which put people on guard or made them nervous. “You seem to be pretty good as well...you must've really wanted to meet me."

“Oh, is that what Eddie told you?" Roger winked at Eddie, though he pretended not to notice as they took their seats. “Well, I'm always good to meet a new friend! And you look like a good prospect, too...you're a big one' aint'cha?"

“Well, that's one I hear a lot. Funny, I never thought of myself as that big, you see horses and bulls and rhinos around, that's what I usually think of as big. But I suppose compared to a tiny fox like YOU…"

“Yeah, I know, I'm itty-bitty. You wouldn't believe how many guys try to come at me wanting a piece of me, and I just have to tell them I don't really have that many pieces to go around. Is it true that big guys always go for small guys?"

“I've heard about that, but I don't notice it much myself...most of the guys I know who swing that way go for like size. Personally, I can see the appeal, but I figure it's best to let them come to me, rather than the other way around. Being as big as I am, approaching them can be kind of scary, but I know if they're coming to me that they're comfortable with me."

“That or they bump into you and break the ice."

Rex grinned, with a look over at Eddie. “Well, as long as that's all they break. So, what do you two do when you're not in bars? And I certainly hope that that's where you usually are."

Roger stuck his tongue out playfully. “I don't spend that much time in bars! I just like the atmosphere. But I'm a college student studying for a degree in computer science and engineering. I'm hoping to get involved in some big projects in the future! NASA-level stuff, I may not me a rocket scientist but I can make the stuff that they work with!"

“Hm, ambitious. What about you, Eddie?"

Eddie swallowed a bit; it was hard to talk around this big, handsome canine. “I'm...working at a department store. Retail service...it kinda sucks, but I'm not ready to go back to school yet. Mostly I'm just, uh, trying to get by, and spending time with my boyfriend."

“Too much time, if you ask me," Roger huffed.

“I didn't...I didn't ask, Roger."

Rex nodded. “I had a feeling you might be taken. Hope that guy knows how lucky he is."

“He doesn't…" Roger grumbled, though he didn't press the point. Clearing his throat, he continued, “So, uh, Rex, what does a big guy like you do? You seem like you're old enough to be well out of school yourself...though, I guess some people go later, or go back, but you seem too settled for that."

“Glad I give off that impression." Rex took a swig of his beer before responding. “You're 21, right?"

“Huh? Yeah, of course...I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

“Sure you wouldn't," Eddie said with a roll of his eyes. “I know you were taking me to bars last year when you weren't."

“Hey, not cool, man!"

“Well, it's true."

Rex rolled his eyes. “Well, as long as you aren't now, we're fine, but if you were, I'd kind of have to take you in. Seeing as I work for the 6th precinct and all."

“Oh, wow! You're a cop? Hah, I guess that's a perfect job for a guy built like you, bet lots of guys think twice before they mess with you!"

“You'd think so, but that's not usually the case. Never underestimate the belligerence of drunk or desperate guys. I like the job a lot, but it's a relief to go back home every night, because you never know if that's gonna happen. Sure, it's a big empty home, but I'd rather be there than not."

“Yeah, I guess…" Eddie tried to remain calm and even, but his heart was starting to beat more quickly. John hated cops, and if he found out that Eddie was talking with one...oh, it would not be a good thing. Even if he said he didn't know, which was the truth...but he was already in, maybe he'd just have to not tell John about it at all, he didn't have to know that Eddie had met anyone...he'd probably be mad enough that Eddie was hanging out with Roger anyway, so he wouldn't ask any questions.

But Roger seemed intent on making things worse for him. “Well, it's a really good thing Eddie met you, he could use some help from a guy like you! Maybe you can save him from this asshole that keeps beating him up, that he still calls a boyfriend."

“Roger!"

“C'mon, Eddie, it needs to be said! I've seen how he treats you, I've seen the aftermath, he's gonna kill you one of these days! And you're not doing anything about it...this is a perfect opportunity!"

“John isn't a bad person! He's just angry...I just...I just need to find a way to make him happy again!"

Rex was looking at Eddie curiously, and it was making him uncomfortable. “Hm...are you having problems with him?"

“I'm not, really I'm not…look, I know John has a bit of a drinking problem, he gets nasty sometimes but we love each other and we're working through it...he just, he needs to feel like he has a future, he's stuck in a job he hates and really wants to get into school for something. That's all it is, we're fine, really!"

“And he doesn't hit you?"

“That...that almost never happens. I've done a couple things that make it worse sometimes, when I know I shouldn't, but it's been a long time since that's happened." Unconsciously his hand went to his hip, rubbing a bit at a bruise that had been there since yesterday. John had gotten angry about his sports team losing, he'd been drinking and threw the bottle at him...well, it wasn't technically hitting him…

Suddenly Rex leaned over and lifted his shirt up where he'd been rubbing. In a flash, he covered it again, but there was no way he and Roger hadn't seen the bruise. “Hey!"

“Sorry...when I see someone fidgeting with their hands at their sides, I get the urge to check for weapons. Cop habit." Rex sounded sincere enough, but Eddie had to wonder. “Was that him?"

“No! I just fell! It...I mean, I stumbled going down the stairs and hit the railing. It's fine, it doesn't even really hurt."

“Bullshit! That was totally John!" Roger countered angrily. “You've got to get out of there! He's just going to get worse, you know it!"

“We're FINE!" Eddie almost shouted, drawing a few heads. “Just...drop it, okay? I...I don't want to talk about this anymore." He stood up. “I've got to use the bathroom...I'll be right back." Without waiting for either of them, he turned and headed towards the bathroom, ignoring the lingering stares. Roger just didn't understand...Rex had just met him, he didn't have to get it, but Roger had known him for so long, couldn't he get that John loved him and he loved John? One way or another he'd have to get his friend off his case...without losing him as a friend.

---

Roger had to admit, Rex was incredibly composed for a guy who'd just uncovered evidence of domestic violence. He would've been up in arms in a mad crusade himself. “So...what do you think of Eddie? He looking like your type?"

If Rex knew what he was leading up to, he didn't show his hand. “Mm...he's a cute guy. Wouldn't mind stuffing my knot in him, if he let me. Too bad he's already taken."

“He doesn't have to be. It would really be good for him if you got him away from that fucker that beats him up...I can't believe he's still with him. Don't you just hate that?"

“Sure, but that's not my place."

“What? You can't tell me you'd just overlook something like that!"

“If I was called to it, absolutely. But a cop's life gets very messy if he starts inserting himself in the problems of everyone he meets. There's such a thing as getting too involved. Plus, I don't even have evidence that there IS a problem - if Eddie says it was a fall, I don't have any cause not to believe him."

Roger scowled. “Oh, come on! That's just, like, typical deflecting! Abuse victims do that all the time, make excuses and lie for them! You gotta know that!"

Rex calmly sipped his drink. “I daresay I know a lot of things. You seem to think you know a good bit about domestic abuse…"

“I do! I've been reading up on this shit for years! I try to point out the signs every time, hoping that he'll wake up to it. It just...I don't know why it doesn't take!"

“Then you don't know nearly as much as you think you do. Now hush, he's on his way back."

Roger dearly looked like he wanted to protest more, but clammed up as Eddie returned and took his seat. He looked tired, and not all that happy. “Hey, uh...sorry that we pushed you so much. I guess I'm not really helping you relax, am I?"

“Not really, no...can we just drop it, please?"

“Absolutely," Rex said before Roger could speak a word; the fox gave him a look but complied. “Better to talk about nicer things, like...say, what you would do if you could do anything at all in the world, money and time are no object."

Roger raised an eyebrow; there was no way that was random. “Really? You've been sitting on that one for a while, haven't you?"

“It's my favorite icebreaker. I've found you can learn a lot about people by getting them to talk about dreams and ambitions. I'll start...I've always enjoyed mystery writing, and I've got this dream of making a series of mystery novels. One I might be able to do if I stay safe on the force, but I haven't quite developed the knack for the writing or the right idea for the characters and stories. But hey, that's something that might come to me eventually."

“Wouldn't have called that from you," Roger said with a smirk. “I guess it's nice, but it's too limited. Me, I'd design the infrastructure for a Mars colony and a transport that can take you back and forth super-quick, so that it'd be like an airplane flight! Imagine if we could get a chance to live on another planet...hell, maybe I'll go all the way and design the terraforming equipment, too. Being able to alter the entire planet to suit our lives would be one of the ultimate feats of engineering! So, what does that say about me, cop man?"

“Says plenty, believe me," Rex replied with a grin. “You're ambitious, you like to think really big, and you have a lot of confidence in yourself. You also want to break barriers and enjoy new frontiers, and you're thrilled much more by novelty than familiarity. Also, given that you think you can take on a project that would involve several industries and the budget along the lines of a first-world nation's GDP, it also suggests an ego the size of the Pacific Ocean."

“Hey!"

“I think you've got him pegged perfectly," Eddie giggled.

“Oh, that's nice! Well, what about you, Eddie? What would you do?"

“Uhm...man, I don't really know...I never really thought much about that. I guess…" He went quiet for a moment. “I...think if I had nothing else holding me back, I'd like to travel and see the world. There's so much out there that I've only every heard of, that would be so cool to seen in person. Just the ability to go wherever I want, and see and experience so much...that would be so amazing."

Rex nodded. “That's one I've heard before. Travel's an interesting one...it suggests someone who likes new experiences and freedom, and who isn't scared off by unfamiliarity. It also usually means there's something they don't like in their familiar territory, something that keeps them feeling trapped and unhappy." Eddie felt a growing discomfort at those words, until Rex followed them up with something he didn't expect. “Usually the thing that's tying them down is a job they hate, that they feel is stifling and unpleasant and they want to escape from...sounds like you really hate that retail job, eh?"

“Oh...y-yeah...it's a real pain, there's so many stupid customers out there." Before he could continue, he felt a buzz in his pocket. His phone...he pulled it out, and felt his heart start to go double-time.

[John]

[COME HOME RIGHT NOW]

He felt a surge of panic grip him, deep down inside. Whenever John used caps like that, he was especially angry...the type of angry that made Eddie terrified, fearful sometimes even for his life. And that had been happening more and more lately, John seemed to be getting worse about his anger issues and his drinking, and sometimes...well, he didn't like to think about that. It didn't seem like anything he could do was helping anymore, and that bothered him worse than anything.

“Is everything all right?" Rex's voice cut into his thoughts, and suddenly he felt even worse. John would be furious if he knew anything about what had happened...and he was furious already, it could get even worse. All of a sudden, he really didn't want to go...he'd never really felt it this bad before, there had been moments in the past but nothing like this, he was almost shaking.

“I'm sorry...I have to go."

“What? Aw, c'mon, Eddie, stick around a little bit longer!" Roger protested.

“N-no...I can't, I...I can't. Sorry."

“Was that John? Is he-" Roger was stopped by a hand clamping down on his muzzle. Rex looked at Eddie seriously, but calmly.

“You do what you want to do, Eddie. It won't be a problem, I can take care of your friend here."

Eddie nodded absently. “Thank you...It was...nice meeting you, Rex." He walked off without another word, too preoccupied to even say goodbye properly to Roger. It felt so much worse than ever before...what was he going to do? What would John do to him? What could he do to stop it?

---

It wasn't until Eddie had been gone for several seconds that Rex released Roger's muzzle, only to see the fox baring fangs at him angrily. “What the fuck kind of cop are you?! You're just gonna let that shit happen?"

“You need to settle down before you say the wrong thing." Rex showed no sign of being bothered by Roger's anger, which only made the fox more sore.

“He's being fucking beaten by his boyfriend! I thought maybe you'd actually take that seriously! Or what, do you just not care if you're not on duty? Don't give a shit about domestic violence? Or maybe you like seeing humans put through the wringer?"

“Or maybe I'm playing it smarter than you are."

“Oh, this I gotta hear. I'm doing everything I fucking can to get him out of this and you're not even saying a word about it, but you're the smarter one."

“Exactly." Rex downed the rest of his drink and looked at Roger severely. “Tell me, what has your incessant nagging actually done, besides make him feel bad? And don't think I don't know it's incessant, I saw enough to know you've been at this for a long time."

“Well...I mean, I gotta be getting close…"

“You think? You think after, I'm gonna guess years, you're closer than where you started? Or do you notice that maybe he's putting distance between you and himself, trying to duck and dodge around it rather than address it? Have you noticed it getting tougher and tougher to get in touch with him, and that he's not as happy when he does?"

Roger's ears flattened. “Only because that damn Dalmatian's trying to turn him against me-"

“Probably, but you're not helping. You're supposed to be his escape, but all you do is make him feel worse." Now it was Rex's turn for a harsh look, and Roger wasn't dealing with it nearly as well. “I deal with a lot of domestic violence. I've faced down some pretty nasty abusers before. It's something I have a particular distaste for. But I've had to learn how to deal with them properly because they're fragile. They're made fragile by the people who abuse them, because that makes them easier targets. And while I'm trying to deal with the situation, you're poking at fractured glass."

“But...what? That...that isn't…"

“For a guy who thinks he knows a lot about domestic violence, you're amazingly naïve. Abusers try to isolate, they want their victims to think the only person who really cares about them is themselves, even when they're doing their damage. But it works because their victim is in love with them, you twit. It's not as easy as just telling them to leave because they have an emotional attachment that is very strong, persisting despite the pain and suffering. And the abuser feeds that, and cuts them off from everyone else to make sure that there's an emotional void that only they can fill. All your badgering is doing is driving him back into the arms of his alleged abuser, and making you look like the bad guy."

Roger had deflated completely, his anger vanquished and replaced by guilt. If he had just been making things worse...he didn't know if he could forgive himself. “I...that's not what I wanted…"

“I know it's not. But that's what you're getting. It's more than just being self-righteous, you have to be their support. And that means being there at the right place and the right time in the right way."

“Fuck…" The fox slumped sadly. “So...now I've blown it? We can't do anything about this? I really thought maybe a cop would be able to help…"

“I'm not on duty. I'm no more a cop right now than you are. Even if I was, as a cop I can't just go barging into any house I want and demanding obedience. I'd need evidence beyond bruising, which can occur from anything, or I'd need a claim from the victim themselves. Without that, there's not much a cop can do." There was a moment of silence, Rex watching Roger process that and nod dully. “A cop can't really do anything at the moment. But...a concerned friend could, perhaps, swing by their place, make sure they made it home all right. After all, they left on rather short notice, not looking all there...who knows what could happen, the roads can be pretty dangerous. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea for a friend to check up on them...especially knowing that they've been injured recently."

Roger slowly perked back up on hearing this. Now he was starting to get it...Rex really was on his side, but clearly he was the one who knew better here. He nodded solemnly. “I know where he lives...maybe we can swing by together and check on him. Just...make sure he's okay."

“Now you're talking. Come on."

---

It was getting darker when Rex's truck pulled up in front of Eddie's house. The street wasn't well-lit, with only dim lights overhead and not much coming from the houses nearby. The place was pretty run-down, the paint was flaking off and some of the corners seemed to be exposed to the elements. It was not a good early impression for Rex, putting him immediately on guard even if he hadn't known that something unpleasant might be going on within. “Do you know if John owns any guns?"

Roger hesitated. “I...Eddie said he'd...never seen any around. I remember him saying once that the thought of John with a gun when he was drunk was...too scary for him to think about, and that he was glad he didn't have to worry about it. But...I don't really know for sure."

“Hm…" Rex wasn't totally assured by that, but he had a feeling it was a good idea to go in prepared for anything anyway. “Stay behind me, and don't do anything rash. We're just here to chat unless something serious comes up, we don't want to provoke and we can't make accusations without cause-"

Almost as if on cue, the two heard a loud yell of “SHUT UP, BITCH!" from inside the house, followed by a muffled sound and then a deep thump. Rex and Roger both stood stock still for a moment, hardly daring to believe what they'd just heard; whatever it had been, it had sounded quite violent.

“Does that...count as cause?"

“You bet your ass. Still stay behind me, let me confront him, but be ready to dial 911...if I yell now, don't hesitate." Rex had slipped back into cop mode quite readily, assessing the situation and likely outcomes. It wasn't a great position - he'd heard enough to have cause to investigate, but he also had a very vulnerable bystander to take care of. Still, the odds of him getting Roger to leave seemed well beyond reason, so all he could do was make sure the fox followed his directions.

They approached the door quickly but quietly, not wanting to signal their approach any more than necessary. When Rex reached the door, he knocked firmly, loud enough that he knew anyone inside would hear. If they didn't answer...he was prepared to break the door down if he had to, though if it came to that there would be a whole lot of mess involved, especially if it ended up being a false alarm...but he didn't hear a TV of any sort, in fact it had been almost dead quiet since the event. Which had him worried for a different reason…

Thankfully, a break-in wasn't necessary, as after a minute the door opened, revealing a cluttered entryway and the unflattering form of a dalmatian wearing a wifebeater and torn jeans. It was almost the abuser caricature, though Rex had never actually encountered any with that get-up before. He was a bit taller than Eddie was, but still well shorter than Rex, and the scowl on his face seemed to indicate a touch of jealousy as he looked up an the shep. His eyes were bloodshot, and there was a distinct scent of alcohol in the air around him. “The hell d'ya want?"

“Nothing major," Rex said through clenched teeth, trying to remain calm when every instinct wanted him to take this guy down. He got a really bad vibe from John, not just a sense that he was violent. “I just wanted to check in a bit on Eddie...he left rather abruptly and I got the sense that something was wrong, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't serious."

John's response was delayed, preceded by a growl. “He's occupied. Fuck off."

“Occupied? Well, then, it wouldn't be any trouble for me to just come in and see that, would it?"

“It ain't none of your business! I don't even know who the...who the fuck you are, you shouldn't be nosing around in other people's business!"

“I'm a friend of Eddie's-"

“Bullshit. He don't got no friends, other than that stupid fox. That stupid…" John growled again, sniffing the air. “That fucker! He's behind you, ain't he? What the fuck's going on here?"

“Easy there," Rex replied, his voice hard. “We're just worried about Eddie, we just want to check in on him...he was looking like he was hurting earlier."

There was a huff from John. “Little idiot's always getting himself hurt. If you gotta know, he's resting off a bump on the noggin, the clumsy fucker tripped over his own feet and hit the coffee table. Now you know, so now you can get outta here."

“Oh, yeah?" Roger piped up from behind Rex. “Is that why you were yelling at him to shut up just before he hit?"

“The fuck d'you think you are?" John barked angrily. “I didn't say nothin', and you shouldn't be sneaking around my place anyway! I oughta get a rifle for the next time you're prowling around, you little jerk!"

“I wouldn't be making threats like that if I were you," Rex retorted, now growling himself. “Now listen, I already know something else is going on here. We were just walking up when we heard you yell, we heard the sound of someone being hit, and then a thud. I assume the thud was Eddie hitting the table as you said, and since I don't see any damage on you, I don't think you were the one that was hit. I'd like to see Eddie, please."

“He's fine! Or he'll be fine, anyway! And I don't have to let you in or anything! Who the fuck d'you think you are, some kinda cop?"

Before Rex could respond, he saw a figure appear behind John through one of the doors. It was Eddie, looking rather weary, holding an ice pack to his head. There was a redness on one cheek, that Rex could've sworn was vaguely hand-shaped. “John? Wha...what's going...on?" There was a bit of a terror in his eyes as he looked at Rex, the shep was certain Eddie recognized him and even more certain that he didn't want to let that on.

“It's nothing, Eddie! Go away! I'm dealing with this, you stay out of it!"

“Eddie! What happened to you? Did he hit you again?"

“Fucking shut it, fox! I'm no abuser!"

“The hell you aren't! I've seen you hit him, and Eddie's never been a klutz! You think I'd buy all those stories about him just falling or shit?"

Rex tried to look past the two bickering males and towards Eddie. “Are you all right? If you hit your head, you should go to the hospital. I can call for one and have them transport you."

Eddie shook his head once, then winced; it was too painful to move much. “I...Rex...you...don't need to...I'm fine, it was just...I didn't hit too hard, and...I just need some rest, you can leave. John...he didn't…"

“How many times do I have to tell you to SHUT UP, BITCH?!" In one swift motion, John whirled around, backhanding Eddie across the other cheek, sending him crashing to the ground, the ice pack sliding across the floor. In the next instant all chaos broke loose, Rex grabbed John and slung him to the floor, and the dalmatian started thrashing, trying to break free from him and get the upper hand. Rex had the size advantage but the wiry John had a drunken lack of restraint that made him a spirited fighter and a bitch to get locked down. He yelled out “NOW!" as quickly as he could, hoping Roger hadn't forgotten.

The fox had rushed over to check on Eddie; he'd already pushed the button before Rex had even given the signal, unable to wait any longer, and was rapidly talking to the dispatcher while looking over Eddie. The human was moaning on the ground, not unconscious but clearly out of sorts from the blows he'd taken, and Roger could see a trickle of blood on his head now that the ice pack was out of the way. He held on to Eddie as he gave his report, begging them to come quickly.

The scuffle between John and Rex was mostly over after a couple minutes; once Rex managed to get a good grip he was able to pin the dalmatian down, holding his knee against John's back and his arms twisted behind his back, holding him firmly against the ground with sheer strength. John wasn't giving up by any means, but his incoherent growling was about the only resistance he was able to muster now, unable to get leverage on a kick or force himself to freedom. Blood was pounding in the shep's ears, adrenaline rushing through him from the altercation; this part of his job never got any less harrowing, and it being not on the job didn't make it easier. But now he could hear that Roger was in touch with backup, all he had to do was hold John until they arrived. He was pretty sure he could do that.

John did try to break free once or twice more, but he was unable to get out of Rex's grip. All he had left was yelling and cursing, promising death to all of them, something wholly ineffective now that he was unable to act on them. And even that faded as the sounds of sirens arose in the air, heralding his capture and the end of everything.

---

Rex was a bit bleary-eyed when he went to the hospital the next day. The action from the previous day and worries about the state of Eddie had made it more difficult for him to sleep, especially from the late start after sticking around for a good while to give statements and clear up his role in the affair. He'd gotten a bit of a talking to at work as well, something he'd expected given his conduct but which was fatiguing nonetheless. He'd been cleared of any wrongdoing at least...but Eddie had been on his mind all during his shift, distracting him from everything else. He wasn't entirely sure why...was he really that attached to the human that quickly? That was a bad idea, especially given the challenges Eddie was facing going forward, but, well, the heart wanted what it wanted.

When he finally got off work, he immediately headed to the hospital. Roger had told him where Eddie was taken, he'd been by Eddie's side since that morning, keeping an eye on him and helping his spirits, or so he'd claimed. Rex figured it probably wouldn't hurt for him to provide a little support of his own, especially having gotten a taste of the fox's rather...intense style.

Upon entering the room, he saw Eddie saying in the hospital bed, his head wrapped up and his expression rather hollow. Roger was sitting in a chair next to the bed, looking rather exhausted himself, but he put on a tired smile when Rex appeared. “Well, look who it is...the man of the hour. Glad you could make it."

“Wouldn't have missed the chance. How're you doing, Eddie?"

“Mm...dunno." He sounded very out of it, which wasn't a good sign...but Rex knew better than to think everything was okay after a rough night like that. There was a lot more to deal with, just taking John down wasn't enough.

“How's your head? Are you...uh, is there anything worse than a bump?"

“The doctors say he's got a concussion, but they did some scans and they didn't see anything worse," Roger informed him. “He's been knocked out for a while on painkillers, just coming around pretty much. I've been doing my best to hold the fort here, but I'm glad you came, you might be able to handle this better than I can."

“Well, I'm happy to do what I can." Rex sat down next to Roger, looking solemnly at Eddie. “I know you've been going through a lot since last night, and probably haven't been in the mood to really think much about anything, but maybe we can talk it out a bit. How are you feeling, really?"

It took Eddie a bit to actually respond. “I'm just...tired. And...I feel awful. It's...fuck...John's...there's no...I can't do it anymore. He...when I got back...he was so angry, for...just, no reason. He didn't even...bitch me out for being out, he just...wanted someone to yell at. And he was scaring me...I tried to say it, and then he just...and then...you know. He's never...I mean…"

“He's never hit you like that before?" Rex finished, and after a bit Eddie nodded.

“I was so woozy yesterday so I couldn't really think...but when I woke up the first time today, it was just...I...I broke down. I couldn't...he's...I can't bring him back. I...I just...I gave up on him. It hurt, so bad, I still...I know it sounds stupid…"

“Eddie, I've seen way too many of these, and I'm not judging you at all. Love is weird, and it makes people do a lot of things that might not seem like good ideas. You wouldn't believe how often I've heard 'I still love him' from an abuse victim, and I may not have gotten it the first time, but I do now. But...you're not changing him, Eddie. That's pretty much impossible to do unless they actually want to change, and most abusers, they don't want to change...they like having the power and control, like being able to make someone do their bidding. I wish it could have been better for you, but I need you to understand that you can't go back to him. He will never be the person you fell in love with."

Eddie nodded, though Rex could tell he was tearing up a bit. Not unexpected, either...it was going to be a big adjustment. “I just...I don't know...what to do. I can't...I can't go back there. I...it's not my place, it's John's...even if it wasn't...I just...there's too much there...I just...I wouldn't…"

Rex nodded. “You don't have to say any more, I understand. It would be a good thing to get away from that place anyway, get to a different environment, one that isn't so toxic. Do you have any family in the area that could take you in? Friends who could help you out?"

Eddie shook his head. “My parents are all the way across the country, we...aren't really on good terms. I don't have any other family around here, and I don't...have any friends except Roger."

“And I wish I could take him in, but I'm in the dorms and I'm not allowed to have guests for extended periods under any circumstances," Roger said with a sigh. “One night maximum...it's a stupid rule, but I can't do anything about it."

“I see...well, that means we need to get you set up with a place to go, first and foremost. We can't have you leaving the hospital without a direction. Is there anything you're looking for...I guess, any type of place you want to go?"

Eddie let out a quiet groan. “I just...want to be somewhere safe. Where I don't have to worry about John...or anyone else. I just...wan to rest, and not have to deal with anything. Some place quiet and calm, I guess."

Rex nodded quietly. “Understandable...I think it would be a good idea for you to have that for a while. But you shouldn't be alone, though...I think it's better for you to have someone around that you can talk to and who can take care of you. It's not gonna be an easy time, and I've always found that talking is one of the best ways of getting through nasty emotional events. And isolation's been the thing that John imposed on you, so it'll be good to get away from that."

Suddenly Roger perked up a bit, and grinned between them. “Hey, I know! Maybe Eddie can hang out with you for a while!"

Rex's head jerked towards the fox. “Excuse me?"

“Well, come on, think about it! Eddie should be around someone else, but he doesn't have any other friends besides myself and now you, and I can't take him in. And you were talking about having a big, empty home last night...well, Eddie being there means he'd have a place to go and maybe it wouldn't be so empty for you! And for safety, well, I can't imagine being safer than with a police officer!"

“Can't say everyone feels the same way about that…"

“Well, not all of them are good guys, I guess, but you clearly are! C'mon, it'd be perfect! You'd be able to help Eddie a lot better than anyone else I can think of! And I think Eddie likes the idea too, don't you?" Roger looked over at Eddie, who didn't seem to be much in the mood to say anything, but he was looking a little pinker.

“I...I guess…"

Rex rubbed the back of his head uncertainly. This hadn't been how he'd envisioned this conversation going...but knowing Eddie's circumstances, and knowing that he needed the help, and knowing that he was feeling something for the human, it was really hard for him to say no. It was probably not a good idea, whatever Roger said…

“I guess that could work. I don't know if it's a permanent solution, but...you need someplace safe to go, and I guess it would be better to be with someone you know...even if only a little. All right, I'll put you up."

“Great!" Roger said exuberantly, while Eddie let out a weak smile for the first time. He still wasn't feeling great about everything but having that off his head for a little bit was a relief...maybe he'd feel guilty about imposing on the shep later, but right now he wasn't in much of a state to deal with that.

“Very well, I'll make same arrangements...Roger, would you mind having a quick chat with me out in the hall?"

Wit a nod, Roger rose up and followed Rex out into the hall, flashing him a cheeky grin when they were out of earshot of Eddie. “Not a bad arrangement, eh? Eddie and you in the same place, maybe you'll get to know each other a lot better!"

However, the fox's expression faded when Rex turned to face him again, glaring at him darkly. “I know what you were trying to do there, Roger, and you are REALLY not helping."

“Wha? H-hey, what's the matter?"

“Do you even understand what kind of state your friend's in? He's been badly injured physically and traumatized mentally. He's extremely fragile and unstable and will be for a while, until he can be convinced to get counseling and support for everything he's been through...he's not even stable enough for that. And your only concern is trying to set him up with someone?"

“It's not-"

“Don't tell me it's not. You've been angling for that since me met, it's pretty much the only thing you've been gunning for apart from getting me after John. You seem to think you can fix everything by finding the right guy to fuck him! It doesn't work that way! Eddie's not in any shape for a relationship, he's probably not even going to be comfortable being touched! And you're not doing him any favors by being so insensitive to his condition!"

The fox's ears flattened in contrition. “I'm...I'm sorry. I just...wanted to see Eddie happy again, I thought...maybe if he was with someone who wanted him and who he wanted…"

“You need to be more considerate. What Eddie needs right now is therapy and recovery, not sex. And because of that, I don't think it's necessarily the best idea for me to be the one housing him. If he's really attracted to me, then it might just cause him more grief."

Roger was quiet for a moment, then shook his head. “I...don't think that's gonna be true. I think if he's attracted to you, he'll be happier to be around you, and maybe more willing to open up. He might be willing to take chances with opening up to you that he wouldn't take with me or someone he didn't have any feelings for. And I know that you'll be better about treating him right than I am...you're right, I get too excitable about these things, and I don't always have the right boundaries, but you've been remarkable, I think he'll be a lot better off with you around than he would with me. And that's for real, not just because I think you'd be a cute couple."

“I'm not so sure I agree with you on all of that...but I've already said yes, even if I was put on the spot, and I can't think of any other arrangements that would really be to his benefit at this time. So I'll do it...but I'm expecting you to support him a lot more and a lot better. Get yourself in control and think about him, not just what you want for him but about what his feelings might be and about the right way to approach him."

“Yeah, Rex...I'll do a better job with that, I promise."

---

Eddie was cleared to leave after two more days in the hospital; all scans were clear and his post-concussion symptoms had faded. Doctors had taken stock of several older injuries, and he was supposed to come back for additional examinations in a few months to make sure there was nothing lingering. To Rex, something was definitely lingering, but it wasn't something for those doctors to deal with...they'd need a different set of specialists for that. But not until Eddie was ready for it.

Eddie had next to nothing with him when they first entered Rex's house; the shep had offered to drop him by John's place to pick up some belongings but the rejecting shake of his head told him that the human wasn't ready to return to that place yet. All there were were the clothes on his back...he'd need more than that at some point, but right now Rex didn't mind if he didn't want to leave the house at all. He'd need time to get back into his right mind.

Rex's house was bigger than John's was, and looked nicer, too. There was some clutter here and there, the type of thing typical for a busy bachelor, but Rex kept things from getting too messy. The stuff inside was nicer, too, furniture that wasn't stained or damaged, appliances that were higher quality, and an ambience that was relaxing rather than dreary. Even to Eddie's somewhat numbed emotional state, it felt nicer than the last place he called home...he did feel slightly more comfortable at least, not enough to dispel the torment in his mind but enough that he didn't feel as horrible.

“I've set up the guest room for you, up the stairs and to the left," Rex told him gently. “You can sleep whenever you feel like, I don't make much noise so I shouldn't disturb you. For now, I'm going to make us some dinner, you can go ahead and sit down in front of the TV, watch whatever you'd like. I'll let you know when the food's ready."

Eddie nodded absently, shuffling over to the couch and sitting down. He turned on the TV, but but didn't change the channel, leaving it on the cable news channel that it started on. He was barely paying attention to what was on, it was basically white noise while he tried to sort out the conflict in his head...one that wouldn't stop roiling in him no matter what.

It was so difficult. John had hurt him so badly...too badly. There was no going back, no coming back from that, he knew it had to be the case...but, could he really do it? If John came up to him and begged, could he really say no, even after all he'd done? He wanted to, wanted to never hear from him again, after all the pain...but he still felt something for John. He knew he did...that's why he couldn't get John out of his head. But John...couldn't have felt anything for him. Not the way he treated him. And he didn't know how to deal with that...it hurt to realize that Joh didn't love him. And then there was Rex...who had done so much for him in such a short amount of time, and who had a body that almost had him drooling the first time he'd seen it...and he wanted to feel that way again, but he...wasn't sure. John had been kind at first too, would Rex end up being the same way? Was there any way to know?

All these questions, no answers. It wasn't making him feel good.

Minutes ticked by, he wasn't feeling any better. Rex came back into the room. “The food's ready. Do you want to eat here, or come into the kitchen?"

He wasn't sure he wanted to eat at all...but his stomach's rumble pushed him to, even if he didn't really feel like it. “Here."

Rex nodded and left. A minute later he came back, with a simple cold cut sandwich, chips, and an apple. Nothing particularly complicated...when he didn't want anything complicated to start with. Better that way...he felt bad about imposing on Rex, too, even if the shep had accepted the invitation he still was putting himself out there for Eddie beyond anything which a friend for just a few days normally would. He couldn't ask that much…

There was silence between them as they ate, watching the TV but not really watching. As time passed, Eddie felt a weird discomfort...he didn't really want to talk, but Rex staying quiet and not trying to converse with him felt weird. He almost wished Rex would try so he could rebuff him...he didn't want to be rude, but the lack of acknowledgement was also not feeling right.

It took an age before Rex turned to him, though, with a very even expression. “Eddie..I don't want you to worry about anything here. You don't owe me anything for staying here. And I'm not going to force you into anything. I know you're going through something rough, and I'm not going to pretend I have the answers you need. I think you should get some psychological counseling to help you through this, but I won't make you do that until you feel ready to do so. And the same goes for everything else...I won't do anything to you unless you say you're okay with it. I won't even touch you unless you are okay with that."

It took a bit for him to process that, but once he did, he gave a slight, hesitant nod. Rex rodded back, and then stood up. “I'm going to head off to bed...you can do so whenever you're ready. Good night...and if you have any trouble sleeping, you can find me in the bedroom down the hall from you."

Eddie watched him retreat, climbing the stairs until he disappeared. Such kindness...he wasn't used to that, he hadn't really felt it since...well, since John when he was younger. He didn't really know how to deal with it. Slowly he rose and retreated to his bedroom, in a fog, forgetting to turn off the TV even. More questions swirling in his head, and no more answers coming to him yet.

Hopefully they would soon.

---

It did get easier, for everyone.

The first few days were very much the same, Eddie doing little more than sitting there in Rex's house, doing nothing and living in a haze. Rex didn't push the issue, only giving Eddie enough space and time to recover. It had the intended effect; after a while, Eddie started talking to him, opening up from his guarded state just a little. And Rex did all he could to nudge him more and more open, little by little, being quiet and calm and everything he needed to be to assure Eddie that he wasn't dangerous.

He made it seem easy, but in truth, it was quite the challenge for him. Instinct and desire were beating at him...he wanted protect and guard Eddie, but he also wanted him, badly. To hold him, lick him, squeeze him, pound him, knot him...it wasn't easy being so close to someone he wanted so much from without being able to take any of it, but he refused to let that get the better of him. He wouldn't break Eddie, and if he was put back together well enough to take someone, he would simply have to see if it would be him. Of course, it was one thing to insist on that, another to have to reaffirm it fairly often, even at work...he really didn't want to be distracted on the job, but it was hard keeping all that out of his head.

Eddie wasn't aware of this, partly because he was very wrapped up in his own issues. Talking helped him feel better, he found out quickly. He'd learned to keep things bottled up with John, because saying anything could potentially set him off, and John rarely wanted to hear about anything he was thinking anyway. Rex was different, he was letting him have control of these things, going at Eddie's pace rather than his own. Even early on, John had been the one to take charge...well, Eddie had let him, then, but back then he'd been good with it...not the way he'd ended up later.

As he slowly warmed back up into the world, Roger was there for him as well. The fox introduced him to his friends, helped him ease back into socializing...he found himself at a loss more than he used to be, he was more social before John cut him off from others, it was hard to get back into that, but he tried. And Roger was helpful, more so than usual even...he seemed to be acting a bit differently himself, a little more restrained than usual, being a little more deferential to Eddie and asking more about how he was feeling. It was nice...he'd been frustrated sometimes by how Roger would act towards him, trying all the time to make him do what he wanted, not what Eddie wanted. True, now he could see that Roger was looking out for him, but his approach had turned him away, angered and worn on him. This different approach...it made him feel a lot better, more comfortable around Roger, just as he'd always wanted, more like it had been before John.

With this emergence also came a reminder of what had first drawn him to Rex...namely, his luscious body. All the trouble from before had deadened his sex drive for a while, but as his emotions started to settle it came back to him, bringing a whole new set of issues to his mind. He was wanting Rex more and more, starting to let him touch and hold him, enjoying his presence...the more he made contact, the more he wanted MORE contact, but he wasn't sure how ready he was for it. He hadn't been intimate with anyone except John, and he didn't really have any idea how he was going to respond in the heat of the moment...was he going to freak out in the middle of being humped, have flashbacks to John hitting him? The dalmatian had never hit him during sex, but he had been pretty rough...but John had liked that, he enjoyed the roughness during sex, it was one of the things that had drawn him to John in the first place. Rex might or might not be like that...if he wasn't, would Eddie be satisfied? If he was, would he be terrified?

He really didn't know, but part of him wanted to find out.

It was three and a half weeks when he overcome one of those major hurdles. He told Rex he wanted to go to John's house and pick up his belongings...to him, it symbolized finally extracting himself fully from John's life, freeing him up to actually replace him with someone else. It had been a fortunately uneventful trip, John wasn't anywhere to be seen, still in jail on assault and battery charges, and he had been able to retrieve everything that belonged to him over the course of the day. He'd expected it to feel like a mix of good and bad, but the bad was surprisingly sparse, he really felt better and better the more he got out of there. It really was a toxic place for him...and breaking away fully, for good, felt more final than it ever had before. The good feelings had him in better spirits than he had been in weeks, and in fact maybe years. And that was giving him temptation to try to build on them.

He left most of his stuff boxed up in Rex's house, packed away until he figured out where he was going and what he was doing. All he really needed were his clothes and enough stuff to keep himself occupied now that he wasn't lounging in front of the TV all day. He definitely needed something to occupy his time after he'd been fired from work for missing shifts...apparently having been put into the hospital and going through an incredibly turbulent experience wasn't enough of an excuse to not be yelled at by stupid customers and managers all day long.

Okay, he wasn't back to normal yet...Rex had insisted that he start seeing a therapist at some point, he wasn't pushing it on him before he was ready but he was making a point of mentioning it enough that Eddie was getting the hint. And he was feeling well enough now that it might have been a good idea...it was worth looking into at least, because even if he was feeling better he was sure something about his years with John wasn't going to go away easy. But beyond treatment, he needed progress...and there was one thing where he felt he could make a lot of progress.

Rex's dinner that night was a lot more elaborate than it had been the first few days. Now that Eddie had an appetite, he was able to appreciate the shep's cooking and grilling, and even help out in it a bit. He hadn't really learned a lot of cooking himself, but Rex appeared to have a good bit of experience with it, which he claimed came from trying to impress a former lover. That relationship hadn't ended that well either, but Rex didn't seem terribly broken up about it by this time...a good thing for Eddie, at least. The meal was quite hearty, steaks and potatoes and asparagus, grilled to perfection, both of them thoroughly enjoying it. Then it was an evening in front of the TV, Rex holding Eddie close and the human reciprocating a bit, each only half-attending to the program and more interested in the presence of the other close by them. Finally, in the late hour, Rex let go and rose up, yawning a bit.

“I think I'm gonna turn in...if you want to stay up, that's perfectly fine, just make sure the TV's not on too loud."

“Um...Rex?" The shep turned instantly at the hesitant voice. “I...I just kinda had a really big day, and...I kinda don't want to be alone tonight. Would it be...okay if I slept with you tonight?"

Rex felt his heart skip a beat, and swallowed. “Of course...if that's what you want, I'd be happy to let you share my bed tonight." He deliberately avoided a more suggestive phrasing, even if Eddie had used it, not sure if he had really meant it THAT way...though, at least one part of him was hoping he had.

So for once, Rex found himself going to his bedroom with company, though still not certain what would come of it. Eddie definitely seemed to be in better spirits than before, even if he was stressed out from the day, so maybe he would be open to something more? But he made no hint of it, that wouldn't be a good thing to pressure him on...if Eddie wanted it, he would make the move.

Had he known that that was exactly what Eddie was planning, he might not have been so hesitant.

The inside of the bedroom was different from the guest room than Eddie had been staying in. It wasn't quite as well-kept, not messy necessarily but a bit cluttered, with some clothes and papers strewn around. The bed was not as nice as the guest bed, the covers a bit worn and slightly off-color, the frame scratched and marred in a few places. It also had a scent to it, a light mix of body odor and musk, with a hint of wet dog. It was a scent some might consider unpleasant, but Eddie found comforting.

“Sorry about the mess...haven't really gotten around to cleaning everything up," Rex said apologetically.

“It's okay...I'm used to it, I got tired of cleaning up after John so I stopped being bothered by messiness. This isn't that bad."

Only when they were starting to get settled in and he'd gotten most of the way undressed did Rex realize he wasn't really prepared for it. He usually slept in the buff, wearing anything usually made him feel too hot, even underwear tended to leave his nethers sweaty...that seemed to be the case with a lot of furred folk, he'd noticed. But if Eddie wasn't interested in anything like that, he couldn't very well sleep like that and make him uncomfortable...then again, he noticed that Eddie hadn't brought anything with him, either, and he'd also disrobed to his boxers. Curious. “You need anything before bed? Anything from your room?"

“Well...how're you gonna sleep? I don't want to make you uncomfortable...John didn't like it much when I wore pajamas, he said they messed with his fur a bit." Rex wasn't sure how comfortable he was with all the allusions to John, but said nothing. “If you're the same way, I don't have to wear anything. I wouldn't mind."

“Your comfort is more important to me, Eddie. You're the one going through a rough period, I'd rather defer to you on anything, what you want is more important than anything."

“Is...that so?" Eddie swallowed a bit; he couldn't take his eyes off of Rex, his muscular chest and limbs, handsome fur, the tempting bulge under his boxers promising something nice and big. “So...if I, uh...wanted you to be in the buff next to me…"

“Eddie?"

“Sorry…" the human was terribly flushed. “Maybe I'm...just being a bit...too weird. But...um, Rex? What do you...think of me? Do you...do you feel anything for me? You know...that way?"

Rex took a deep breath. “Eddie...I would never do anything to you that you didn't want me to do, I assure you completely. If you weren't comfortable, if you didn't want me to even touch you, I wouldn't do it. But...I won't lie to you, either. I've wanted you in that way from pretty much the first moment we met. You're a very cute human, and you...get me going in a way I've rarely felt for other guys. I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable, that isn't my intention."

“It doesn't...no it's, it's totally fine." Eddie smiled slightly. “Actually...I was...kind of hoping that you did, because...I really feel that way, too. You've been so nice to me, and...I...just getting that stuff out of John's house, I felt...like I could move on, actually. Like, that part of things is...done, I'm free, and I want...to replace those memories. It's basically the last good thing I remember of John, and I don't want him in my head anymore...I want someone else."

“If that was me...if that was what you wanted from me...Eddie, I'd swear, I wouldn't be anything like John, I would never hurt you. I would do just as I do in my job, serve and protect, and I would never let myself do anything that would make you scared of me."

“I trust you, Rex...and I want to be with you. And I want it to just be about us, not what happened before. So...Rex, would you...have sex with me?"

Rex hesitated a bit. “I would absolutely love to, Eddie. I just want to...be careful. I...I've always liked being rather rough with my lovemaking...I don't want to trigger anything you might find unpleasant."

“I don't mind...I've always liked it rough." Eddie moved towards Rex, putting a hand on his chest and rubbing over his muscles. “And I trust you...I believe you when you say you don't want to hurt me. You've been so caring, I don't see how you would."

“I'll de everything I can to be good to you," Rex swore. He sat back down on the bed, lowering down a little bit so Eddie could reach him, and the human almost climbed on top of him, reaching up to meet his head and closing in. Soon the two were kissing, Rex's tongue pushing in and twisting around with Eddie's, their bodies rubbing together as their arms wrapped around each other. Eddie was loving the feel of the shep's fur against him; it was better than John's, softer, not as coarse, a bit warmer against his body. Underneath the fur was just as good, though, the sturdy muscle Rex had was thrilling to him, even better to touch than it was to look at. Even he was surprised how much he wanted it...it had him enthralled, lustful, it was just the thing to push John out of his head.

Rex was getting his own joy out of it, he'd not ever had a round with a human before and Eddie was triggering his instincts quite nicely - both the compulsion to prove his alpha status and his desire to protect and treat him loyally. His own hands wandered over the human's body, rubbing him all over and massaging his back and sides and rear as he pushed further into the kiss. Eddie was so yielding there, letting him take charge...he really wanted this out of Rex, really did want him to show his stuff...this was going to be good.

Finally they pulled away from each other, panting a bit from the length of the kiss. “Your muscles feel so damn good…" Eddie murmured, almost dreamily.

“Heh...there's another part of me that'll feel even better." Rex reached down to Eddie's boxers and started fondling the human's package between his fingers, getting a nice breathy moan from him. The hint was crystal clear, and Eddie was happy to reciprocate; his hands wandered down to the canine's crotch, pressing and rubbing through the fabric against his sheath and balls. Already he was getting excited about what was hiding, he could feel how robust they were, significantly bigger than anything he'd had before...but he'd always had a fantasy about size, John had been good there but Rex was definitely better.

It wasn't long before they wanted more, and again Rex led the way. He lifted Eddie up a bit and tugged down the band of his boxers, drawing them down his legs, his erection popping out quickly, standing full mast and already leaking a bit at the tip. As he shifted the fabric downwards, he rose up a bit, letting Eddie pull down on his boxers, exposing to the air his swollen sheath with the tip of his cock pushing out. Even that little teasing hint was suggesting plenty to Eddie, who was almost salivating at the thought of it…

He kept rubbing at the sheath and the hanging heavy sack underneath, coaxing more of the shep's dick out of his body. His expression was lighting up as he saw it grow, longer and thicker, turning into an absolute beauty of an endowment...he couldn't help but start to lavish attention to it, both hands going to the shaft and starting to rub it up and down, his fingers brushing over the tip every now and then. A light, slightly growling moan escaped Rex's mouth as he felt the touch, so good against his sensitive flesh...it had been a good while since someone other than himself had made contact with it, and now he was wondering why he'd been waiting for so long.

Slowly Eddie began to stroke it more vigorously, getting Rex nice and riled up. He couldn't wrap his full hand around it, needing both to properly encircle the thick canine cock, and he switched off between that and a two-pronged approach where he rubbed the tip and as much of the body as he could at once. It was definitely working for Rex as far as pleasure, as Eddie could quickly tell when he started feeling a moistness in his fingers, the musky precum starting to dribble from the tip all over his hand. He reached his hand back to his face, licking at the precum and shivering a bit at the taste. It slightly reminded him of John, but it was...better, somehow. The flavor different, less harsh...different enough that it wasn't giving him flashbacks, new enough that it didn't inspire the fear in him that he'd worried about.

Rex was enjoying the feeling, but now he was starting to get that feeling deep within him, the desire to take charge, get rougher and take more control...he took hold of Eddie's wrist, pulling it away from his dick, and drawing him up onto the bed properly as he scooted back, until his back hit the bedrest. His legs spread wide, his cock standing full and proud out from the junction. “Take it up a notch…"

No further prompting was needed, Eddie knew exactly what Rex was angling for and it was just what he wanted to do. He crawled forward, up to the point where his head was just about level with the dog's shaft, head spinning a bit at the deep musky scent, one that was turning him on so badly. His hands returned to action, but this time they were joined by his mouth and tongue, licking and sucking over the tip while he worked the body of the dog's dick as before. Here the taste was stronger than ever, heavy and oily, deep and masculine, setting his heart pounding madly.

A hand on the back of his head provided encouragement and force together. He loved it...it made him feel more like Rex was in control, even if he was letting Eddie do most of the work here. He pushed deeper, forcing the tip down into his throat a bit...it had been a while since he'd taken something this deep, but he found himself getting back into the swing of things quickly. Still, Rex was bigger than he had worked with before, and he found himself drooling a bit over the tip, some of his saliva dripping down the length, wiped all over it by his wandering hands.

Rex's breathing was getting heavier, and his growls deeper and more primal. It felt so amazing, Eddie's mouth was very different from any canine's he'd ever had, and he used it very well. And it wasn't just his mouth, either, the human's hands knew what they were doing, working down and rubbing around and under his swelling knot as well, and kneading his balls gently every now and then for a change-up. His free hand gripped the covers tight, and it was all he could do to keep from bucking his hips up into that heavenly mouth...it was proving to be too much, in fact, his control was getting frayed and his orgasm was coming too quickly, it had been too long.

“Rrrgh...that's...close enough…" His hand pulled Eddie back up off his dick, a bit of a slurp from the human's mouth as he was removed, and a touch of drool being left behind to drip off onto the covers. “I don't...want this to end that quickly...not before we get to the best part." He grinned slightly devilishly as he straightened himself up. “Lay down on your back...I think it's high time I returned the favor."

Still light-headed from the heavy dose of canine musk, Eddie was more than compliant. He scooted back and flopped over onto his back, spreading his legs as wide as he could to offer himself to the shep. Soon enough it was Rex leaning over him, his long tongue lapping at his cock and balls, making him moan and cry out in pleasure. He was quite vigorous with his treatment, slurping over every part of him in a single stroke at times, lashing up and down his shaft, all over his sack and his taint, getting it all nice and soaked and feeling so hot. John hadn't ever done it like that, early on in their relationship he'd been more reserved when he gave oral to Eddie, and after school that had pretty much disappeared completely...Rex was so much better in that regard.

And just when he thought it couldn't get better, he felt strong pawl grip his thighs, lifting his legs up and forcing them as wide as they could go. He gasped out loud as Rex's tongue now attacked his asshole, slurping over it, over and over, the hot organ soaking his cleft and making his pucker twitch madly. This was completely new to him, he'd never gotten anything like this! His upper body was twisting and squirming, breathless cries of delight bursting out rapidly from his lungs, fingers clutching at the covers as he tried futilely to get himself under control.

Rex couldn't help but laugh a bit as he started digging his tongue into the tight pucker. He had plenty of practice with this and he'd made numerous partners in the past go nuts with his treatment, but Eddie might've been the most vocal about his response, and it was getting even stronger as he started going inside, lapping at the human's inner walls, getting him nice and wet for the next phase. Deeper and deeper he went, until his nose was poking at Eddie's taint, his tongue slurping so deep in that he was brushing up against the human's prostate, making him cry out even louder and longer.

Finally, he pulled out and let Eddie's legs fall back onto the bed, crawling over the panting human and getting in position, the tip of his cock pushing up against that sopping hole. He was so eager to push in, pound the human and tie with him, pump him full of his seed and mark him properly, erase whatever marks had been left on him by that abusive jerk...not that he could taste much of anything of John on him, he probably hadn't been giving Eddie any of the good kind of attention in a while, either...it was gonna be so good showing him what he could do.

And then he heard, a quiet, breathless sound from Eddie. “W-wait...stop…"

Immediately his heart jumped in fear, and started pulling back. “S-sorry! I...did I go...too far?"

But before he could go too far, he felt Eddie's legs wrap around his hips, keeping him near. The human's eyes were tearing up a bit. “Sorry...I just...I had to...make sure…" How madly he wanted Rex, but...knowing that even on the verge of everything, in the heat of such fierce pleasure, he would listen...it set him at an ease he hadn't had in ages. He just hoped he hadn't offended Rex, or made him think he couldn't be trusted...

But Rex simply nodded in understanding. “Of course...whatever you want. Any time you don't feel right, that'll be the end of it."

“Thank you...I...feel a lot better now."

“You're sure? I can ease up a bit if you're uncomfortable."

Now Eddie shook his head vigorously. “N-no, no...please don't...I...I trust you all the way...so I want to see you just how you like it. Please…"

Rex's grin had returned, now that he was sure Eddie was all right. “I don't know, you caught me awfully off-guard there...I think I need to hear a bit more begging to really give it to you."

“Oh, god...Rex, please...I need your cock so bad, please give it to me, feed my hungry asshole the entire thing, don't hold back on me…"

Rex snickered and suddenly started pushing in, the tip sinking inside Eddie's hole, stretching it out far more than his tongue had. The human let out a loud cry, which was rapidly and unexpectedly silenced - Rex had leaned over and thrust his tongue back into Eddie's mouth, deep and dominating, cutting off the escaping sounds. Eddie's eyes rolled back a bit in pleasure, and he closed them and let the invading tongue weave around, sucking at it a bit as it explored his oral cavity. The thickness in his rear was insane, and growing rapidly as Rex pushed in, relentless in his drive, slowly widening him as the shaft touched deeper and deeper points inside him.

Rex's heart was pounding again, but for a very different reason than just before...now it was all lust and eagerness, nothing even remotely negative about it. Eddie tasted so good, and his rear was so tight, clamping down on him like a vise as he pushed his way in. His body so yielding, accepting of him at either end, so amazingly submissive...it sent the alpha instinct of him into overdrive, and he pushed in harder, the last few inches sinking rather rapidly inside, his knot bumping up against Eddie's rear. Finally his tongue pulled out of the human's mouth, only to get to work licking at his face and neck, slurping up some of the sweat forming on him, enjoying the salty taste. “Rrr...your ass really was hungry for my cock, wasn't it? Taking it all in so greedily...feels so good, too, so tight...can't wait to start giving you a real pounding, break that ass open until my fat bulge locks me in. You want that, don't you?"

“God, yes…" Eddie moaned out pleadingly. “Fuck, Rex...as rough as you can go...I want every bit of it, pound me like your bitch!"

Rex couldn't help but grin wide at the pleading voice...it was so enticing, just asking to be used just the way he wanted. And he was more than ready to oblige. With a sudden motion, he pulled back and then slammed in hard, driving almost the full length of his cock out and in swiftly, making Eddie cry out loud, his fingers clutching the shep's arms. With the ice broken then and there, there was no turning back, Rex put everything he had into fucking Eddie, pounding him as a bitch just as the human wanted. His thick cock speared Eddie's hole over and over, forcing him to stretch and recede repeatedly; it battered his prostate every entry, sending added surges of pleasure through his body.

It got even better when Rex's head dove down, his tongue burrowing into Eddie's mouth once again. He let it happen, giving into Rex fully...with his legs wrapped around the canine's hips and his arms now thrown around his neck, every part of him ceding control of things to his lover, allowing himself to be drilled so hard and fast it made his head spin. His moans were muffled, but getting more frequent and higher-pitched as he felt Rex's tongue push in deeper, starting to move in and out of his mouth, even down a little bit further...it was like he was being taken from both ends at once, another thrill that made him want Rex even more fiercely.

It was everything Rex had doped for and more. Eddie triggered every proper alpha instinct in him, instilling in him the drive, the deep primal need to breed his mate, prove his power and worthiness by showing him just how strong he was. He wasn't holding back anything, driving his cock in up to the swollen knot each time, smacking it against that taut passage over and over, wet slurps and smacks ringing out on each thrust. The taste and the feel of Eddie were all over him, the human's squirming and tensing making everything more intense and wonderful...his grip around him tightened, every bit of his power being worked into him, giving him the wild ride of pleasure that he deserved. And though his tongue fucking Eddie's mouth robbed him temporarily of speech, the moans he was hearing were only telling him to give more, never let up in the slightest. He'd never known if he could go all out on a human, but Eddie was allaying all his fears quite effectively.

The human's passage was getting wetter from the liberal precum being leaked inside, allowing Rex to saw through even faster and harder, raising the heat deep within him and making his sounds more energetic. Rex's growling and moaning were getting louder as well as he felt his body start to tense up, driving him headlong towards the final phase of their coupling. His thrusts were getting less steady on both ends, faster and more chaotic ramming into his rear and wilder pushing of his tongue into the human's mouth and throat. Eddie was getting lost in it all, the overpowering, intoxicating sensations making his head buzz pleasantly...he wished it would never end, but at the same time couldn't wait to feel the height of pleasure, the best feelings he'd had since his early years with John.

But he wasn't ready for what happened next - without warning, Rex pulled away from his mouth, extrating his tongue from inside and freeing Eddie's voice. In the next moment, he lunged for Eddie's shoulder and clamped down, teeth sinking into the skin hard, delivering a sharp pain that was quickly overpowered by the wild thrusting that followed. Eddie cried out in a mix of pain and pleasure as he felt his ass start to get stretched around Rex's knot, the shep driving in with short, quick thrusts that only pulled the knot out before returning, trying to break him open one final time and reach the tie. He couldn't loosen up, he couldn't do much of anything except take the rough ride, and the bite added a completely unexpected dimension, even John hadn't gotten that rough in his most adventurous days! His fingers clutched the ruff of Rex's neck, kneading the skin as he rode out the final rush. Breathlessly he managed to cry out, “Yes! Knot me, you stud!"

Moments later it happened, Rex drove in, forced Eddie down on him, and he felt his hole strain as it accepted the huge knot inside it, snapping shut around the base of the canine cock. The moment it did, Eddie saw stars and shot bullets, his climax rocking him to the core. Heavy shots of cum pasted both of them, firing onto Rex's chest and splattering down onto his own...he had a lot built up from the lack of action over the weeks, and it felt so goddamn good to finally get himself emptied, every pulse was a piece of nirvana that he had been waiting so long for.

And where he was emptied on one hand, he was filled on another. Only a few more quick, short, forceful thrusts later, Rex let out a somewhat muted howl through his mating bite as he too hit his limit, shooting heavy gluts of thick seed into Eddie's bowels. It was so hot and welcome inside his body, a purging of the bad memories and marks from before, the surge felt like it was flushing out the old and marking him anew, making him Rex's just as he wanted so badly. He clenched down and shifted back and forth, trying desperately to milk out as much of Rex's cum as he could, trying to get himself filled up to the brim. He knew it wasn't needed, Rex would be filling him for quite some time, but he was impatient and wanted it all right away.

At least, as long as the energy from his own orgasm lasted. As that started to fade, he felt himself relax a bit, slumping in Rex's arms as exhaustion took back over. Yet, he relished the continued sensation of being filled, loving how long Rex was shooting into him...he could feel a bit of a tension in the area from how full he was of dog cock and cum, the ravages of the rough ride on his now-weary body...nothing could be better.

Rex was regaining control of his own faculties, the tie maintaining his seeding but the overpowering delight retreating again. He opened his jaws, releasing Eddie's shoulder, looking down with concern and worry at the marks...he hadn't broken the skin but there were some deep-looking pits where his teeth had been. He started licking at them, trying to soothe them. “I'm so sorry...I didn't…I don't usually do that. I didn't want to hurt you, I didn't want to go that far…"

But Eddie only stroked his head and smiled at him. “It was...fine, Rex...it was really good, it felt...weird, but kinda nice. Everything about this...was just amazing...you made it so wonderfully rough…"

That didn't fully relieve Rex, but he nodded, accepting Eddie's feelings. He kept licking at the marks as he turned over, settling the two of them on their sides on the bed in a more comfortable position. He knew from experience that his knot tended to last a good while, Eddie wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon...not that he wanted him to. Slowly he removed himself from the human's shoulder and returned to his mouth, diving back into another deep kiss that Eddie returned with more vigor than before.

Eddie wasn't cured, Rex knew this, he needed more than just this...therapy, more attention, a stronger social circle, these would all be vital to him getting where he needed to be, a better place in his life. But he truly hoped and felt that he could be a part of this, and he wanted to be. He pulled back from the kiss finally, smiling over at Eddie. “I love you so much, Eddie...I'll do everything I can to help you."

Eddie felt his heart leap up a bit. It was very quick, maybe, but...it had been so long since he'd heard those words, and he hadn't even realized how much he needed to hear them from someone. Trying to keep from tearing up, he held Rex tighter. “Thank you, so much...I love you too, Rex, so much…"

Rex's tail wagged a bit, thumping a couple times on the bed. He wrapped himself tight around Eddie, feeling the human's limbs cling to him needingly, and the two of them fell off into blissful slumber, as close as they could possibly be in every way.