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X-MEN: Outcasts Chapter 2 - Guardian

Written by Leo_Todrius and Kybal_Lutra

Hot breath turned to mist in the cold air, exhaled from lungs working very hard at their job. Violet eyes darted frantically from side to side, looking for the danger narrowly escaped moments before. Pristine, elegant bare feet splashed through puddles of dirty stormwater, sending droplets of faintly muddy murk splashing across hairless legs where fractals of metallic green and blue spiraled up in an intricate pattern, coming together at the base of the young man's spine before fanning out as the support for the large translucent fairy like wings.

The twenty-two-year-old rounded a corner, pressing against the rough red brick, his purple lips pursed with breath. Even the space around his eyes had mutated with the blue and green scales, like a cross between a peacock and a fairy of old. He was lithe, fit, practically angelic. Only the gash down his right pectoral marred his picturesque form, dark red blood oozing from the wound as his feet pounded against the pavement. He'd been chased out of his night club by some kind of hunters, and they had been relentless in their pursuit.

He'd only caught a few glimpses of them as they trailed close behind him. As far as he could tell, there were four of them, all completely clad in sleek black uniforms and carrying what looked like tranquilizer guns in their hands. He'd heard rumors of mutants being hunted down in the city before, and that's all he'd ever taken them for. But now that he was the one being chased, he felt like a fool for not believing them sooner.

Boots scraped against pavement behind him and he knew that they were close. The building ahead of him was boarded up and slightly lopsided, looking like it had been abandoned for quite some time. Broken glass was littered around a few of the windows and one of the boards had been pulled back enough for someone to possibly squeeze through. With a breath, the mutant ran his fingers through his reddish brown hair before he darted forward.

For an instant his lithe frame seemed to glow and glimmer before he passed through the tight opening, but even his abilities had not protected him from everything. He let out a soft yelp as a shard of sharp glass sliced into his side, unleashing another trickle of blood from the fresh wound.

The pursuing hunters stopped abruptly in front of the weathered brick building, waiting ominously as they decided exactly how to proceed. Their target had been more evasive than any of the others they'd captured so far, but once their scanners had locked onto his mutant signature, they knew it was only a matter of time. Fanning out silently, the men took positions on both sides of the building, preparing to breach the flimsy panels that covered the broken window frames along the thick, crumbling brick walls. Taking two small, metallic objects from their belts, both teams placed them on the wooden patchwork crisscrossing the window frames in front of them, then moved quickly against the far wall. The silent alleyway suddenly boomed with noise as the wooden slats violently exploded inward, showering chips of wood and glass and metal shards into the lower level of the building.

Inside, the fairy covered himself with his wings, but the majestic translucent material was no match for the shrapnel raining down on him. He fell to his knees, crying out as gashes cut through and peppered his back. A silver mercury tear leaked from the corner of his eye as he fell onto the cement, panting and whimpering, too spent to run any more. He lay there, feeling hot and cold at the same time, bleeding from his chest and ribs and back.

"Mutant... and proud..." He whispered, closing his eyes, waiting for the monsters to come take him. The glowing green dots of laser markers came sweeping in across the warehouse along with muffled footfalls. Members of the strike team were closing in.

Four figures appeared around the mutant through the thick butt of dust in the basement, weapons drawn and bodies ready for a fight as they approached. One of them removed a small device from his belt as he walked up to the trembling body that was laying on the floor before him. The device gave a soft beep and then sent out a quick pulse of pearlescent energy and light as it scanned the mutant, logging his signature inside it's advanced hardware. Seemingly satisfied, the black-clad figure put the device away and slung his tranquilizer rifle off of his shoulder, unlocking the safety and raising it up to aim at the young man in front of him.

"Mutant... and proud." The exotic fae muttered with more gusto, breathing harder, trying to force himself up from where he'd collapsed. His colored nails pressed against the cement as he strained.

"Don't care about the propaganda kid, just what you can do for the people who hired us. Maybe someone out there wants your fairy dust." One of the troops smirked before firing, the air whistling as the tranq dart was released. Puck had braced himself for the hit, but when it never came he slowly opened his eyes, his pointed ears listening to the air around him for any clue as to what had happened.

"What the hell? Did you really just miss from that close?" one of them asked, tightening his grip on the rifle he held.

"Oh, he didn't miss, boys." came a deep baritone voice from the darkness, "He just had a little help from me."

Suddenly, one of the troopers collapsed to the ground, convulsing and twitching as the dart that had suddenly embedded itself in his neck released a highly effective anesthetic agent into his system. Before the other three could even so much as gasp, a shadow passed between them in a blur, and a whip-like tail wrapped itself around one of their necks, tightening like a vice and then launching the human across the room, his flailing body slamming hard into the crumbling brick wall with a bone-breaking crunch. He didn't get up. The remaining two humans turned frantically, rifles shaking in their hands and they searched for their mysterious assailant.

"Now boys, you should know by now that I don't like bullies." came the voice once more, it's tone now more joking and coy, "So I'm gonna give you guys a chance. Just one chance. Leave this city, and never come back. I promise that a lot less of your bones will be broken if you just say yes." The men quivered in fear and doubt, testing their wits against their company loyalty. They dropped their weapons and turned, fleeing out of the warehouse, leaving their compatriots and attacker in mutual silence. The mutant fae slowly got up and brushed himself off with shaking hands, wincing as his fingers traced over the wounds to his ribs. His lilac colored eyes surveyed the surroundings, trying to figure out where his savior had been or how he'd pulled it off.

"Is there any way for me to thank my hero?" he asked curiously.

"Believe me, you don't ever have to thank me for taking care of those assholes." replied the voice from the darkness, and this time it came from directly in front of the the shaking mutant. "I was just helping out someone who needed it."

Slowly, a form emerged from the shadows. The mutant--for it could only be a mutant--was around six and a half feet tall and had thick, a mix of black fur and body hair which covered most of his rippling upper torso as he walked forward, his large muscles undulating beneath his pelt. His legs were digitigrade and also covered in fur, and he had large black hooves which moved silently over the hard, cracked cement beneath him. Two large, thick horns curled around the sides of his head and his shaggy black hair fell down his brow slightly, leading to two startlingly deep blue eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness. A long tail swayed and twitched behind him, devoid of fur and tipped with a spade like a demon. The large mutant smiled down at the other one, showing off a row of sharp white fangs that almost glinted in the dark room, his thick, long beard making them stand out even more.

"My name is Fane, by the way." he said, extending his hand towards the smaller mutant in front of him. The fae offered his hand in a fluid, almost effeminate gesture.

"Puck... and my, aren't you the delicious looking one... If I didn't feel so suddenly dizzy, I'd give you quite the reward." the fae smirked, even as his shirt stained brighter red. His bleeding had only intensified after jumping through the debris and getting cut up.

"I believe you would, and I'd love to take you up on that offer at a later date, but right now, we really gotta get you fixed up. You've lost a lot of blood and your body could go into shock." Fane said quickly, rushing forward and effortlessly picking Puck up off the floor, cradling the winged mutant in his massive, furry arms as he headed quickly for the closest window, bright moonlight streaming through the shattered opening. Puck murmured softly, smiling as his eyes slipped shut.

"Now, isn't this romantic... Dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight." Puck whispered, "If only... you had seen me dance." he murmured sleepily. It seemed he had used up most of his energy during the chase, especially during his last act of spite. It would take a miracle to make him well again, but thankfully there was one place in town where one could find a walking miracle maker.

Fane rushed forward through the opening, his grip tightening around the fae in his arms as he launched himself forward, hooves now cracking sharply against the pavement as he ran faster than any human could dream of.

"Just hold on, kid. Hold on." he whispered, the cool night air rushing over his face as he disappeared into the darkness. All the while, the fae leaned into his broad chest, smelling his scent and feeling the heat of the demon's body.

****

Growing up, Ari had been aware of some of the mutants in San Angelas, but he'd lived a sheltered life. The nicer neighborhoods tended to be more removed from what his parents considered to be the detritus of society... But it wasn't that way downtown. Sirens blared as cop cars sped down the streets, blending into hoots and hollers and screams. It was the sound of the urban jungle and it was becoming Animal's every day. Hs toe claws slowly etched into the brick molding along the edge of the rooftop he had perched on. His trench coat pooled around his ankles as he crouched, peering over the edge. His yellow eyes watched people coming and going, minding their own business and trying to stay out of each other's ways. It felt like that alone, the people watching, hadn't changed when the rest of his life did.

The warm wind picked up, blowing against Animal's thick blondish sideburns, ruffling his long Viking-like hair. He sniffed at the air, snarling a bit with intrigue as he looked down. There was a different scent, a musky, spiced scent with hints of cinnamon and peat. It was a scent he'd associated with a rather distinctive young man. Sure enough, Animal spotted him on the corner.

San Angelas was home to many that aspired to follow the punk aesthetic, but this particular punk was unique. His eight-inch-tall mohawk wasn't made of hair, but instead several rows of porcupine like quills that were black at the roots and copper at the tips. Lines of the spines ran down his chin as well, complimenting the large copper gauges in his stretched out lobes. Even his vest was lined with tall silver spikes, brushing against his cinnamon colored skin. The young man's arms were covered with artwork, the tattoos intricate. While most were tribal swirls and shapes locking together into sleeves, there were a few symbols mixed in for good measure.

The porcupine punk had stopped on the street corner, glancing both ways before he unzipped his cargo shorts and let himself go. An acrid yellow stream of piss splashed against the wall before dribbling down onto the street. Animal snarled a bit in recognition. Marking one's territory was a more noble purpose than just being careless where one was wasteful, but Animal had other purposes in mind. As the porcupine punk started to move again, Animal rose to his powerful beast like legs. He picked up speed and then leapt from one rooftop to the next, keeping up with his quarry.

So far Animal had been surviving off the land, making use of what humans threw away, but he wanted something more. He didn't want to just survive, he wanted to thrive in this new world. He wanted to live up to his new species - homo-superior. The porcupine punk made his way deeper into the seedy underbelly of downtown. The air grew more acrid with the smell of booze, drugs, run down cars and run down society... But something in that was oddly comforting to Animal. If the humans were scared enough to stay away from this neighborhood, there might be a chance he wouldn't have to stick to the shadows quite so tightly.

After almost a half an hour of chasing down the half sober mutant, Animal bore his fangs in triumph as the punk came up to an old warehouse. He knocked on the door twice, paused, and then knocked once more. A slit in the door opened and someone looked out, but after just a moment the door opened. The punk disappeared inside, leaving the street quiet once more.

Animal's heart was racing. Was he considering just going down there without more research? What if it wasn't anything to do with his kind? What if it was some puppy smuggling ring, or some den of thieves that wouldn't take kindly to his intrusion? But if it was a den of thieves, maybe they could use his brute strength... But did he want to work with a den of thieves? There wasn't even any indication that it was. Animal's eyes snapped shut and he let out an irritated roar, reaching a clawed hand up to his forehead.

It wasn't so much that the cavalcade of thoughts had overwhelmed him. It was that Animal's emotions were tied so much more closely with his physiology. What he felt, he felt passionately. If it was pleasure, it was mind numbing. If it was anxiety, it was crippling. The hormones involved were giving him a rocky road to be sure, but he still had to find a way to live with it. Animal moved and jumped down onto a fire escape, then jumped the rest of the way down to the street. He straightened himself back up, dusted off his leather trench coat and moved over to the door.

Two knocks from the burly, hairy hand were followed by a pause, then one more knock. The slit in the door slid open and two green gecko eyes peered out, looking at a worn gray shirt covering a navel. The gecko eyes slowly peered up, looking directly at Animal's face. Animal looked down and snarled, showing his fangs.

The heavy metal door clicked and swung open, letting a flood of fast tempo music pour out. Animal hesitated a moment before he stepped in, the door shutting behind him. What he had found himself entering seemed to be some sort of bar - or rather a social club? There certainly was a bar atmosphere. The lights were dim, most of which came from the bar itself off in the far corner, but in addition to tables strewn about with plenty of chairs, there were poster boards lined with various job listings and musical events coming up. There were dart boards, televisions, even a modest bookshelf with a few selected works... But most importantly there were dozens and dozens of mutants.

Animal stood in the midst of the crowd, easily towering over most of them by a foot. There were men and women of all description, eating and talking, some dancing, some blatantly humping each other in the corner. One older man was playing darts with telekinesis, the porcupine punk was already getting served beers at the bar, there were two identical twins sitting in a private booth at the back. Animal slowly started to smile, feeling like he finally wasn't on the run for the first time since he left his high school.

"Hey there big fella, why not take your coat off, stay awhile?" The voice was kindly, melodic, and seemed to be coming from everywhere. Animal looked around, seeing no one talking to him specifically. He snarled a bit in confusion. It was then that the bartender waved him over. The bartender seemed to be around thirty with milk chocolate toned skin and sandy blond hair worked up into a ponytail made of dreadlocks. A gold ring glinted from his left nostril. Placid brown eyes regarded Animal and a smile danced across his lips. Animal tilted his head and the bartender chuckled.

"Yes it was me." came the response, but not from the bartender's lips. Animal suddenly understood and then smirked a bit. A mind reader made a perfect bartender when it came to picking out the right drink or knowing when someone had had too much, but it seemed like when people wanted to talk to get their problems off their chest it could be awfully redundant. Again the bartender chuckled and nodded, "Yes, it is."

"Do you have to go through that with everyone?" Animal asked, though he startled himself. He hadn't spoken much and his voice was... amazing. It was deep, resounding, and felt like it had enough bass to it to make pebbles vibrate on the ground as he spoke.

"I don't just call out to anyone." The bartender grinned, "I wanted to be the first one to welcome you to this place." he replied. His spoken voice was just as melodic, though there was a hint more of south African in his accent than the thoughts he had broadcast.

"What is this place?" Animal asked, sitting down on one of the stools that groaned slightly under the wait. The bartender grabbed a glass and started polishing it up in preparation for the drink to be served.

"It's a place to unwind, to fuck, to fight, to party. It's a place where you can find what you need. Most of the kids call it Gangster's Paradise." The bartender smirked, "Now, what will you have?" he asked. Animal snarled a bit in discomfort.

"I'm not... old enough to drink." He muttered. The bartender chuckled even louder at that.

"Age is relative, my friend... And you think I didn't know how old you were when you came in here?" he asked, looking Animal over, "I'll start you off with something easy... A nice apple whisky." he said before he grabbed a bottle and popped the top. Animal's shoulders slumped and he seemed to hunch forward.

"I don't have any money." he muttered. The bartender nodded, pouring the drink.

"I know that too. That's why you're just getting one of these for now - well, that and your age, but this place is supposed to be welcoming to all mutants in need. Today it might just be this drink. Tomorrow it could be a job, or something else. Things will work out my friend." the bartender smiled. Animal looked up at him carefully.

"You know all this... You can read people's minds and you're still this optimistic? I don't even know your name." Animal replied. The bartender smiled again, nodding as he pushed the drink over to Animal.

"The name's Ulix. And I'm optimistic because I can see into people's minds... I can see there's still good in this race, at least a little. Where there is hope, there is the chance for evolution." Ulix replied. Animal said nothing at that, though there was a faint smile between his mustachioed lip. Maybe there was a way to survive out there, and he wasn't just going to rot away and die in his man cave... at least not before it was finished.

****

The back room of the Gangster's Paradise left behind the facade of a bar, seeming almost like a spa of sorts. There was even a miniature sand garden where the rocks had been placed and little ripples were traced through it. Rice paper barriers segmented off small sections, and Puck had been laid out on one of the many tables. He looked quite different now that he was stripped of his clothing, his bloodied body cleaned up. The metallic scaling that spiraled up from his little toes to his hips and then to his wings which had gained some of their luster back, as had the bit of color at the edge of his eyes. His wings still looked a bit flat, almost deflated, but he was resting comfortably.

A lithe, slim human male with long chestnut brown hair was standing by Puck's bedside, looking down at his patient. His long white jacket seemed to blend with the aesthetic of the back room. He looked at Puck's ribs, massaging just a bit more oil onto the flesh, watching it continue to heal before he looked up at his newest visitor.

"You're lucky you got to him when you did, Fane. It was close this time." The man said gently, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Too close. I shouldn't have let them get as far as they did tonight. They could've gotten him, Elan." the tall, furry mutant paced around the table and stopped suddenly, stomping a hoof down in anger and balling his fingers into fists, "This has to stop. I have to find these bastards and end them once and for all."

"If it was that easy, others would have beaten you to it... I've put out bounties on their teams, we've taken out half a dozen, but they keep coming. Worst of all, we can't track them back to their source. But, every time we put them down, it's usually four days before we see any more. My advice? Take a load off, you've been working damned hard. The club is at your disposal." Elan replied. Fane sighed as he leaned his head back and cracked his neck, reaching up and scratching the skin around one of his horns absentmindedly.

"Yeah, we've got some time. I just... this can't keep happening. We need an edge over these guys somehow, and I'm gonna find it." He walked up to the table and placed one of his large hands on Puck's slim shoulder, his blackened fingernails curling lightly against the mutant's pale skin. "You'll make it, kid. And then you and I are gonna have one hell of a dance."

Fane let go of the smaller mutant and turned towards the entrance to the bar. He quickly walked over and placed a hand on the large, metallic door and yanked it open, the sounds of music and clinking glasses and muffled conversations suddenly flooding into the smaller room.

"Take care of him, Elan. And... thanks for everything."

"Not a problem. Now remember to treat yourself." Elan called after Fane as the door eased shut once more, leaving the demonic mutant in the heat of the bar. He strode forward and found himself under flashing lights and booming music. A few other patrons glanced over at him in recognition, and he nodded curtly before spotting Ulix behind the bar. He made his way over to the psychic and smiled as he saw the man was already getting the glasses for the drinks he hadn't ordered yet. With a sigh, Fane sat himself down in his usual chair and stretched his thick legs out in front of him, letting himself relax for the first time that night.

"Ulix, you truly know the way to a man's heart. Or at least mine." he said with a grin as the bartender finished pouring three shots of Fireball Whisky. The demonic mutant reached down and grabbed two of the small glasses and quickly downed them both, one after the other, the copper-red liquid tingling slightly as it went down his throat. Ulix went about making more drinks for other customers, picking up orders before the waiters even returned with them. He operated the floor with a precision that was a credit to his kind... but one thing he couldn't control were the patrons.

A sudden wave of potent scent washed over Fane, smelling of musk and pheromones, hormones and heat. It was a wild scent, an animalistic scent that stirred the deepest instincts of the demon's heart... but as quickly as it had come, it was gone again, dispersed by the moving bodies. It seemed the more humanoid mutants on the dance floor hadn't even noticed it in the first place. Fane's eyes dilated in response to the tantalizing scent, and a tingling sensation ran over his furry skin as he sniffed again and again, desperately trying to find it amongst the myriad of other smells that were floating around him.

"Ulix, can you smell that? It's amazing..." Fane practically purred out with desire. Ulix chuckled at that, wiping his brow.

"I couldn't until you thought about it that hard... If I had to wager, it'd be the new kid over there." Ulix said, gesturing to a particularly dense throng of patrons in the corner. There were men and women of all shapes and sizes, though none seemed to really fit the term 'kid'.

Fane turned and looked behind him at gathered group of mutants across the way. As he shifted in his seat, he caught a whiff of that scent again, and his senses were screaming out at him to find it's source. Ulix smiled his knowing grin as he took back the first shot glass Fane had used. The cloth dipped in and swirled around, wiping away the excess drink.

"Just uh--put it on my tab, Ulix. I gotta see who this new kid is and why he's driving me crazy right now." Fane said as he grabbed his last shot and threw it back, letting the tingling liquid coat his throat and fill his belly with warmth. He set the glass back down on the bar and got up from his seat, sniffing a few times and finally catching the scent again. He grinned as he followed it, letting the spicy, musky smell lead him towards its source.

The dancers seemed to naturally part in front of Fane like water breaking on rocks. His size gave him a wide berth, but most of the patrons knew him well enough not to mind and they crashed back together behind him. He was like an eddie in the current, drifting along, swirling under his own power. As he moved the scent got more potent, more heady, swirling around him, ensnaring him.

Once the last of the dancers had parted, he had a much clearer view of what was in front of him. A few other mutants had gathered together in the corner and were playing a game of what looked like strip poker, with several of them already achingly close to being fully naked. The 'loser' was one of the club's regulars, the punk with the copper tipped porcupine quills. He was down to just a well-worn pair of boxers and a bandanna tied around his arm. The tattoo sleeves were on full display, as well as the piercings on his nipples.

His competitors weren't too far behind, including a purple skinned woman, an aged but rather fit four armed man, and a native American man in his late twenties. The smell, however, still wasn't coming from the table, but rather something else nearby. Fane turned slowly, his nose pointing him towards where the scent was emanating from. His blue eyes landed on a massive figure sitting several feet away from the corner of the room, but the light from the dance floor only just illuminated the other mutant. Fane moved forward to get a better view, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

Animal had relaxed a bit since he had come to the bar. Ulix's one drink had been a good start, but there was something oddly calming about being among his own kind... But a spontaneous game of strip poker, starring the punk that he had been chasing all across town? Animal couldn't have felt luckier. Seeing more and more of his body exposed had pushed Animal toward the edge. His ragged pants were straining against his immense member trying to get out, and thick saliva clung to his sharp fangs. The young man was practically in heat, radiating his needs, people watching as he had done since his urges had first started to awaken.

Fane's mind was swimming in the arousing, musky, completely wild scent that was practically flowing off of the massive mutant in front of him. The thick, golden fur running over his body looked incredible up close, and the huge slabs of muscles he managed to see under the heavy trench coat that other mutant was wearing made his mouth water. He managed to contain himself enough to sit down opposite the huge animal man, and then he spoke.

"So do you...come here often?" Fane said with a forced grin, hoping his bad introduction wouldn't ruin his chances too much. It was hard to even think straight as he sat so close to the other mutant, and he felt his sheath stirring and his cock thickening with each passing second. Animal had been mildly alarmed when someone took the seat across from him, blocking his view of the game, but his jaw dropped as he took Fane in. That beard, those horns, that chest... This demon was the biggest man Animal had ever seen, and the first person to come even close to his size. It took him an even longer moment to register that he had even been spoken to.

"Uh, it's my first time... Everything's so new." Animal muttered. Truer words had never been spoken. Fane smiled widely, finding the voice of the other mutant incredibly alluring. It was a deep bass, with a hint of a growl in the back of his throat. His cock spasmed in his now extremely tight compression shorts, and Fane had to take a breath to steady himself, his tail flicking back and forth uncontrollably behind him.

"No wonder I hadn't seen you around here before. Well, first thing's first. Let me introduce myself. I'm Fane." he said as he leaned forward in his chair and extended his arm out to the other mutant. Animal reached out, grabbing Fane by the forearm so they made an arm lock instead of a mere handshake.

"I'm Ar-" he froze, looking panicked for a split second before he calmed himself, "You can call me Animal." he corrected, looking into the demon's blue eyes, then looking at his impressive beard. It was as if this mutant was everything he ever dreamed of times ten.

Fane shivered in delight as Animal grasped his arm. He could feel the power in his muscles as the clenched tightly around his, and responded in kind, gripping Animal's massive arm and running his black fingernails through the soft, wiry fur that grew out of the thick skin. There was something special about this mutant, something his body was telling him that he hadn't ever felt before.

"Animal. Very fitting." Fane said, still leaning forward and now rubbing his hand along the other mutant's arm. "I've gotta say, you have the most incredible scent. I could smell you across the room, actually. It's...breathtaking."

"Really? You don't mind it? I mean, I've been on my own for a while now..." Animal murmured. Despite his size and immense strength, it was becoming more apparent what Ulix meant about the new kid. There was a vulnerability to him, an innocence beneath that bearded, bestial face that belied just how inexperienced he really was.

"I don't mind it at all. In fact, I can't seem to get enough of it... but hold on. You said you've been on your own. Where have you been staying? How did you get here?" Fane asked, concern suddenly painted across his features. How could this amazing mutant be all alone? What had happened to him? Maybe he needed his help, just like Fane had needed help so many years ago....

"I've got myself a man cave of sorts, a place to hide away. Nothing special, but it keeps me safe at night." Animal replied, feeling a bit embarrassed, "But tell me about you. You are amazing, really amazing." Animal replied, still not letting go of Fane's arm.

Fane noticed how quickly Animal had switched topics, and he knew from personal experience that that wasn't a good sign. "He must be living on the streets somewhere.", he thought to himself, "That won't do at all."

"Oh, little ol' me?" Fane replied out loud, smirking as he continued, "I've been in San Angelas a few months. I mostly travel around the U.S. doing, uh, well, I guess you could call it contract work of sorts. But let's not get into the right now. Right now, I'd much rather get into something a lot more...pleasurable, wouldn't you agree?"

"Pleasurable? I find this really nice, but what do you have in mind?" Animal asked nervously. He felt like he was fumbling, stumbling in the dark, trying to keep the banter going. His heart was racing. This was faster and farther than anything he'd managed before. Even with Landon they had gotten to the meat and potatoes of it pretty quickly.

Fane sensed the kid's hesitation and he quickly shifted gears a bit, "Well, I don't wanna do anything you're not comfortable with. If you wanna keep talking, let's talk. But if you don't mind, could we go somewhere more private? The music is killing my ears."

"I'll go anywhere with you." Animal murmured, sounding dreamier than he had intended, but the grin on his face was genuine. He hoped he hadn't shot his chances in the foot, but going somewhere more quiet could only help their situation. Animal rose to his powerful paws, pulling Fane up with him. It was a feat of physical prowess that few had managed.

"Whoa, big guy. I guess those muscles aren't just for show, huh?" Fane said, flashing his fanged teeth in a wide smile. He glanced over across the dance floor and found Ulix staring at him from behind the bar, shaking his head slightly with a knowing grin.

"Try room 3, should be perfect." Ulix's melodic voice drifted into Fane's head.

Fane nodded and turned back towards Animal, wrapping an arm around the massive mutant's bulging, furry shoulders. "Follow me." he said with a wink, leading the two of them towards the back of the room where the private suites were. He could feel Animal's rapid pulse as it coursed through his body, causing Fane to slowly rub his hand through the other mutant's furry hide, trying to calm him down a bit as they approached a door labeled with a golden number three.

Animal wasn't sure if one drink was enough to make him feel funny, especially with his new metabolism, but he looked at Fane's ear and beard, his neck and horns and shoulders, feeling like he was on butt nine. It was scary and intoxicating, thrilling and terrifying. It almost made the experience with Landon feel paltry in comparison. The social morays of the adult world had no place here, and Animal was pretty sure he liked it that way.

Fane reached and twisted the knob on the door, pushing it open and unwrapping his arm from Animal's shoulders as he gestured for him to enter. "After you, Animal." he said with a gentle smile, hoping the kid wouldn't think he was moving things forward to quickly, although the scent wafting off of his furry body was telling him otherwise.

Animal moved in, feeling a bit of relief at getting away from the big crowd, but he turned to face Fane before even getting a good look at the decor. Fane was everything he'd wanted in a man, and more. Without permission, he reached out, dipping his clawed fingers into the demon's dark beard, feeling how thick it was, stroking gently through it.

Fane moaned into Animal's touch, loving how his claws made their way over his beard, parting the hairs around the dark, sharp nails and trailing them along his skin. He felt his dick throb once again in his shorts, and a wet spot was quickly forming on the stretched fabric, letting his own musky, almost cinnamon-like scent of arousal start to float around the two of them. Fane wrapped his thick arms around Animal's massive torso and pulled them closer together, nuzzling into the slightly taller mutant.

"I haven't felt like this in a long time. You're... there's something special about you, Animal." he said softly, trailing his lips over the massive beard that was covering the mutant's face, breathing in the subtle smells that had collected underneath the scruff. He looked up at Animal and saw his bright, beautifully golden eyes staring back at him.

"I don't know about that... but there's one thing I do know; I want to kiss you." Animal replied in a deep, gravelly growl before he grabbed the back of Fane's head and held it in place as he leaned in. Their lips met, their rough beards meshing in a tactile escapade. A strong, thick tongue forced its way into the demon's mouth, gliding over the sharp fangs inside. Animal deepened the kiss more and more until he pushed Fane back against the door, pinning him, trapping him with his big, furry body. Fane soon felt something very hot, very firm, and rather moist pressing against his stomach, straining against pre- soaked pants.

He pulled back from Animal's onslaught, but not before he snaked his own tongue out and licked across the wide, wet nose of the other mutant. He grinned up at the bestial face in front of him, taking in every single detail and committing them to memory. He searched Animal's face for any hesitation, any uncertainty. Finding none, he leaned in close and whispered into his pointed, furry ear.

"So much for just talking. What d'you say we have some fun?" The demonic mutant said with a grin before he ground his hips against Animal's, rubbing his aching, still trapped cock against the other man's crotch, drawing a sharp moan from them both at the rush of pleasure that ran through their bodies. A deep, pulsating purr came from Animal's throat.

"Show me what you got my demon dude." Animal whispered, leaning in to graze his sharp fangs over Fane's thick horn, the sensation sinking into the demon's skull. He moaned low as Animal teased his curled horns, and he shuddered just thinking about what he had in store for the kid. Reaching down carefully, he pulled his now pre-soaked compression shorts down his legs, letting his massive cock spring out of its confined space. He gasped as the cool air of the room rushed over the sensitive, mottled skin of his shaft, and he gazed down to look at it throb and pulse along with his heart beat, a river of pre already pouring out of the flared tip. His black sheath was pulled back entirely, putting all twelve impressive inches of his horse cock on display for Animal to see.

Hot breaths were blasting from Animal's lips, his beard soaked with thick saliva. His feline eyes had started to dilate, growing blacker and blacker as his claws practically tore at his pants. He shrugged off his coat, letting it fall to the ground before his tattered pants followed after. A huge, wet, glistening eighteen-inch canine cock slapped into Fane's stomach, flinging glue like, yellowed pre up across his lower stomach. It felt almost searingly hot against Fane's horse meat, but the pre that it was secreting was the most amazing, tingling, slicky-yet-sticky goo he had ever felt in his life. The source of the earlier scent had been revealed, flooding the room with the most primal smells of sex, masculinity, and mindless rutting. It was the scent of pure sex released all at once.

As if surrendering to auto pilot once more, Animal dropped to his knees. His clawed hands slipped up, curling around the fat, veined, mottled horse cock extending from the demon's groin. Animal drooled a bit as he felt how big and long it was. It felt even more taboo for it to be so inhuman, but that made it all the more sinfully sweet. Animal leaned in, licking around the base of the flattened head, feeling its girth and its texture before he slurped toward the center of that sweet pre.

Stars shot out in Fane's vision, the pleasure from Animal's rough, slick tongue as it wrapped around his massive cock driving him crazy. He moaned loudly and stomped a hoof against the floor, his tail whipping back and forth in a frenzy as he felt Animal's warm mouth start to bob down his shaft, thick saliva coating the pulsing length and bringing his pleasure to even greater heights.

"Holy shit, dude!" Fane exclaimed loudly as Animal continued to slurp and bob around his horsecock, "Have you done this before? Because you're driving me--ahh!--insane!"

"The last time I-" Animal plunged his mouth back around the mottled dick for a few good slurps before popping back off, "-did this, I turned into what I am..." Animal grunted, taking the cock deep again, teasing the plump urethra before he went even deeper. At the back of his mind there was a delightful fear that engaging in it again would push his mutation even further, but the sex was so good, how could he say no?

"Oh fuck, that's amazing." Fane moaned out as he gently thrust into Animal's eager mouth, overcome with the warm, wet, and oddly rough sensation of the other mutant's tongue against the skin of his cock. "But you--nggh!--you were sucking some random guy off when you--hahh!--transformed?"

"I was just a pipsqueak, first chance to give in to my lusts... Turned into this." Animal replied before he plunged down, taking in so much horse meat that it hit the back of his throat and slid effortlessly down his esophagus. The tight passage began to massage and wriggle around the shaft on its own as Animal's blond beard tickled against the sides of Fane's dark bush of crotch fur. Clawed hands slid back up again, latching onto the demon's nipples, tugging and teasing the flesh with every ounce of focus that the bigger mutant could maintain.

Fane's eyes rolled up into his head as he was overcome with pleasure. He stomped his hoof again, feeling his tail flicking and twitching over his ass as he shuddered while Animal played with his nipples, his cock shoved impossibly far down the other mutant's massage-like throat. It'd been some time since someone had made him feel this good, and he knew he wasn't going to last much longer if Animal kept up his pace. But at this point, he didn't care. His hands latched onto the bigger mutant's head, tangling in his soft, bushy mane and his hips snapped forward in a swift thrust as he began to lose control of himself, instinct taking over completely.

A deep, reverberating growl vibrated up through the length of Fane's thick meat all the way to his prostate, stimulating the sensitive organ. As big and dangerous as Animal was, it seemed he had an instinct for really good sex. The air was so thick with pheromones it was practically beading up on the walls in masculine humidity.

Fane let out a low, loud moan as Animal's growl sent waves of pleasure along his impressive horsecock, and his hips snapped back and forth now in a desperate attempt to shove more of himself down the eager throat in front of him. Feeling his massive balls starting to churn with his seed, and knowing that he couldn't hold himself in much longer, Fane rammed his hips hard into Animal's muzzle again and again as he reached his tipping point. Finally, he shoved himself in one last time, his thick, flared cockhead shooting a torrent of cum down Animal's waiting throat.

Animal gulped down at the seed greedily, feeling the hot and thick, life granting goo coat every inch of his insides before spilling into his stomach. It was incredibly fulfilling, though to his credit he had held on to his own orgasm better than last time... but somewhere deep down he felt that strange, alien tingling in his body. It was just a tiny glimmer of what he'd felt before, but his muscles seemed to swell just a little more, and the blond hair dropping down from his cheeks and jaw line descended another few centimeters before coming to a stop once more.

After what seemed like a mind blowing eternity on such a sensitive rod, Animal finally pulled off and used his feline, rough tongue to clean every last drop of seed off of Fane's mighty member.

Still reeling from one of the most intense orgasms he'd ever experienced, Fane shuddered and moaned as Animal ran his rough tongue over his ultra-sensitive organ, the mutant seemingly obsessed with getting as much of his cum down his throat as possible. Once Animal had finished licking his gently leaking tip, Fane managed to collect himself long enough to focus on thinking of something to say. He found Animal's piercing yellow eyes as they looked up to his own, eagerly waiting for him to speak.

"That was... I can't believe that was only your second time doing that." Fane said, still breathing hard from his release. "You've got incredible instincts. I mean... seriously, that was pretty mindblowing, man."

"Hopefully it'll be the same for my third and fourth time too." Animal said, slowly standing back up, looking at the demon man once more, "I'm so glad I found this place."

"I'm glad you found it too." Fane said softly, reaching his arms around Animal's thick neck and pulling the other mutant towards him, their mouths crashing together once more in a heated, tongue-diving kiss. He could taste himself on Animal's delicious tongue, and he thrust his own deep into his new friend's muzzle, letting it slather and brush against the rough, wet surface of the bigger mutant's organ.

Animal murmured and shuddered into the kiss, his heart racing. This was something he hadn't accomplished with his last lover, a post orgasmic kiss... There was a bond there, a connection, an anchor. It excited him and it made Animal's canine member start to pulse even more vigorously as the base got puffy, bloating outward a little.

Feeling a surging, wet heat against his furry leg, Fane broke away from the kiss, glancing down and marveling at Animal's leaking and utterly massive member as it throbbed and grew out of his furry sheath. Glancing back up at Animal, Fane bit his bottom lip and cocked an eyebrow as his tail started to thrash around behind him like a whip.

"Jesus, man. You're absolutely huge." the demon said in wonder, smiling up at Animal, who blushed a bit beneath his thick beard.

"Well, I mean it takes two paws to get around it... But that's okay. I'll keep giving you the best blow jobs I can if you don't mind me staying around." Animal muttered innocently.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up a second. Of course I want you to stay around." Fane said suddenly, wrapping his arms across Animal's back tightly and grinding his half-hard cock against Animal's burning shaft. "And yes, you did just give me one of the best blowjobs I've ever had. But I firmly believe that if someone does something as impressive as what you just did, then it's only fair for me to...give something back in return. For instance, my ass with your cock buried inside it. That sound fair enough to you?"

"You... You'd let me inside you? What if I hurt you?" Animal asked in shock, his lower jaw hanging open a little like a cat that smelled something unexpected.

"Hah! Well, I don't mean to make light of mutant abilities, but I'm actually a hell of alot stronger than I look. In case you weren't impressed before now." Fane replied with a grin as he flexed his muscles tightly, squeezing Animal's torso like a vice for a few second and then letting go. "I can take a beating, so you don't have to worry about holding back. Besides, I've got a bit of an accelerated healing factor anyway. I can pretty much heal from anything overnight, say, for instance, if I've just been fucked by an incredible, beautiful, absolutely perfect mutant such as yourself."

Animal said nothing at that, though his eyes started to glisten gently. There was a tangible fear in his heart that everything would fall apart again if he began to give in to hope, but once more, he felt that he had a connection to someone and that he could be himself around them. Animal leaned in and bit down gently on Fane's neck, tracing his sharp fangs on the demon's flesh before he broke the embrace and leaned up, licking Fane's pointed ear.

"Well, do you want me to take you right here, or go someplace a bit more personal?" Animal asked curiously.

"Mmh... well, what'd you have in mind?" Fane asked, his grin widening slightly, showing off his glistening white fangs.

"It's no where special, but I could show you my place. It's a bit more private than this, but has a few amenities as well." Animal offered, "Unless you have somewhere in mind."

Fane considered his options for a moment. He was eager to see where Animal had been living in this city, and he knew he couldn't take the other mutant back to his place, at least not tonight. His apartment was nice enough, but paper-thin walls would make for a really awkward conversation with his neighbors the next morning. He looked up and smiled at Animal as he spoke.

"Let's head to your place. I gotta see where you hang your hat--er, fur? Mane?" he replied, inwardly bashing himself for his use of such an outdated phrase. Animal chuckled at that.

"How about where I hang my coat?" he offered.

****

There had been something about the walk to Animal's lair that was ironically romantic. The two had walked hand in hand as if they had been going steady. The fact that Fane had just saved the life of a mutant on a daring militaristic mission had evaporated into the midnight air. The amazing sex had given them both a bit of a second wind when normally they would have retired for the night. This was coupled with the fact that Animal was leading Fane into a notably seedy but mutant friendly part of the city.

The two walked past dormant bus stops, darkened buildings and a few mom and pop shops that were closed for the night. When they started walking along the side of the onramp, Fane hadn't even noticed there was an opening until Animal side stepped, leading him into the dark passageway.

The demonic mutant trailed closely behind Animal as they squeezed through the tight, dark trail that led underneath the upper street. The path was narrow and tight, but somehow Animal managed to push himself further and further inside. Fane sniffed and noticed that Animal's scent was much stronger now, and it was growing stronger and more pungent with each breath. The bigger mutant had spent a lot of time underground, and Fane was a bit worried to finally see how he'd been living since he got here. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now, but all he could see was Animal's massive frame in front of him, still heading forward through the dark.

Animal stopped just shy of an open space. A clawed hand reached up into the piping and cabling that ran along the ceiling to find a switch before he pulled it. All at once light erupted from the cavernous room beyond as Animal stepped forward. The corners of the large space were illuminated with large construction flood lights, but a spider web of hotel quality rope lights snaked across the ceiling just below the network of pipes, and a variety of LED lights had been stuck to the walls.

The entrance opened up in the corner of a U shaped raised platform with ramps running down to the bottom. Off on the far side, subway rails unceremoniously came out of the wall itself as if it had been built down right on top of them. The third rail, however, had been meticulously wired into the grid to provide power to everything else. The space had been filled with a variety of things like a king sized mattress, comfortable bedding, even a big screen tv with a mild number of dead pixels. The space had been converted into a man cave, or more accurately an Animal's cave.

"I call it the Culvert, or the lair I guess. Sort of my fortress of solitude. You're the first one to see it. I mean, I know it's sort of dank, but it's real private." Animal said softly, looking at Fane.

Fane stood at the entrance to the Culvert in utter shock, his mouth agape at just how well furnished and comfortable Animal had made his underground home. He'd been expecting dirty rags for a bed and a bucket for a toilet, but this was truly incredible.

"Holy shit. You set all this up on your own?" Fane asked, his eyes wide open as he scanned the huge space, "I mean, wiring the third rail for electric is a pretty impressive feat of engineering, but... where the hell did you get all this stuff?"

"Well, I started out just digging through what people didn't want. But here and there I bumped into a few mutants that didn't mind trading. I'm hoping the Paradise will give me even more chances to get things legitimately. I kinda want to go all out with some graffiti art on one of the walls, make a mural or something." Animal said, relieved that Fane didn't seem too turned off by the surroundings.

"And no one's found you? Ever had any wanderers or homeless or other mutants come across this place? And is that the only way in or out?" Fane asked, sniffing the air again to check for any lingering scents that weren't his or Animal's, his mind starting to race at the thought of an enemy finding Animal's hideout.

Then he stopped and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Years of fighting and constantly moving around from city to city hadn't ever given him a chance to call any place home. And now that he was in Animal's, he couldn't help but want to learn everything he could about the space and the layout, some instinct in the back of his mind always telling him that they could find him when he least expected it. That instinct had saved his life on more than one occasion. But there was something about being here with Animal that made him feel... safe. Secure. He liked it.

"Sorry for the questions." Fane said as he sighed and scratched around one of his horns with a clawed hand. "Old habits die hard and all that."

"One day I sat at the entrance of the culvert and looked out. Not one person even looked in my direction. It must be the lighting or something, but no one's ever wandered in." Animal shrugged.

"That's amazing. I can't believe you found it in the first place. You're more impressive with each passing minute, Animal." Fane said as he walked up to the giant, furry mutant and grabbed ahold of his massive paw, intertwining his fingers with Animal's, "And I really like you. Seriously. I said it before and I'll say it again: there's something special about you. And if you're OK with it, I'd... like to hang around and see if I can figure out what it is." Animal looked up into Fane's eyes, smiling with genuine relief.

"I still need to learn all about you. I feel like I'm at a disadvantage... " Animal said. Fane's smile faltered and he stiffened slightly, his hand tightening a fraction more as he grasped Animal's. It had been so long since he'd actually opened up to someone about his past. He'd tried to bury most of it from himself after living under it's shadow for so many years. "Am I... ready for this now?" he thought to himself, looking down and closing his eyes as faded memories phased in and out of his mind, emotions starting to bubble up inside him. Pain. Regret. Loneliness. All things he's worked so hard to fight against and hide away.

"I... I--" Fane started and then stopped. His breath had hitched in his throat, uncertainty butting his mind. He felt Animal's big paw squeeze his hand, and he looked up quickly, his blue eyes finding Animal's golden ones and then darting away, embarrassed that such a simple, innocent question had gotten so far under his skin. Animal looked at Fane, though his large bright eyes seemed to glaze over a bit before his mouth opened impossibly wide, showing off his fangs and large teeth and his sandpaper tongue. The yawn was immense and contagious.

"Although... We could just cuddle up under the covers. It's been a long day for me, I don't know about you." Animal murmured sleepily.

Fane breathed a sigh of relief he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and then opened his mouth wide in a yawn, unable to fight off the subconscious reaction. He closed his wide open mouth and ended in a gentle smile, looking up at Animal's beautiful eyes once more, still grasping his paw tightly.

"I... yeah, me too. Fighting shady, militaristic hunters all night is hard work, and then meeting you in Paradise... I'd say we've both earned a good night's rest." Fane replied softly, letting Animal lead him towards the bed at the bottom of the ramp, his hooves landing silently on the stray pieces of carpet and rug that littered the floor, "Although it's a bit chilly down here. Hope you don't mind if I snuggle up against you too much."

"I'm like a furnace, I'll keep you plenty warm." Animal grinned, pulling back the covers. He laid down on the large mattress, though he managed to make it look rather small in comparison. With a bend of his spine, he made just enough room to pull Fane into the little spoon position.

The demonic mutant felt Animal's warmth flood over him immediately, the bare skin on his back instantly feeling more comfortable. The bed was soft and relaxing, and Animal's furry body rubbing up against his own felt like heaven. Fane sighed again and leaned further back into the other mutant, for once feeling content in someone else's bed. He could definitely get used to this.

Animal closed his eyes and scooted all the way up to Fane, wrapping his arms around his new friend. The fact that he had wicked horns and hooves meant nothing. Animal had someone that cared about him, that accepted him. A deep, silent vibration reverberated from Animal's chest, massaging Fane's back as they cuddled. Animal only released his guest long enough to sleepily swipe up above the bed, managing to hook a switch and throw it in the opposite position. All the lights in the culvert except for the web in the ceiling snapped off, leaving them with a mild but atmospheric creamy white glow to last through the morning.

As the soft glow eminatted from overhead, Fane felt his eyelids growing heavier and heavier with each blink. Gentle paws rubbed against his furry chest, and he felt his tail finally slow down it's motions as his blinks grew longer and longer. He curled his legs up slightly, his hooves dragging against the sheets beneath him as he nestled himself tighter against Animal's front, his wonderful scent floating along with every breath and calming him more and more. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer and he finally succumbed to sleep, drifting off into his dreams as he was held by his new friend. The very last thing that went through his mind was a feeling of finally being... home.