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This is another story in the Blue Eyes series. I thought I should fill you in a little on Mike's past. Contains homosexual themes, violence and no yiff.

Forgive me, Mike, the story had to be told.

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Michael woke early that morning, the bright New Haven sunshine streamed through the window of his cramped little room. Although it was only his second semester at Yale he felt like he had been doing this forever. Each day had a familiar rhythm to it which he enjoyed. As he pulled on his trousers he checked the weather outside: there was still a bit of a bite in the spring air. He shrugged on his jacket and checked his pocket-watch: one minute to go. He waited patiently and at exactly five past seven, opened the door just in time to see his neighbour disappear down the stairs.

A guilty thrill ran down his spine to the tip of his tail. He had been living next door to Alex for months and they had exchanged nothing but the occasional glance as they walked to campus each day. Still, he liked to walk just a few steps behind the grey fox as they made their way to the law school. The little red fox hastily locked his door and made for the stair well, taking them two at a time. He had a good feeling about today.

This old building had originally been built as a hotel in a grand Victorian style. Some decades ago, during the civil war, it had served as a make-shift hospital. Now, with so many young people flocking to the new world for a new life and a new education, the narrow corridors and small rooms were perfectly suited to places of residence.

He burst out through the wisteria encrusted archway, into the morning sunshine and slowed down to a walk. He hummed a little to himself and breathed in the smells from the park across the road. Alex was only half a block away now, wending his way to campus like clockwork: you could set your watch by him. Perhaps that's why Mike liked him so much.

Liked him? Mike shook his head 'till his whiskers hurt. No, that's not right. He's just interesting, that's all, an enigma, a puzzle. Why then did it feel more like an infatuation? No. Those thoughts were behind him now. He was going to be respectable, study law, and make a name for himself. A new start...

"Hey!" too late he realised he had walked into the back of his quarry.

A pair of deep hazel eyes considered Mike from a soft grey face. Alex was tall for a fox, especially a grey.

"Um, sorry," Mike mumbled. How could he forget? They were always held up by the carriages at this intersection.

"Not to worry, Alex smiled pleasantly. You're the guy from next door right?"

"Y-yes, Mike."

"Good morning, Mike. I'm Alex." they shook paws.

"Yes, I know." Damn that sounded idiotic.

Alex raised his eyebrows and grinned.

"Well, you seem to know all about me, yet I've hardly met you. You should come and visit me sometime. Too much study is unhealthy, you know?"

With a wave the lanky vulpine was gone, lost in a sea of pedestrians.

Needless to say, for the rest of the day the Mike had difficulty focusing on his studies.

***

Mike rapped hesitantly on the door and wiped the sweat from his paw on his pants. He'd been steeling himself all week for this moment.

"Come in, door's open." came the instant response from within.

Mike all but fell through the door, brandishing a bottle of wine before him.

He'd agonised for hours over what to bring. It wasn't proper to come empty-handed but flowers or chocolate were out of the question. He'd settled on a sedate chardonnay.

Alex rose from his seat as Mike entered and smiled.

"Aah, Mike from next door, right?" He relieved Mike of his gift and pumped his arm vigorously.

"Welcome my friend, but I am afraid you have me at a bit of a disadvantage: I was just finishing a letter, won't be a moment."

Mike took a seat on the edge of the bed as the grey fox returned to his desk. The single, wood-slatted bed groaned even under his inconsiderable weight. This room was the mirror image of its neighbour. The simple pine writing desk still smelled of varnish too. Mike's eyes wandered over the room and settles on the books arrayed neatly on the bookshelf. He averted his eyes self-consciously, that was rude. He swung his legs idly and looked out the window instead: it was getting dark outside, the lamp lighters were out already, whistling to each other as they went about their business.

"Whiskey?"

"What? Oh." Alex had finished and was proffering a drink under his guest's muzzle.

Mike didn't normally drink, but this close to his neighbour, he probably could do with something to stay his nerves.

"Yes, thanks." He took the glass gingerly.

"Well?"

Mike took a gulp and coughed.

Alex chuckled and lay down heavily on the bed.

"Not much of a boozer, are you?"

Mike shook his head and swallowed hard as the amber liquid burnt a fiery path down his throat.

Alex leaned back against his headboard and took a sip of his drink. "So, Mike, tell me about yourself." His brown eyes sparkled mischievously.

Mike took a sip from the glass and started talking. Maybe it was the drink or maybe it was the intoxication of being so close to his new friend, but he suddenly felt very talkative.

"I'm studying law," of course, he knows that

"It's, it's like a family tradition" he grimaced at the thought. There were three generations of lawyers bearing down on him from the past.

Alex nodded slowly and topped up Mike's drink. He was a very good listener, his ears canted forward in genuine interest and he affected the expression of someone listening intently.

The grey fox leaned back and Mike shuddered when a leg brushed his bushy red tail.

"I'm listening," Alex smiled.

"Well, so I'm going to be a lawyer, I suppose, but I am really an author, I'm working on a novel" he shot Alex a questioning glance. Not a hint of mockery.

"It's about the West," Mike shrugged, "it's only started."

The grey vulpine smiled and patted Mike on the paw. "I think it's great to have a passion in life, I mean, where would we be without passion?" He winked and took a swig of his whiskey.

Mike mimicked him and continued. The words were coming faster now. He didn't know if they were making sense but it didn't really seem to matter all that much.

***

Mike shook his head, for the past few minutes he had just been staring at his glass. It was dry.

It was late! He really should be going; he'd overstayed his welcome as it was. He turned to farewell his host; "I must go, maybe we can meet for coff..."

The tall grey fox was sleeping. The candle light played softly on Alex's features; his chest rose and fell slowly as he slept, his empty glass nestled in his paws. Maybe it was Mike's imagination but he appeared to have a little smirk on his face, as though he knew a secret.

Suddenly the desire to touch him was overwhelming. No! He had to leave, right now! Mike stood up to leave and felt the room shift under him. How much had he drunk? One glass? Two? He willed himself towards the door but his legs wouldn't cooperate. Alex was just lying there, so peaceful, so beautiful.

Now! Now!

As if he were being controlled by an external agent, Mike felt himself lean forward towards the sleeping vulpine, the whisky was still strong on his breath. Without hesitation Mike kissed him softly on the muzzle. Alex moaned in response and Mike pressed forward a little, rubbing a paw through Alex's head-fur.

Alex's eyes snapped open and widened in surprise. Mike's blood turned to ice at the look in his eyes. The glass in his paw shattered on the hard-wood floor.

Alex sat up slowly as Mike withdrew and his expression matured from one of surprise to abject fear. Me? He's frightened of me?

"I'm sorry, the whiskey. I didn't mean it, it was a mistake, a..."

"Get away from me!" Alex recoiled, his muzzle creased into a snarl and his ears drew back menacingly.

"I..."

"You stay away or I'm calling the police!"

"Alex, please."

"Out!"

Mike stumbled from the room in tears. He couldn't just go back to his room, not with his neighbour fuming next door. He needed a place to think, to clear his head. He struggled down the stairs and ran desperately for the park across the street.

The park had always been his little sanctuary, he came here to think, to read or work on his novel. He'd never been out here at night though. The lamps cast the trees in a sickly yellow light. Their shadows crossed, forming deep pockets of darkness that by their very nature seemed to pose an immediate threat. Bushes grabbed at his fur and tree roots made him stumble. Maybe it was just his current state, but he even thought he could hear someone chasing him through the trees as he ran. His heart raced and he quickened his pace to match.

He got to his favourite bench, breathing heavily. He sat down morosely and buried his face into the fur of his arms, shaking and rocking back and forwards.

"How could you? How could you? He was even starting to like you then you had to pull that... what was that? Oh God, what have I done?

His shoulders heaved, threatening to send him into another spasm of sobs.

"No, pull yourself together, you're being melodramatic."

Time to think: crying could come later. He'd have to move from his current lodgings, far away from Alex, maybe even the other side of the city. Yes, that would work well, he might even be able to find a cheaper place and save on his stipend. He nodded to himself and sniffed. Yes, not the end of the world, just a change of scenery, that's all.

His head jerked up at a sudden sound. No, he wasn't imagining it: footsteps and voices. Who would be walking in his park at this time of night? Whoever they were he couldn't let them see him, not like this. He stood up, about to leave, when a voice froze him in his tracks.

"There he is boys, get him."

"Alex?"

Something hard hit him across the muzzle and he went down in a heap. No sooner had he hit the floor than he was lifted up again by his coat. His own blood tasted metallic on his tongue.

Through a dizzy haze, he saw Alex's face, twisted with rage.

"That's him. Take a good hard look at the sodomite, boys."

"Alex, I never."

Alex punched him in the stomach and Mike doubled over, dry retching on the grass.

"That's for including me in your sick perversion."

Something hit him in the face and he fell onto his side.

"And that's for saying my name"

"I'm sorry, Alex, please."

Boots kicked him from the front and back as he rolled into the foetal position. He yelped in pain when someone jumped on his arm. He heard rather than felt the bone snap like dry tinder.

His heart constricted with a sudden fear: he was going to die! What did you do when you were dead?

"H..hail Mary, full of grace"

The blows came thick and fast now, the pain rolled over him in waves. He tried to yell for them to stop, but his lungs were empty, he couldn't breathe, it was all he could do to remain conscious. Every blow radiated pain like a heat wave from the impact. His whole body started to burn and he tried vainly to protect the back of his neck with his unbroken arm.

"... the Lord is with thee"

"Oh shut up" He received a muzzle-full of boot for his troubles. At least he wasn't dead.

His clothes... why was he naked?

The reason became immediately apparent, his assailants had acquired more props for his beating. Saplings rained down on his naked body, cutting straight through the skin and exposing raw flesh that stung in the cold night air.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God!"

He rolled onto his stomach and tried to crawl away with his good arm, but they kept laughing and dragging him back.

"Pray for us..."

"You tell all your inverted friends you're not welcome here." Someone spat on the ground next to his head and with that they all left.

"Pray for us..." but the rest wouldn't come. He just lay there, naked, fur matted with dirt and blood. He tried not to breathe too hard because even the smallest breath sent waves of pain through his ribcage. The sobbing started again but this time he couldn't stop, every heave sent sharp pains through his chest but that was nothing compared to the cold dull feeling of utter abandonment. He had never felt so dirty, so undeserving and so utterly small.

***

"Pray for us!" Mike woke with a start. His fur was slick with cold sweat and his heart pounded painfully in his chest. He was shivering with cold. It took a while for him to get his bearings.

He was in bed with Joshua. The enormous husky was behind him, broad chest to the little vulpine's back. Mike could feel the steady beating of his heart, the rise and fall of his chest, the rumbling snoring noise he made when lying on his side.

His shoulders shook as he cried with relief. Those days were behind him, safely in the past. He was free of all that now. He was so preoccupied he didn't notice that Joshua's snoring had stopped.

Josh wrapped both arms tightly around his mate, his own tears seeping silently into his fur. Maybe one day Mike would trust him enough to tell him that story. He squeezed tighter as though the very thought would drive him away.