FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Slight lingering sent, wood like in nature, never fading from its burning pinch. A far cry from the normal smells he grew accustomed to. Flashes from the monitor basked his tired gaze, almost describing tropes so often seen in life. His eyes flickering to and from the embers of the incenses he had set on his desk, long curl of ash teasing itself. Temptation of warm cigarette plays with the ape's mind. 'Far more effective than these fancy smells.' he thought. Soothing him still, it quickly faded as a deep breath of the sandalwood fragrance snuck deep into his nostrils. Not too soon to let the dark thoughts chase him down.

The light switch quickly flickered on with urgent care.

"Are you going to just sit there all day watching those streams??" Questioned Colt, a name that never matched his looks and personality. The oddly slender Rhino stood at the doorway, stern in gaze but gentle in nature. His dyed green dreads lay softly over his wide shoulders. Piercings and gauges patterned his face. His faded accent teasing his origin.

The worn looking Chimpanzee turned to him with a sudden energetic smile. Goofy as ape could smile. Brushing back his mess of curly black hair as he stretched out. "Listen I don't bother you when you're spending all day napping and playing games. Besides weren't you supposed to get everyone together for game night?" Spinning in his chair playfully, a tease in his voice. Spry as he always is. Nikolas Never liked to show his true face. Always willing to mask it. Colt nearly stunned in his own thoughts, realizing he had forgotten his own plans for the day, and even the week. He never did well at memorizing his own things, was far too busy worrying about his own friends. Especially his little ape friend. "Well, why didn't you remind me this morning, it's almost 5pm!? Ah crap, why did you not tell me?" He exclaimed in almost a little brother whining to his parents' way.

"If I keep having to remind you about everything you have going on, I'll never have my own life." Realizing the life he had wasn't anything to remember at the moment. Still. "Personally, I'd say you should have texted the entire group. Cause now we don't even know if they are free." Laughing mockingly, Nikolas's chimp side was apparent. Almost too fitting. "I'm not your daddy baby boy!"

Colt's face looking away embarrassed. Not an uncommon thing for him to do, never did well in remembering plans he made. "I guess we could all just game online tonight if that's something you wanna do?" A question often asked. Colt never liked to game alone; his childish nature was sweet. Though always seeking approval from Nikolas. Another question slipped his lips. "Unless you wanna go hang out at their place?" Nikolas standing from his raggedy computer chair walked to his bathroom in attempt to avoid this conversation. It wasn't like he did not want to be around his friends. The ape just had no energy to socialize. Something Colt often forgot to keep in mind. Though his gestures of kindness filled Nikolas with slight joy, some days even convincing enough to go do things even when those dark thoughts loomed over his shoulders. "I'll have to pass on that for today, just really tired from work... you get me?" Twisting the sink nob, letting a warm liquid flow over his rusted hands. Taking those wet mitts to his face as he scratched at the stubbly chin with the warm water. Colt took the response well, as well as Nikolas would assume is well. "Alright bud, we will have room for you if you change your mind." Colt's heavy hand patting the top door frame as he stepped away. Creaking of the old wood floors, echoing distantly as he reached his own room.

Familiar face, those deep black eyes always distant but bright as he stared. Nikolas's Mother's words echoing in his brain. 'Tan sensibles son tus ojos.' to be told his whole life his eyes were sensitive. Gave the young ape hope. Hope that someone could look into his eyes and see what his mother saw. All he saw was sadness. In away sensitive but not in the way she meant it. Looking at the water for a moment forgetting his own face, just to regain a thought that wasn't so confusing. Giving a quick smack to his face trying to hype himself up, he thought to himself, 'Might as well try and game myself.' The shadows of the deep back of his psychi haunting, almost convincing. A conjuration of his own imagination taking over. A choice to lay down and let his stories take over his mind. To calm him.

Nikolas often Daydreamt in his youth. Never a moment in reality. Signs at an early age of something different about himself, to his own, he felt free. Was not like his childhood was full of abuse. Both his parents were kind and loving. His father often doing his best to cater to his interests. Mother often soothing him in his unhappy moments. The boy always imagined himself as a hero. Fighting the good fight, never failing to win no matter the cost. A concept he admired in his cartoon and anime heroes. Free. A word he used often when in his own head. The powers he had in these stories he summed up were always liberating to him. Unboned by anything. Even as an adult the ape felt the need to escape to his stories. Some of which lingered for years. Almost enough to be written into its own life. Nikolas understood reality from fiction. But it never made him feel any better about it. Laying in his bed he continued his story. Flying, fighting, and even falling in love again. He smiled faintly, the smell of sandalwood fading. Eyes growing heavy. The day went on, into night. He spent the rest of the day Decompressing in these thoughts as his mind multitasked with his streams.

Work never came easy, it was mainly the need to not want to get up. He enjoyed the work in hindsight. It distracted him and filled him with some joy. Stepping though the doorway of his day-to-day job, he felt a rush of energy. A glance around it was a simple store. Filled with books, games, Vintage things. The perks of working in a game store. The checkout counter stood to his right as he walked in, and to his left a row of old movies, dvds, that lay on the wall going down the entire store's left. As he walked to the back, he passed by his favorite section. the Cards. Cybertoms was his favorite competitive card game. His fangs bore with a goofy grin as he noticed the new box set for Cybertoms TCG had just been put into stock. "Oh man! Ooooh I'm so glad we just got paid!" Looking around for a familiar face he found it. Doing a little scoot, he made his way to Koda, a small Skink with a floop of red dyed hair over their eyes. Wearing a Black hoodie with a band they both loved, 'Romantic suicide', tail waving happily, moving their hips to music from the store coms. Their hands busy placing board games up. They were cute by all accounts. Their Creamy brown eyes always had joy in them. Looking up to Nikolas they smiled back. "Oh yeah, I saw that, Victor just set those up when he came in. He put three box sets in the back for us!! So don't worry bout nothin my ape." koda spoke sweetly and confidently. Raising their hand for some scrimptions high-five. Nikolas could never let his best friend down. Giving each other an odd hand motion, a secret handshake, a sign of their long bond as friends. "Oh, and don't forget, you're training the new girl. So, she better comprende what you teach her." Giving a little finger gun point and jump, a staple of their's.

Nikolas was nervous and excited all at once. He liked training new hires. He wasn't management, but he was close. The big boss loved the way he worked, so they made him lead trainer when new people joined the Retrostock team. Though the shallow side of his brain did linger in the thought of 'wonder if she's pretty?' A question asked of all new hires, regardless of gender. The thought of getting that romcom romance from training the new hire and then falling in love was always a daydream scenario. He never really hoped for it. He was professional. How else was he going to own the store one day? Taking a step through the back door that lead into the back room. Finding himself in the storage area of the store, this was the only way to the training room and break room. The shelves were well organized, as organized as game store could get. Taking a few steps before bumping into a box of comic books. "Oh, the new 45 is out. Really hate they did that..." He thought aloud. Taking a moment to move the box out of the way.

"I wasn't done with that box!!" Exclaimed a raspy voice. From the corner of his eye's Nikolas saw Don. A Burly old fellow, one could say Gorilla in size. There stood the old silver back, glasses rounder than any wizard could have. He was big. A genetic bonus that had skipped two generations on Nikolas. "Oh, hey gramps. Why don't you just place it on a cart." told Nikolas. "Don't start with me. I'll use the carts when its too heavy." proclaimed Don. Don reached over with one arm and gave Nikolas a loving squeeze. Working with one's grandpa comes with perks, but in Nikolas's case, the only perk was gramps didn't break his back for messing up. Some call it nepotism, but not once has Don made it easy on Nikolas. And he made sure of it. Nikolas's red long sleeve shirt ruffled up from the Gorilla's massive arms wrapping around him as he ruffled his curly hair with his own white floof of hair. "So, I'm sure Koda told you, as she always does, a new girl is coming in, she will be here in twenty. Please make her feel welcomed and walk her through everything like always... Oh and hijo, pull up your pants." A soothing grin covered his face. Raspy voice almost calming, pushing his glasses up as he stepped back and continued to his box of comic books. Every now and then pulling up his khakis. Nikolas proceeded to the training room. That's what they called it. Basically just an unused game room people could rent out. Though the miss gendering of Koda began to bother his ape brain. He couldn't blame the old ape. He had known them as long as he did. Always knew them as she.

Nikolas respected and cared for Koda, they had known each other since they were five. Twenty years is a lot to work with. It was only recently that Koda had come out as nonbinary, asexual, and aromantic. For everyone it was hard to flip to the new pronouns. Koda always had such a vibrant feminine way, but boyish in all other aspects. To Nikolas it made sense. Though when they had said they were aromantic, it broke some hope that He had in dating them. Nikolas sat in the training room moving around some miniatures left behind from Don's late-night painting. He pondered more on the idea of what his life would have been like if he just had told Koda he liked them back in high school, before they moved. A childhood crush was hard, and that's all it was. Before they came back. It had been only a year since Koda returned from art school in New York, six years they were gone. But never lost touch. Best friends after all. It was a calming sentiment though, knowing he would not be able to ruin their friendship now, knowing they were not interested in even dating. But that's him assuming.

Time went on as it does, ten minutes, fifteen, never dragging. A Slight tap at the door frame, a sound that was light, innocent. Unsure of itself. Nikolas looked up from his phone to look. A young Fawn stood in front of him. Curvy and short. Her short blue hair pricing as the deep sea, really characterized her cuteness. Hazel eyes Almost lost, a near classic deer look. She wore floral dress, with some nerdy little pins on the top chest. Though he did glance at her bust, very nice. That's all he was willing to really think. 'Why is it always the blue hair...' He thought painfully. Knowing full well she was the type he liked. "So, you're Nikolas? Don said you were training me, I'm Lilith. But can call me Lilly." Her voice soft and meek. Almost country-esk. It made Nikolas weak. But he had to keep it professional. He wasn't going to get his hopes up this time. Not again.