FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A drawn out sigh escaped the otter's lips, eyes glued to the nearest window, staring at the bright blue of the sky outside. The small diner was full of people for once, every single table taken by groups of varied size, their voices bouncing off the walls. Conversations he had no interest in taking part, focused simply on that perfect, cloudless sunset, and the memory of an even warmer, brighter afternoon...

"Earth to Kramer," this voice was much clearer than the rest, and the otter blinked in shock as he looked up. Sitting across from him, the familiar figure of Inés had manifested, the tern looking at him with a concerned expression. The feathers under her suit were frazzled, something already rare on her, and their usual bright silver seemed dull in the light of the diner, contrasting against the classical red of the booth she sat at. Her eyes were darting in every direction, visibly avoiding the otter. "Hey, are you... Are you ok? I've been sitting here, calling out to you for like ten minutes."

"What!?" Kramer shot far louder than he wanted to, getting a few looks thrown his way. He ignored them, already fishing for his phone to confirm, until heartful laughter caught his attention again. When he looked up, Inés was chortling through her beak, eyes wide and staring at the otter.

"Oh God, I'm kidding! I'm kidding. I just sat, it's been like thirty seconds," she kept laughing, her gasps cutting off what few words she managed to get out.

"Wha... Oh my god, don't do that!" the now embarrassed otter playfully smacked her hand, leaning forward to hide himself from the eyes that looked at his earlier outburst. Naturally, that only made Inés laugh even harder, and by now she was wheezing and visibly trying not to slam her hand on the table. As if they needed to make bigger fools of themselves. "Stop that...!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Ahhhh, that was so good," she finally leaned on her seat, looking at the ceiling as she tried to get her breath back. To be honest, Kramer should've predicted this; the bird enjoyed a laugh at his expense far more than he should be letting her. It was sometimes hard to believe a woman in her position could be this much of a trickster, yet here they were. "Ok... Ok, I'm good now. Damn... But seriously, you seem out of it, little guy. What's up with you? You're staring at the window like a schoolgirl in love."

There was no way those words were an accident, and the otter actually had to look down to hide the chuckle that formed on his lips. She was way too good at reading people; the only thing that could outmatch that skill was her thirst for gossip, no other way of putting it. Kramer took one final glance at the window and kept thinking of that brighter sky filtering through the cracks in the cave, the heavy body he was pressed against, the even rise of that chest that tried to soothe him back into sleep, and for which he almost fell more than once.

"I slept with Baum," he admitted. No need for flair or clever words to hide it; he was simply too elated by the fact to keep it buried in his chest. And just as he expected, Inés' beak practically fell on the table, her back going stiff and her hands shaking as she looked for the right words. Everything she might say was worth it just for that expression. "No, it wasn't like that. I mean it literally, we just slept together. On the same bed. I spent the night at his place and we shared his bed, and nothing else happened. I mean, we are kind of dating now, but that's it."

"That's so freaking cute!" she squealed. It was the first time he heard the tern's voice reach that tone, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. It activated a fight or flight reaction he thought he had left back in high school, whenever yaoi fangirls would gather during lunch. And he felt it again when she reached for his hands across the table. "Tell me everything. Don't spare any detail. The nastier, the better."

"I'm sparing you so many details," his first thought was the bull's torso, the strong pecs, the perfectly sculpted abs, everything leading further down towards... Well, now he had to cross his legs, and he was thankful they were sitting on a table for this conversation. "We... kissed in the heat of the moment, it was pretty hot. But we talked about it and we thought it was a bit too fast for what we want, so we decided to take things slowly. And we left it at that for now. I mean, we are officially dating, and I did sleep in his bed. And he did wake me up with a kiss the next morning. His morning breath tasted like spoiled broccoli, it was magical."

"It sounds like it," it was now her turn to let out a dreamy sigh, and that instinct was there again. Kramer was getting the hang of controlling it back. "I knew you guys would get together, it was written in the stars."

"No, you were convinced he was a serial killer," he corrected her, and all Inés did was wave him off. Despite the sudden turn their conversation had taken, he couldn't help noticing the color of her feathers again, the lack of glimmer that the tern normally went to great lengths to keep. "What about you? You look tired."

"I am tired. Work's being such a bitch these days, I hate my life," she groaned again, finally taking the first bite off her pancakes. Kramer blinked in surprise again, not only at the bold choice for dinner, but remembering that his own burger still waited for him on the table; he took a second after that, letting it sink in that he had forgotten about food over a cute guy. That was a completely new level for him.

The mention of the bird's work, however, brought several other thoughts to his mind. The memories of that bright sunset were slowly replaced by far heavier words, by the bull's concerned expression- Or perhaps it was his own concern reflected in the water. He should be asking about it instead of gushing his heart out, but as soon as he the words were about to make it out of his lips, a rough, metallic hand landed on his head, ruffling his hair far more than necessary.

"Heads up, squirt," a coarse voice he instantly recognized, and the otter looked up, faking a groan. A tall dragon grinned at him in return, his jade scales slightly shadowed under the light. Golden hair rose between a pair of curved horns, one of them broken off ages ago, and it all coated his face into a messy beard that only added to his gruff appeal. The muscles barely hidden under his shirt certainly helped as well. Mismatched eyes, one gold and the other purple, were the most striking feature after the prosthetic left arm, and they only lingered on the otter for a second before they turned to the tern. "Mademoiselle," he said in an exaggerated accent that didn't fit him in the least and reached for Inés' arm, gently raising it and letting his lips pose on it repeatedly, a trail of kisses left on his way up.

"Chico, you want something," was the first thing that came out of the tern's beak as Deo sat next to her. His kisses didn't stop until he reached Inés shoulder and she had to press his forehead back. Not even that was enough to stop the dragon and he found his way to her neck, resuming and getting a nervous laugh out of her. "You might just get it. What's with you today?"

"Can't a man see an angel across the street and fall in love?" that was definitely not like Deo, something the otter and bird picked up on immediately. 'Horny' was probably a better word to use, and Inés' sigh seemed to agree with Kramer's thoughts. She didn't stop him when he kissed her neck again, however.

"Guys, come on. That's gross," he said. The last thing he needed was to be a third wheel.

"I want to see how you and your papi toro get when you finally bring him over," of course, Kramer choked on the next bite of his burger, not expecting that one on so many levels. He was still coughing when Deo spoke up.

"What's that? Otter boy finally got himself a new guy?" he asked, back to the usual gruff tone they were all used to. His expression was a mix of mild disinterest and honest curiosity, the kind that only this dragon would be capable of pulling off. An art he had spent years perfecting in his line of work, Kramer was sure.

"Really big, handsome bull dude," Inés was swiping through her phone, and Kramer felt a goosebump all of a sudden. His fears were confirmed when the tern offered the phone to her lover. "This is the guy."

"Oh! Hello, daddy."

"Why," Kramer shot for the phone just as Inés spread her arm out of his reach, "do you have a picture of my boyfriend on your phone?"

"I told you I was going to send it to myself and I did!"

"Wait, hold on, boyfriend? Is it that serious already?" the disinterest was now gone, and the dragon leaned forward with a glint in his eyes that seemed far too similar to Inés. Sometimes it was hard to remember this man was bisexual, but this moment of absolute queer interest was definitely not one of them. His expression cracked with a grin, flashing those sharp fangs that only made him look dangerously attractive. "Well, I'll be damned, man! Good for you! It was about time you got over that piece of shit Di-

He stopped with a huff, and his eyes darted towards Inés, who looked tense all of a sudden despite her eyes remaining glued to her phone. Whatever cheerful interest Deo had deflated after that and he fell back on the booth, arms crossed and looking to the counter, trying to get a waiter's attention. It didn't take a genius to figure out where this all came from, and Kramer wasn't proud of the knot on his stomach at the mere mention of... Damn. He looked away now, barely able to handle the silence that had fallen between them. It shouldn't be this awkward for them; he shouldn't have influence...

"He lives in the forest," Inés said, trying to break the silence all on her own. It took a few seconds for Deo to register those words and realize he was supposed to give an answer, but when he finally did, he turned around with a frown that needed no words. "Yeah, he's a full hermit. It's all right out of a movie; the guy lives in a cave, plants his own food, uses medicinal herbs and all that. You name it, he does it, apparently."

"That's some Survivor shit! Are we sure he's real?" that was admittedly a natural reaction to these tall tales; Kramer would've probably had the same had he not been seeing it with his own eyes for months now. Seeing this much amazement in Deo was definitely interesting, though.

Mention of the forest brought earlier thoughts to Kramer's mind, and he looked down at his burger again. It really was rare for him to not have an appetite, and it definitely had to be about this. How was he supposed to start on it, though... Another bite, mostly to keep his mouth busy while thinking of the right words to use, and he realized he wasn't getting any flavor out of the meat. No matter how hard he tried to approach it in his head, there was no way he could make it sound less awkward.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," might as well. He was looking at Inés now, making sure the tern knew these words were meant for her. Out of the corner of his eye, Kramer looked at Deo, the dragon equally interested on what he had to say. For an instant, he wondered if he should be letting him in on this as well, before kicking himself mentally for so much as doubting the dragon. He was just delaying it, he knew as much... "So... Baum doesn't exactly own any of the land he's living in right now. He's squatting."

"Yeah, obviously," the tern s- Wait, what? And as if she was reading the otter's mind she shrugged and let her phone on the table, taking a soft tone to her words. "Kramer, sweetie, he lives in the middle of the forest, you can't just buy a piece of land like that. Hell, the guy carved a cave out of the mountain with his own bare hands, you can't exactly request permits for that. It was pretty obvious if you sit and think about it with," she tapped him on the forehead, "this head."

"He _carved_the cave himself?" Deo was really focusing on some interesting things. His eyes were wide as he leaned forward and stared at Kramer, and the otter simply nodded to confirm what were admittedly big claims. For a second, the dragon stopped, no longer staring at him but at the void. "That's... That's fucking hot."

"Right?"

"Stay away from my man," Kramer's response was immediate, and both dragon and tern lifted their hands defensively, neither of them really letting down the smiles on their lips. They had a point, it was pretty fucking hot... But now wasn't the time for that. "Fine, it was obvious, whatever. He told me, but he doesn't want to do anything about it, doesn't want to look into it, and I just think that's dumb and he should at least show some interest on the legality of it all, and-

"I'll stop you right there. Basically, you want my legal advice on this?" bless her for being this blunt. All Kramer had to do was nod and wait for her response. "Ignore it," that was way too blunt! "Kramer, he's been living there for what, twelve years?" at that point, Deo mouthed the number and part of the otter's brain wondered if he was growing into a fan of the bull or something. "And in all that time, he's never gotten any sort of trouble over this. That means that either they'll never find out, or they already did and they just don't care. Either way, it's a lot more convenient for literally everyone if you just don't poke the bear."

"Are you... serious?" saying that Kramer looked unsure would be perhaps the biggest of all understatements. But despite the face he couldn't see himself making, Inés remained firm on her assessment, silently holding his gaze. "That doesn't feel like sound legal advice, to be honest..."

"What is it with men asking for advice only to shoot it down?" she was still holding Kramer's gaze, but Deo notably looked away with a frown of his own. Not surprising, given how stubborn they both could get. The otter's attention remained on the tern, however. "You want legal lingo? Fine: If there is no acting or living owner to the land, nor is there any ongoing claim to it, then it isn't legal for him to settle in it, but it's technically not illegal either until said claim is issued. At that point, the next step, depending on who even handles the case, is looking for someone who has the claim to the land, but I don't even know what government branch would take care of that, because ever since we developed intergalactic travel, land ownership became the second hottest mess in the galaxy after immigration laws. Three different planets could take claim to the whole forest based only on what kind of minerals you can find on it that may have fallen during cosmic showers a million years ago, I don't know.

"No one, and I really mean it when I say literally no one wants to get involved in any of that. It's a logistic nightmare of biblical proportions. It's actually unlikely that he has spent over a decade living off the radar and no one has picked up on it. Someone must have noticed at some point and they just turned a blind eye because that's monumentally easier, and chances are that it will keep happening if you just leave it be. But if it gets out there that he's there right now, they'll be forced to act, and that will end up poorly for everyone involved. Him especially, mostly out of spite."

"That's... a lot more information than I expected," Kramer held his forehead, looking at the table, staring at his forgotten burger. He was suddenly hungrier, his brain burning through every bit of energy his body had to spare to try and process all he had just heard, but it felt so weird to eat right now. He simply didn't dare. When he looked up, Inés was still eating as if nothing happened, while Deo kept his arms crossed with a deeper frown, racking his brains just as much as the otter. "Ok, I get what you're saying, but are you sure-

"I can look into some things," the tern cut him off yet again, this time more firmly than before. It was the kind of tone that meant she was done after this; one Kramer had heard her use mostly when talking about work. To think he would end up on the receiving end of it one day. "And I can help you with whatever you don't understand after you inevitably start looking things up on your own. But I'm a corporate lawyer, Kramer; this isn't really my area, nor do I have any interest on the headache it would cause. And I know some other lawyers that could give you more information, but asking them would be the definition of poking the bear. Literally, one of them is a bear. Trust me when I tell you, as your friend, that the best thing you can do is leave this alone."

"Yeah, you lost me after the first sentence," Deo finally said, his frown still present and his eyes still confused, "but from what little I got from all that, why bother with the whole mess? It's like I always say, if you can't make a buck out of it, why put in the effort?"

"See? That right there, this easy-to-understand insight, that's why I love this man," Deo grinned wildly at first, before the frown burrowed further as he pondered on the tern's words. Inés rubbed his chin through the beard before he could say anything and in the end the grin perdured, allowing her to keep going for longer. "You're actually better off not acting on any of this, in every possible way. So stop worrying about it. That's the best thing you can do for yourself and Baum."

"Is it?" Inés let out an exasperated sigh at that, and Kramer couldn't help wincing. He had heard this before, how he tended to overthink things when he was worried. He knew that was what he was doing right now, and he wished more than anything to take his friend's words at face value. But that little voice in the back of his head kept gnawing at him, telling him to be worried, to fix the problem before it was even there. "Just because it's not a problem now doesn't mean it won't turn into one later on. Shouldn't we be prepared for it if it does?"

"If it happens, it happens, and you can worry about that then. Right now, doing something makes it more likely that it does become an issue, so again, you're better off doing nothing. You asked for my professional opinion, that is honestly it," and that was that. Inés took a rather large bite of her pancakes, mainly to stuff her beak and have an excuse to stop talking. She was the one rubbing her forehead now, and that was what got Kramer to stop altogether. The last thing she needed was one more reason to be tired today.

A young cat in an apron approached them, a cheap electronic pad in her hands, and she spoke to Deo, the dragon's frown receding as he started taking his order. She had probably been hovering over them for a while now, waiting until their admittedly heated conversation was over to take his order. The otter didn't pay much attention to any of that, however, drowning every other sound around him as he sank into his thoughts. He knew they were both right, but he still couldn't shake off the feeling that he needed to do something. Something no one had asked him for, he knew that; something that he had no real need to do, he knew that.

He tried looking at his burger instead, taking another bite from it. Then another, and it only took him a minute or so to finish it all up, surprising even the dragon with his voracity. Everyone who knew him always had something to comment on how much food he could put in that tiny body of his. Except today, it seemed.

"I need to go to the bathroom," he covered his mouth as he said that before swallowing, rushing to the back of the diner faster than he wanted to show.

It was also a lie; all he wanted was some alone time, and the small diner bathroom was the ideal place. Surrounded by the white tiles and the bright lights, he finally gulped down the last bite of his burger and let out a sigh when he noticed all stalls were empty. A moment of actual privacy, just what he needed. He walked over to the sink and soaked his hands under the running water for a few seconds, staring at his own reflection in the mirror. More often than not, he was willing to take the compliments he got from time to time, admitting to himself that he was a handsome man. But the attractive features those words were meant for only looked back at him tiredly, small bags under his eyes barely concealed by the frames of his glasses. He didn't want to tell the others how long he had been awake that weekend thinking about all this, about what he could do. Only to hear that he couldn't do- Didn't! He didn't have to do anything. That's what Inés said, not doing anything was the best he could do.

"Last time I didn't do anything..." he mumbled, surprising himself. He tried helping him so much, only for all of that to fail, and when he finally gave up and decided not to do anything for a while, Dimitri- "Stop."

Another sigh. He looked down at the sink and wondered how long the water had been running. Then he reached and took his glasses off, splashing water on his face to wash off whatever grime there may have been in his eyes. It all dripped off his fur almost instantly, leaving him with no trace whatsoever; one of the many advantages of being an otter, he thought, before taking another deep breath. Only then did he exit the bathroom, holding the door until it close without creaking. He didn't want to make his presence known all of a sudden.

As he made his way back to the booth, he saw Deo and Inés leaning on the table, the tern's hands on her head while the dragon's tense shoulders were aimed her way. He caught a few glances of his fangs and felt like slowing down, not sure if he should be present for whatever they were now whispering to each other. And yet...

"I just don't see what's the problem, he was a piece of shit. I'm just telling it how it is," the dragon's voice was low enough that only the tern, and unknown to them the otter, could hear it. But the venom in his words was still evident.

"Trust me, I know very well he was," Inés instead just sounded tired, holding back her own anger. At what, he actually wasn't sure. "But you can't just say it. Especially not in front of Kramer, you know how much it affected him. And now that he's finally seeing someone again, you just bring him up like that? He'll just shut in and-

"Bullshit. That's bullshit and you know it," it took a moment for Kramer to realize he had stopped a few steps away from the booth, and for a second he looked around, sure that he looked awkward standing in the middle of the diner. No one was seeing him or saying anything about it, however, so he had no reason to stop them... "Dimitri was an asshole all the way to the end. Hell, if Kramer himself admitted it as well, he would feel a lot better. He would get over his shit instead of sighing every time he thinks about his dick, and he wouldn't have to walk on eggshells for the rest of his life to not think about it. He doesn't deserve that."

Before Inés could say anything, Kramer finally walked over to them, sitting on his own side of the table without a word. Both of them were shocked by his presence, sitting up straight, backs stiff and staring at the otter. But he simply stared at his empty plate at first, then reached for the menu and started looking through the desserts, trying his best to keep as much of a neutral face as possible.

"Everything cool?" he said with a tired voice when he pretended to notice them for the first time. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Just telling Deo not to flirt so much when we're in public," not a second of hesitation. That actually surprised Kramer for a second, but the tern had always been far too smart to let things slip her by. Deo, on the other hand, looked away from him, his frown vanished and replaced by a rather evident hint of guilt in his mismatched eyes; he had always been just a tiny bit more sensitive than he was aware of.

The cat waitress from before walked over to them with another burger, leaving it in front of the dragon. Deo thanked her and she asked them if they needed anything else, the perfect moment for the otter to ask for the dessert he had been pretending to be interested in. But the words didn't make it out of the turmoil that was his mind. What was he supposed to say after hearing all of that? There was no way they didn't notice he heard them, it was just an open secret between all three, none of them willing to talk about it. And they were just worried; that was just Deo's way of being worried. And he wasn't wrong...

"Ok... Ok, you're right," he finally spoke up when the cat was gone, getting another look from Inés. The dragon next to her also looked up, his chewing slowing down. Kramer took his glasses off again, rubbing his eyes and hoping they didn't see the bags under them. "I won't do anything about it. I'll try not to think about it either, that's the best I can promise. I'm just worried, that's all. I don't want him to just... You know what, I'm seeing him again this weekend, might as well ask him what he wants to do in the first place."

"Yeah, that's the best approach," she wouldn't admit it, but her shoulders loosening as she said that were all proof that Inés was happy for a new conversation. A much less heated one. "And if he says no, you'll listen to him, mister. He's older than you, so he knows best. Hell, he's older than Deo."

"He is?" again with that uncharacteristic interest. Kramer took a mental note to ask the dragon about it later, see what kind of reaction he could get out of him. Just picturing Deo blushing was enough to make the otter chortle, easing his worries. The dragon didn't seem to pick up on that either. "Honestly, you could tell me he's anywhere between his 30s and his 40s and I would believe it. He just has an air, I don't know. Anyway, what are you doing? Climbing? He looks like the type to climb without gear."

"I don't know, he always keeps it a surprise. But you're right, we actually went climbing the other day, and..." at this point, Kramer wasn't paying much attention to his words, his interest on the desserts having grown more honest after a few seconds. But when he looked up at the dragon and saw, behind his attempts at a stoic expression, that glint in his eyes that waited for more words from the otter, he just had to tease him more. "No gear of any kind, he does it just with his bare hands. He showed me how high he can go, pretty sure he does it shirtless too. Back muscles flexing as he keeps going without stop, never looking down."

"That sounds pretty damn cool," he was still trying to look uninterested, but there was a bit of a sigh in his words that told Kramer otherwise. He couldn't blame him either; just thinking about that picture got him excited, especially after having seen the bull's actual bare muscles. Inés looked from one to the other for a second before taking her phone out, likely taking a picture of the dragon with that slightly dreamy air to him. To tease him later as well, the otter figured. Might as well milk this rare bi moment for all it's worth.

---

Weekend came sooner than Kramer expected, and yet he couldn't help but look forward to it all week long. Not expectantly as he usually did, unable to wait for a chance to see Baum- His bull, now that he thought about it, just thinking that made the otter blush and chuckle under his breath. Except this time; this week he had been nothing but anxious, the kind that made you constantly tap your foot on the floor and keep looking back at your clock, hoping that the seconds would tick faster if you did.

He woke up far too early that day. A jog and a shower, both longer than usual, did little to ease his worries. Even now, alone in the forest as he followed the usual route to Baum's cave, he still tapped at his own crossed arms, his brain going through so many ideas at once he thought he would faint at any point from pure shock. He only looked up a few times to make sure he recognized the trees, ensuring that he was taking the right route and surprising himself that he knew how to get to the bull's place without the need for his GPS anymore. But even that momentary pride faded after he looked back down at his feet.

Inés was right, it was inevitable that he would look up more information on the squatting issue. But no matter how many legal terms she explained to him, most of it still flew right over his head, often leaving him more confused than when he started. Part of his current stress was trying to figure out what some of the words he still remembered even meant. But he knew most of it came from the fact that he didn't understand them in the first place. If he couldn't even read the law, how the hell was he supposed to be useful in this whole situation. How was he supposed to do something like this?

There is no situation, he heard Inés say in his head. Now he was hearing voices, that had to be the stress, maybe even some lack of sleep; he did wake up far too early. But when even the voice in your head starts saying you're worrying over nothing, you have to consider that maybe everyone does have a point.

Despite all those thoughts, he still smiled when the familiar stone wall came into view, and the well lit entrance of Baum's home crossed his eyes. And just in time as the bull himself came out, his wide frame covered by a surprisingly elegant violet shirt. A few buttons open to show his chest, and the sleeves rolled up to expose his thick forearms; even when he tried looking fancy, he was still a picture of masculinity. Kramer pulled on the straps of his backpack, the reassuring weight helping him put on a brighter smile; don't let him see your concerns, he thought. And just as he walked over to the entrance, Baum's ears flicked and he looked up, his eyes widening slightly under his glasses.

"Hey!" he said with a smile, walking the rest of the distance himself, joining the otter with still some reluctance in his step.

"Hey," Kramer replied, looking up.

"Hey!" this was getting ridiculous. But when he tried walking around the bull, the strong arms he checked out before grasped his shoulders. It was a soft, tender hold, but firm enough to keep him in place, showing that those muscles were definitely not for show; and that was actually hotter, Kramer thought. "You're here early! Earlier than usual, I mean. I was about to go out and wait for you down the road."

"I woke up early today, so I figured I might as well surprise you," was the best explanation he could say without lying to him. "What's with this shirt? You always say you like practical clothes."

"I wanted to look good today. My boyfriend's visiting," that took Kramer by surprise. But Baum looking away with a shy smile and his moustache shaking slightly was all it took to get him back on track. He was just forward enough.

"You always look good," that got him to drop the smile for a second, only for it to return shakily as he tried not to let it get too wide. The otter wasn't one to be defeated.

They stayed like that for a few more seconds, Baum's hands still on his shoulder, his grasp never tightening or loosening in the least. Breaking away from it would be relatively easy, but there was something soothing about being held like this. A warmth he couldn't quite put his finger on. He noticed the bull leaning forward slightly, his violet eyes glued to the otter's face, his chin pushed up. He was so obvious, it was endearing, and of course he wouldn't go all the way on his own. That's why Kramer took it upon himself to stand on his tiptoes and greet him in the middle, lips meeting in a short kiss.

That was the intention, at least. But the moment they touched one another, Baum's grasp did tighten, pulling him just an inch closer, keeping him in place. They lingered on each other for a few seconds, the bull's head turning slightly, his tongue poking at the otter's lips for entrance. For all the shyness he started with, he was surprisingly eager once it got to it, enough to get a chuckle out of Kramer. He gave in an inch, their kiss deepening for maybe two more seconds before he stepped back with a smile of his own. When he looked up at Baum, he saw the same expression in his face, eyes practically shining.

"It feels a bit weird now- The good weird, I mean!" he looked so damn cute when he got nervous. But Kramer didn't want to tease him more than necessary and ended up pulling his wrist back into the cave, already familiar with the layout. Honestly, he looked so damn cute, he thought about just skipping class and go straight to his bedroom, just cuddle the rest of the day, maybe the whole weekend. Somehow, he took him to the living room instead, fighting off his own urges.

"So, what's the plan for today?" he asked, seeing the bull fidget for a second. He decided to look around the living room instead, give him time to gather his thoughts. The familiar sight of plants around the room greeted him, even if he didn't know what most of them were, and he kneeled to get a better look at a particularly tall one. "I hadn't seen this one before. What's it called?"

"What?" he was really nervous. For a second, Kramer wondered if he should be worried about that. "Um... For today, I was hoping you could help me with a bit of harvesting. Nothing big, just plucking fruit and maybe help me make some conserves, maybe some jam... You did say you were more interested in the self-sustainability aspect, so I figured you might want to finally get to the farmer experience."

"That sounds fun, actually!" the otter stood up so fast, it was almost like his slim body swam in the air. Baum took a step back from the surprise, unable to keep his smile down. "I've been waiting for something like that, actually! I've never harvested anything, this sounds exciting."

"City boy," the bull ruffled his hair and he swatted his hand away. Didn't stop him from doing it again, getting another chuckle out of Kramer. "It's harder work than you think. And there are other things involved: It's not just watering plants and then picking things a few months later, you need to pay attention to the pH of the soil, what kind of fertilizers you're using, the weather- You have to predict the weather sometimes for all of this!" he was trying really hard to sound like a stoic savant of some sort, but he was just as excited to explain all these things to someone. Kramer was sure they looked like a pair of silly geeks.

Baum was saying something else, but the otter wasn't hearing him anymore. He knew the bull was right, he was just a city boy getting to do farming for the first time, and the unknown was what excited him the most. But he was still thrilled at the idea, even as one massive arm fell on his shoulders and slowly guided him to the other side of the cave, through the same hall he had gone through countless times before, whenever Baum asked him for help moving his plants. It was really a coincidence that he happened to peer into the bathroom and see the small waterfall that served as the bull's shower. The first thing that came to mind was his last encounter with it, and how it almost ended with the bull seeing him naked...

"H-Hey! How's the water?" he said anything to try and get his mind out of those thoughts, but Baum looked down at him with a curious expression. "I mean, the heater. Does it work properly? Do you need me to tweak it around or something? Have you even used it at all?"

"Oh, the heater," he said it just as they left the cave, with a tone Kramer didn't get at first. But he was smiling contently, a good sign. "The heater is amazing. Best showers I've had in a while. First night I just sat down and stood under the water for so long, I lost track of time, it felt divine," as if the memory made his body relax, the bull draped over the otter's back, his impressive weight forcing Kramer to keep him upward. Never before had he been so thankful for working out. Baum's arms crossed over his chest next, pulling him closer, and his lips left a small kiss on top of the otter's head. "Thank you."

"It's just a heater, you dummy," he tried laughing it off so he wouldn't notice the intense blushing that now covered his cheeks.

When he looked up, he realized they had been outside for a while. In front of him, the vast greenery of Baum's garden expanded for him to see: Countless plants, some of which he still had no idea what they even were, lined up in perfect order along with trees packed with fruit that seemed ripe for the taking to his unexperienced eyes. No matter how many times he saw it, it never stopped impressing him. Calling it a garden felt like an insult, it might as well have been a small forest all on its own. All of it grown by the bull alone, it was truly amazing. That was the kind of thing he should be bragging about in front of Deo.

Thinking about the dragon led to an inevitable train of thought that ended on Inés and his small research. Just like that, his concerns returned in full swing, making his smile vanish. Not even feeling the bull pushing down on him was enough to ease him down. If anything, seeing the massive garden, knowing how much effort he had put into it, the last thing he wanted was to see him lose it all over some sort of legal technicality.

"Hey, remember-

"Come on," he ignored him. It was the first time he cut him off like that, but the smile made it clear that he was simply too excited to start to care about anything else. Not the best moment to bring legal issues up, then. And if Kramer was honest, he was just as excited, letting the bull pull him towards the trees and small bushes nearest to the cave.

When they finally stopped, the first thing Baum did was hand him over an enormous basket that he wasn't quite sure how to hold at first. It was closer to a backpack in size, really, and that was exactly how he treated it, slinging it over his shoulders where it rested comfortably. When he saw the bull with a similar one hanging from his forearm, he realized it was made for his larger body, and the sheer difference in their sizes hit the otter yet again, making him blush. It wasn't until that terse voice of his filled his ears that he stopped his mind from going in that direction.

"It's not a big harvest, so everything should fit in these two. I mostly pick things up around every week or so, otherwise it would stay for too long in the cave and go bad before I get to eat it. I learned that the hard way when I first moved in."

"What, so you grow everything at different rates and make sure it's all ripe at one week intervals?" the otter asked with a chuckle, still following the bull, unable to tear his eyes from the broad back in front of him. Watching it tense up under the fabric was almost hypnotic; so much, it took a moment for the otter to notice there was no reaction to his joke. "Wait... You actually do that? Is that even possible?"

"Anything is possible with enough hard work and a bit of obsessive-compulsive disorder," he was the one joking now, right? "These were all planted at different intervals, so their harvest times are more or less different. Of course, plants are living things and growing them isn't an exact science, no matter how much you force your hand. Sometimes things don't get ripe as fast as you want them, other times you get one, two or three too many apples for the week. Anything could happen. But for the most part, since I don't have a refrigerator or anything else to keep all of this from spoiling, timing the harvest helps reduce your losses a great deal," he said it just as he plucked the first orange of a low-hanging tree. Kramer took the chance to look over his shoulder and noticed the line of trees ahead of them devoid of any fruit, contrary to the ones they had walked by. He was serious about the timing, then. "Think about it like timing it so your white mage casts Esuna on your physical characters and cures them of blindness just a second before they attack."

"You play Final Fantasy IV once..."

"It's a good game!" he said with another smile. An infectious one, as the otter had to admit. He also had to admit right away that the task was harder than he expected, when a particularly stubborn orange refused to be plucked. As his hand held and pulled as hard as he could, he asked himself if it was even ripe in the first place. "Already having issues, city boy?"

"You can't just- You're from the city too, may I remind you," the otter let out with one final tug, this one hard enough to free the fruit from the branch it hung from; and hard enough for him to fall flat on his ass and the basket to flip over and cover his face. He couldn't see right now, but he didn't need to in order to hear Baum's poor attempts at stifling his laughter. "One bad experience won't stop me from enjoying myself, thank you," he said as he pushed the basket back, holding the offered hand and getting back up. He tossed the first orange over his shoulder, feeling it land safely. But it was only one, paling next to the bull's own already being half full. How the hell did he do that?

"I love your gumption, otter. But trust me, farming is full of bad experiences," Baum winked and Kramer wasn't sure how to take it. The next orange he plucked came off easily, at least, as did the following few, proving that he just had bad luck with his first one. He was going to die on that hill. The bull walked past him and reached for the next tree over, his longer arms and stronger fingers taking care of the fruit with dexterity the likes of which Kramer rarely saw in a man. "It can be enjoyable, but it's mostly hard work with little reward beyond your own gratification. It's pretty easy to have a tree or two in your backyard and get a good harvest every few months, but to live off the forest you need an incredible amount of dedication. Especially during the winter, that's a big blow on your ego. Actually, all seasons are difficult; few things are as challenging as keeping bugs off your crops during the summer.

"So, if we're talking about complete, absolute self-sustainability, you need a lot less space than what I use out here. But that's only possible in theory; it's not actually feasible to just live all on your own, without ever interacting with civilization. I plant more than I consume and sell the rest to have some extra cash for the expenses I can't avoid, like certain medications I can't substitute with herbs, or to buy new glasses whenever I need a check-up. Speaking of which, I actually need to see my doctor and get a new pair, I'm starting to squint a lot when I'm reading. Might do that next month, actually."

"Want me to go with you?" Kramer didn't think much of it when he said it; he was focused on the oranges and how hard he had to tug for them to come off sometimes. Stubborn little things, if they weren't so damn good... But Baum's sudden silence did catch him off guard and he looked up. "Baum?"

"What? Yeah! Sorry, uh..." he had his back turned to him, shoulders just a bit tense and his body swaying left and right almost imperceptibly. He had stopped picking the fruit. An opportunity to get ahead, the otter thought. "Sure, you can come. Thanks."

"Why are you nervous all of a sudden?"

"I... don't know. Seriously, I have no idea," the bull chuckled a bit, turning to the tree with a bright smile and just a bit of red on his cheeks. "I'm just happy you offered, I guess. That's so lame when you say it out loud, but it's been forever since my last relationship and I'm kind of... Well, it feels nice not having to do things all on my own anymore."

"That's right, it didn't click until now. You've had to do everything on your own all this time, right?" the otter said, his eyes lingering on his boyfriend's face. Baum looked at him with a curious expression, tilting his head at the obvious remark. But Kramer's eyes only stayed on him for a while longer, before slowly rolling down his torso, lingering much lower now. "You've been taking care of everything on your own," he said with a surprisingly serious tone, and right after figuring out what he meant, the bull turned back again, legs pressed together and a blushing pout on his face.

"Well, yes! I am a young, healthy man with needs and urges!" he huffed, getting the otter to double over from laughter. He was wheezing by now, not paying attention to Baum's now tense shoulders, or the way he covered his face. Maybe he was going too far, but it was so fun to tease him like this now that they were dating. Baum's frowning pout came to view again as the bull went for the next orange, his basket close to full by this point. Kramer wasn't even halfway done with his first tree, but it was worth it for a good laugh. "Anyway! There are a lot of other things to take care of: making your own fertilizers depends on what nutrients the soil might be lacking; most people forget to add some source of calcium, and if it's lacking, that can damage some crops. There's also the- Are you paying attention?"

"I am, I promise," the otter replied with a smile, tugging another stubborn orange free. At least this time he didn't fall on the ground. But if he was being honest, he wasn't completely there either. "Am I teasing you too much? I can stop if it bothers you."

"No. It's fine, I like that you're teasing me," Kramer had to raise an eyebrow at that, and he saw the exact moment when the bull realized what he said. "Don't get smart with me now. What I mean is, it feels nice to have more than your own voice agreeing with your thoughts, or the polite lady behind the pharmacy counter that you see maybe three times a year. I missed interacting with people."

"Then why live here all on your own?" he had to admit part of that question came with the thought of maybe convincing the bull of not squatting anymore. Anything to keep him from getting in trouble. But no matter how much Baum tried to keep up that same smile, the glimmer in his eyes vanished and his moustache shook in that specific manner that he recognized. And yet, Kramer was stubborn enough to push through. "Why not move back to the city? Are you really that much into the hermit lifestyle?"

"I am, actually. It's a lot of hard work, sometimes without any real reward. But the first bite I had of my first successful crop was..." and he stopped. When Kramer looked up, the smile had left his face, lips pursed tightly and those sharp violet eyes looking ahead, staring at nothing. It was the first time he saw the bull so serious and there was something solemnly intimidating about him. "An epiphany. That's the word... Anyway, I told you, I had my own stuff going on back then, and I just don't want to live in the city anymore. I'm not sure I can anymore," he plucked the last orange of the tree and Kramer wasn't sure when he even had time to do that. Seeing the tree now devoid of fruit was bizarre in ways he couldn't quite understand. But most important of all, the look Baum gave him had the same warm smile as always, and yet it was one that made the otter feel uncomfortable. "I promised I would tell you about that when I'm ready. Please, don't push it."

"Sorry," he felt like he was apologizing a lot lately. But Baum cupped his cheek, his thumb gently rubbing the side of his face, and whatever thought may have wandered into the otter's mind was numbed by that. "And I'm sorry I'm teasing you too much."

"Really, it's fine. If I ever have an issue with it, I'll just find a way to tease you back," Kramer was about to ask just how exactly the bull would do that, right before he started stretching, flexing and pushing his chest forward right in front of the otter. Of course, he was left speechless at the size, the way his pecs strained the buttons and the tiny strands of hair making it out of his clothes; his arms rolling and his back's definition showing through the fabric, the way his biceps flexed when he stretched them as well, the sheer thickness of his neck- "What are you staring at, otter?"

"Shut up..." he mumbled and kept pulling the fruit from the tree, hoping the bull didn't pick up on how perky his tail was all of a sudden. A light chuckle coming from that deep voice told him all he needed, though.

"This is enough for today," he said with a hand on the otter's shoulder, leaning in to check the basket. Kramer turned around as well, mostly out of curiosity, and wasn't surprised to see it not even halfway full. Compared to the massive haul the bull had amassed in less time, it actually made him want to keep going. It took Baum's arm around his shoulders pulling him from the tree for him to stop. "How was it? Are you tired?"

"Why would I be tired? It's just... picking up fruit..." he actually was tired, what the hell. His breathing was just rough enough that a few steps back to the front of the garden was pushing it, and his shoulders were starting to feel sore with the weight pulling behind him. He adjusted the basket exactly like he would a heavy backpack on a hiking trip, but it only gave him a second of unease in which he felt he would fall back again. Until this moment, he never realized how heavy a fruit could actually get. But when he looked at the bull, he simply turned at him with a smile, easily carrying his own harvest. And he was flexing again, at that.

"I look like this for a reason, you know," he chuckled. The closer they got, the more he started bragging about his body, and while Kramer certainly agreed with him in that regard, right now it felt like he was mocking him and tempting him at the same time. "I can carry your basket for you, if you want. I'm strong enough for both," he said with another flex, naturally, and tried getting it off the otter's back.

"I'm fine, thanks," Kramer stepped out of reach with just a bit of a pout, which soon turned into another quick wheeze that he hoped the bull didn't notice. He looked away from what was surely another grin from him and made his way towards the cave-

"No, not there today," Baum surprised him yet again as he walked over to the side of the entrance, closer to the rock wall. He stepped in front of a large stone and for a moment it was as if his leg sank into the ground, his body absorbed by the mountain, getting higher by the second. It took the otter a moment to realize what he was seeing and then he rushed to that spot, seeing the perfectly sculpted steps hidden by the rock formation next to it.

"You have stairs here? And you never told me?" he was just a bit disappointed by that. To think this man had made a second level on his cave; he could've been bragging about that to his friends!

"I'm a man full of secrets," now he was just teasing him more. Kramer wasn't about to just let him off the hook with that one and he took the first step to follow him, only for his legs to start giving in to the weight of his own basket. "Are you ok?" Baum asked when he was halfway up, most likely over how ragged his breathing was getting.

"I'm fine, I'm- Fuck..." he had to stop for a second to catch his breath, actually. "I jog every day and ride a bike uphill to get here, how am I this tired? I'm in great shape!"

"Different activities, different muscles- Your body isn't used to this kind of manual labor, that's all," that was rhetorical, but he wasn't about to blow Baum's excitement. He heard the hard hooves on the stone floor and he knew the bull was getting closer; he predicted exactly what he would say before his snout even showed up. "Let me h-

"No!" and with a final surge of strength, Kramer pulled the basket up and rushed the last few steps, dropping it on the ground the second he arrived. It wasn't even that heavy, but he was practically dead after plucking them all in the first place, and he didn't even understand why. Baum was seriously built different. "See? I did it. I'm invincible..." and then he leaned against the nearest wall, looking at the small area they were in.

That's when he saw the platform for the first time, and he had the same reaction as every time he came into a new room of this surprisingly complex cave: Complete awe.

It was a sizeable cavity carved into the rock, the walls forming a slight curve that gave it a comfy air. Standing in the middle was a rustic wooden table, the first thought going through his mind being that Baum had carved that on his own as well; there was a small white cloth on top of it and a pair of plates waiting to be filled, an immediate tell of what the bull had been planning all along. But before Kramer could say anything about that, he turned around again.

Opposite the wall and looking towards the massive garden was a large opening, with only a short rock wall acting as railing. The otter leaned on it without realizing and gazed upon the greenery in front of him, spreading further away than he thought possible. From this position, he clearly saw the fields from which they took the oranges, the countless plants that the bull had taught him about over the months, and far beyond even more of his little domain that he had no idea was even there. Above it all, the sky was a bright, cloudless blue, but for some reason it reminded him of that first night he spent in this cave, when the two of them lied down staring at the stars across the black sky. That seemed so long ago now.

"What's on your mind?" Baum whispered on his ear when he joined him, his arms crossed in front of the otter's chest, holding him tenderly. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kramer had expected the bull to be the shy type, throwing side glances from time to time and fumbling with his words. He was a lot more forward than that, as another kiss on top of his head proved him. It made him wonder what other expectations he would end up subverting.

"This place is bigger than I predicted," he sighed. "And it's been a while since we met. Time goes fast, huh?"

"At least it's time well spent," that made the otter chuckle. Despite how much he wanted to stay like this forever, Baum let go of him and stepped back, finally making him turn around. "It's a bit early for lunch, but you did come over a lot earlier than expected, so..."

"You made me lunch?" he was honestly surprised... for some reason. He sat on the chair his boyfriend offered him, shocked by how sturdy it was; did he really make this by himself as well? Was there anything this man couldn't do? He was about to ask that when Baum set a large tray in the middle of the table, followed by a pair of plates and metal cutlery. Probably brought over from the city when he moved, but funnily enough it was one of those things Kramer had taken for granted, not even asking himself how he managed.

"It's just a shepherd's pie, no big deal," now he decided to get coy, of all times. Kramer said nothing as a large piece was put on his plate, just a tad smaller than what he would've grabbed on his own. He had mentioned to Baum before that he liked eating, but he clearly didn't quite get how much just yet. But he had time to learn. "Ah, it's vegan- It has lentils instead of meat, you don't mind that, right?"

"Not at all! I like everything that's edible," he wished he could put it any other way, but it was the truth. And now that the scent of the spices hit him, he started feeling his mouth watering at it. He couldn't quite tell each one of them precisely because of how well they blended. He was so taken by the sight, he didn't even notice the salad bowl until Baum handed it over to him, and the different tones of green and other colors, from lettuce, avocado, tomato, beats and so many other things, contrasted with the earthly colors of the main dish. For the first time in his life, Kramer found himself speechless in front of food. "Um... Thanks. You know, I... I'm used to being the one cooking for other people. I haven't had a lot of people cook for me instead."

"I definitely won't say no to your food, but I want to spoil you from time to time," Baum said right before taking a sizeable bite, shrugging slightly at the taste. Probably shivering from it, he looked so damn cute like that, trying not to smile and his moustache shaking from it. He covered his mouth when he noticed Kramer smiling at him and spoke between bites. "Go ahead!"

There was no fighting against that enthusiasm, so the otter held the knife and watched as the pie started crumbling the moment he pierced through the mashed potatoes. He took a smaller bite than the bull and chewed slowly, letting the flavors rest in his palate for a moment. Despite the many spices it had, it wasn't in the least uncomfortable; it had an energizing tint to it, a certain zest that blended with the smooth potatoes perfectly, all of it dancing in his mouth. It was nowhere near as juicy as a meat one would've been, but with eh dry flavor of the spices that actually worked on its favor. He couldn't help himself from stuffing his mouth with a bite of the salad afterwards, letting the refreshing herbs mix with everything else.

"Mmm... This is so good," he said right before swallowing, already taking his next bite. This one as big as what the bull took the first time; appearances be damned, he wanted this in him. He looked back at Baum as he did, just in time to see the smile that appeared on his face at his words. Looking even prettier than usual, how dare he. He wanted to impress him somehow. "I'm sensing... Turmeric. And cumin. And a bit of paprika?"

"Y-Yeah..." the smile disappeared, replaced by a pair of widening eyes. Impressed indeed. "You're good at that, huh?"

"Well, I try, you know," he tried waving it off, hoping Baum didn't notice the blush he was getting at those words. "Did you grow all of this by yourself, though? The roots and the spices, did you ground them on your own as well? All of this?"

"I made everything in here, even the very chair you're sitting on," good to have him confirm that as well. That was actually freaking hot, picturing the bull shirtless, sweaty, carving everything around them with his own hands- Well, he carved a freaking cave, so of course he could make a chair if he wanted, damn, what a man! "What are you staring at now?"

"You're just so cool," he said with another bite, barely registering what he was saying. That got another blush out of Baum, but it didn't stop him. "I mean, you make a cave out of a mountain, plant all of this," he waved in the general direction of the massive garden expanding in front of them for what felt like miles, "climb and trek through giant caverns for fun-How are you even real? You're perfect!"

"I'm... far from perfect, really," he seemed strange again, avoiding the otter's gaze. But there was no denying the smile on his lips. "Thanks, though... And I'm glad you like the food, it's one of the recipes I brought over when I moved here. I spent years collecting them all, and I'm sure glad I did! Imagine living here not knowing how to cook, my meals would be even more boring than they already are!"

"I don't see how you could ever get bored of this," Kramer took the last bite of the pie with a bright smile, slowly turning into a low groan of bliss. Baum's eyes widened again not only because of how fast the otter managed to finish his food, but because he was already cutting a second slice. All while he had barely reached the first half of his own.

"I'm certainly not bored right now," of course he said that. And he had the audacity of saying he wasn't perfect. "So, I know you wanted me to teach you more stuff today, but what do you say we take it easy? You don't know even half of this garden, do you? Let's take a walk after we're done with lunch. I can show you some things on the way," he turned around, looking at the expanse of green and covering his mouth as he did, muffling his words just enough for the otter to figure them out. "You could stay the night too..."

"Smooth," they traded another quick chuckle after that. Truth be told, Kramer had no issue with spending the rest of the evening just walking around with him, taking in the sights he had yet to discover of his property. And just with that word, everything started crashing back into his mind, the bull's smile taking an entirely different meaning. He didn't want to just ruin it... "So, remember I told you I had this lawyer friend?"

"Hmm? Yeah," he sounded uninterested at first, but the way he closed his eyes and his shoulders slumped told Kramer that he was less than excited for what was about to come.

"So, I asked her about the whole squatting issue. She said, um, that it's better if we leave it alone for now," he knew the second Baum heard that he would throw him the smuggest look in all of history, so he kept going before he got the chance. "She specifically said that it's probable you've already been found out, but that no one wants to go through the whole bureaucracy of dealing with this. Yet; someone could pop up and start messing with you just because. I looked into it a bit on my own, nothing big-

"That sounds like the opposite of leaving it alone."

"I looked into it," he tried not to get frustrated right now, "and I'm going to listen to what Inés says and leave it alone. Especially if you don't want to talk about it. But I just want you to know that it's a possibility, and that if, for whatever reason, it ever happens, I have the information, I have some contacts, and I can help you through it. You can come to me about anything, ok?"

"I know, I know..." Kramer, however, couldn't keep from wondering if he really did. And he might have said something about it if the bull hadn't sat straight and looked at him across the table, reaching for his hand. It was always shocking how, despite his impressive size, he could hold him so softly. "Thank you. I know it can happen, but I don't want to think about it until then. That's just how I am; I'm the 'run from your problems' type."

"Well, I'm the type that likes butting in on other people's problems and fix them," the otter pulled his thumb out of the bull's grasp and stroked the side of his hand. "And it hasn't exactly done wonders for me in the past. But I still want to help you as much as I can."

"You are," he held Kramer's hand higher, pulling it closer to his lips and leaving a quick kiss on his fingers. For the first time, the otter didn't blush; he just smiled and watched the bull take the last few bites of his food. "Finish that already, big guy. I want you to try my orange tea."

"Orange tea!?"

"And then we're going on that walk. I want to show you where I get my spices," he stood up with his plate in hand, leaving Kramer to wonder if maybe his slice was deceptively small all along. He took another bite of his own without realizing, relishing on the flavor and the view of the bull's broad back.

"Hey..." an idea popped in his mind and he had to get Baum to look at him. "When do I get to show you my place for a change?"

"Your place? In the city..." he was already reluctant. But at least that wasn't the same as nervous, right? If anything, it only lasted a second, and then he had a smile back on his lips. Just a bit forced. "Well, if you ask me over, I'll go. You know I can't say no to that pretty face," he walked over to him, one hand on the otter's shoulder, slowly roaming to his chest as he leaned down on him. The full weight of the bull pressed on Kramer's back was comforting. "I have a feeling, however, that if I go to your house any time soon, I'll be staying over for a few nights."

"Wouldn't that be terrible."