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One: Alec

Alec lay back on his bed with his eyes closed as he listened to the music, a quiet storm of electronic keyboard rent by the lightning strike of drums in the soft-rock track playing through his laptop. The music reached a crescendo as the singer half-sang, half-spoke the chorus:

What did I do without you? Without you all those days And those little things about you, I'll keep you here always.

He'd been listening to this song more and more as the Easter holidays stretched on. It reminded him of Russ, or more specifically the relationship he had with Russ. The way he felt about Russ. The way Russ looked after him. Hearing it had become a compulsion, necessary even - a bittersweet medicine for when he felt Russ' absence too strongly.

It had been nearly three weeks now. In his mind he relived the night before the two of them had taken their separate trains home from Uni, sat up in Russ' room with music on in the background, himself cradled in Russ' arms. Most of the time they hadn't spoken, but occasionally one of them would say something.

'Don't worry Tiny, it won't be so bad. I'll ring you loads, and we can talk on Facespace whenever you're free.'

'I know. I'm just really going to miss you, Russ.'

'I'm gonna miss you too.' And then he had ruffled Alec's hair. 'We'll be back together before you know it.'

It was a comforting gesture, and Alec had drawn comfort from it, turning to face Russ and teasingly nipping his neck, knowing that Russ would respond by pinning him and nibbling at his own neck, showing him who was boss. Though he hadn't counted on the slow, dark love-bite Russ had delivered, starting gently but increasingly intense, prolonging it until Alec had gasped and pleaded with him to stop.

'Something to remember me by,' Russ had said.

Alec had wondered if he should make a move there and then: initiate the two of them taking the next step together. He'd thought that perhaps this would be the right time, before they temporarily parted ways. But something unspoken seemed to have passed between them, as if they had both independently considered and argued and weighed up the pros and cons and reached the decision that it would be better to wait. Perhaps it was because they knew that just once before they parted wouln't be enough. Perhaps it was because it would have made parting that much harder. More likely it was both.

What did I do without you? Without you all those days...

Those lyrics again, but this time it was his ringtone. He fished his phone out of his pocket and felt a thrill pass through him as he saw Russ' name under Caller ID. He flipped it open and held it to his head, turning his ear to it. 'Rusky!'

'Hey Tiny, how are you doing?'

'I'm okay, just listening to some music. You?'

'Yeah, I'm okay. I'm missing my bit of tail though...' The phrase had come both cockily and with a little hesitation, Russ playing top-dog like always, despite the fact that they hadn't actually done much together (they were taking things slowly). Alec knew that Russ knew he liked it, but he feigned indignance, making Russ work to draw him out.

'You're so rude,' he replied, dead-pan.

'Aww, I'm sorry. Don't pretend you're not feeling the same.'

'I'm not actually - in fact I'm not missing you at all. I only answered because I misread the caller ID...'

'How could you possibly misread RUSS?'

'I thought it was my cousin...Reese.'

'Your cousin?'

'Mmm.'

'On which side?'

'My dad's sister - her son.'

'Does your dad even have a sister?'

Alec stifled a giggle but the game was up. 'Okay, you got me.' He heard Russ give an exaggerated sigh at the other end. 'No, I miss you really badly, Russ.'

'That's better.'

'So, how was your day?'

There was a pause before Russ answered. 'Not great, actually. My mum's been on at me again, keeps saying I've been in a foul mood since I got home and that I'm wasting my time just moping around...It's kind of getting me down. And I never realised how noisy my house is! I mean, my sister doesn't know how to shut a door without slamming it, and she brings her guinea-pig inside all the time and seriously, do you know how loud those things are? They actually screech, no word of a lie.'

'Oh dear...'

'Plus she has a boyfriend now and he's a complete dick - he reminds me of what Sam was like at that age.' Alec smiled to himself as he imagined what the arrogant, self-assured Sam must have been like as an immature teenager.

'You have to let her do what she wants, Rusky. She is sixteen after all.'

'I know, I just don't want to see her get her heart broken,' Russ replied. But maybe that needs to happen, Alec thought to himself.

'The thing is, Tiny, it wouldn't be so bad if they weren't always like "What's up? What's up?"'

'Yeah, I get that.'

'Sometimes I feel like just blurting out that I'm in a mood because I'm going out with a really cute collie at Uni and I miss him like hell, especially all the cuddling snogging him...'

'My poor Russ.' What else could he say? Of course Russ couldn't say that - he wasn't out to either of his parents (whom Alec knew were divorced and lived apart). Alec had the opposite problem: his parents had known he was gay before he did and had embraced it then and ever since, his mother a little too enthusiastically, quizzing him about every male friend they saw him with or who came over to hang out. He'd told them about Russ, although they hadn't met him. He couldn't complain really; they were liberal, artistic people - and they knew to leave him alone when he was in a foul mood.

'...I just wish me and you could run away somewhere for a while,' Russ finished.

Something clicked in Alec's mind. 'Well...we could do.'

'Oh yeah,' laughed Russ, 'to the capital, and make our fortunes?'

'No, I mean we could just go away somewhere for a couple of days; book it last minute.'

'Where would we go?'

Alec mulled it over. 'A city, definitely, so that there's plenty to do...what about Sunchester? It's pretty much halfway between us - we could both get the train there.' He opened a new internet tab on his laptop and searched 'Hotels in Sunchester', scanning the list of links until he saw one that might suit them and clicked it. A webpage advertising the Indian Elephant Hotel opened up.

'Well, I could really do with seeing you...' Russ trailed off.

'I'm booking it.'

'What, that quick?!'

'Yeah, it's a hotel I've stayed in before with my parents. When are you free? I thought maybe Friday, the sixteenth?' He entered his card details.

'That sounds good....but, like, this is too cool!' said Russ. 'What on earth am I gonna tell my mum?'

'Tell her you're going to stay with your friend Alec from Uni. It's not a lie, not really. Okaaay...' (He clicked to confirm the booking). 'It's done. I got us a double room, I hope that's ok?'

He heard Russ laugh down the phone. 'Well yeah, we do share a bed all the time at Uni after all. And we can always top and tail.'

Alec felt himself blush. 'You have such a one-track mind Rusky.'

'Seriously though, what do I owe you for this?'

'This is my treat, Russ.'

'Al, I can't let you pay for us both.'

'Yes you can. I never paid you back for The Black Leopard.'

'Oh yeah,' said Russ, 'our first date. Those tickets were like a fiver each though! Come on, how much was it?'

'You'll never know.'

'Damn you Tiny!'

Alec giggled. He heard a shrill female come down the phone from somewhere in the background.

'I have to go, baby. Mum's calling me for help with something,' said Russ, his voice filled with reluctance. Again, Alec felt that thrill - this time at the word baby: soft, tender but inherently sexy at the same time.

'Okay,' said Alec. It didn't feel okay; he wanted to talk for so much longer. 'Miss you.'

'Miss you too, but we'll be back together really soon, thanks to you!'

Alec smiled. 'Get into Sunchester for about one if you can.'

'Will do. See you soon, my sexy pup.'

'Goodbye, my high-school jock.' Alec's phone went dead and he closed it. He was about to return to Music on Demand when a blinking advertisement at the bottom of the page caught his eye: 'Camilla Brushtail appearing in Un Enfant Terrible, 10-16 April at the Sunchester-West theatre.'

Wow...it's Cam, he thought. He scrolled down and clicked on the link.

* * * * *

Two: Russ

The train trundled steadily forward. Russ sat at a table-seat, drumming his paw on the white plastic surface. He felt restless with anticipation, yearning for the train to reach its destination where he knew Alec would be waiting for him. He tried to focus on a course book he had brought but nothing sank in. He gave up, shoving the book into his rucksack and staring out the window instead, watching as the pleasant greenery merged into suburbs and then formed itself into an urban sprawl of concrete and glass.

'The next stop is Sunchester, Old Street Station. The train will terminate here.'

He zipped up his bag and pulled on his jacket in preparation to disembark. The train slowed to a stop and he was up on his feet, at the doors and out on the platform, where he caught sight of Alec standing back from the crowd so as to avoid missing him, a coy smile on his face. He half-walked half-jogged over to where Alec stood and caught him in his arms, hugging him tight.

'Russ - don't squash me!' Alec joked, and Russ released him. They moved further away from the train so as not to be in the way of the other animals and turned to face each other once again.

'I'm so glad to see you!' Russ blurted out. 'And it's such a relief to get out of my house!' It almost felt too good to be real, to have Alec here after so long, with the whole weekend before them.

'I'm really happy to see you too,' said Alec, taking Russ' paw in his own.

'I can see that by your tail,' laughed Russ, catching sight of how vigorously Alec's fluffy tail was wagging, although Russ knew his was probably just as bad. 'So where are we headed?'

'Well, it's too far to walk, so we best get a taxi. There's a taxi rank over there.' Alec motioned with his paw.

'Lead the way, Tiny,' said Russ. As they set off towards the line of beetle-back cars he took Alec's paw and squeezed it. From this close he could smell the faint perfume of Alec's scent - he'd forgotten how nice it was.

A minute or two later Russ sat in the back of the taxi on the right hand side, his bag crammed between his legs in the foot-well, (he regretted declining the driver's offer to open the boot for him). Alec sat on his left, his paw resting on a small case that occupied the middle seat. Russ stroked along Alec's forearm with his own paw, drawing his digits back and forth over the soft fur. He noticed that the driver didn't bat an eyelid. He must be used to seeing two guys holding hands, this being a big city and all, he thought. Russ had wondered if he should sit in the front in the pretence of him and Alec just being friends. Is that a fault in me? He thought, but the negative feeling was quickly lost in the elation at feeling Alec's warmth, taking in his scent, even if they were currently only holding hands.

'So, the Indian Elephant was it?' asked the driver.

'Yeah,' said Alec, 'or just somewhere near.'

'I'll drop you in the car park.'

'Thanks.'

Catching sight of Russ gazing at him, Alec turned towards him and smirked. Russ blushed and instinctively hid it with his paw, pretending to scratch his cheek.

Within a few minutes they reached the hotel and whilst Alec was fumbling about in his backpack, Russ discreetly paid the fare. Alec looked up just as the taxi drove off.

'I found it! It was in my pocket the whole time...oh, did you pay him? I was going to do that.'

'I know - that's why I didn't say anything to you.'

Alec gave a growl of mock-anger and then practically launched himself at Russ, who caught him and pulled him into a long kiss. He stroked up and down the length of Alec's back and then, unable to resist, pawed at the curve of his arse under his jeans.

'Oi!' said Alec, pulling away.

'Well, what do you expect? I haven't seen you for nearly three weeks. I need my bit of tail,' Russ finished under his breath. He saw Alec's eyes widen in shock and Alec looked around, checking that no one was there to hear.

'You're so bad,' Alec whispered.

'Damn right. Speaking of which we should probably head up to the room.'

The two of them were checked in by a bored-looking vixen who had been filing her nails, and they tramped up the single flight of stairs and along the corridor to the door of their double room, number 38. Russ watched as Alec unsuccessfully tried to swipe the key-card several times, then took it off him and did it instantly.

'How did you do that?' Alec gaped.

'Easily.'

'It wasn't working when I tried!'

'It was; it's just that you're so inept.'

Alec pulled a face, but smiled when Russ ruffled his hair. The two of them entered and unpacked; whilst hanging up a shirt Russ felt himself being pawed at in revenge for earlier and he threw a pair of balled-up socks at Alec in response, sparking off a fight in which pillows, towels and several pairs of pants were employed and only ending when Alec unceremoniously tripped over a fallen cushion.

'You know,' said Russ as he helped Alec to his feet, 'the first time I met you I thought you were really cool and enigmatic.'

'You mean you don't think I'm cool now?'

'Of course I do Tiny. Real cool.'

'Well I'm cooler than you.'

'Nah.'

'I am! You're far too main-stream to be cool.' Russ stared at him until they both burst out laughing. 'No, but...I was playing it cool when we first met,' Alec confided. 'I didn't want to let on that I liked you.'

'Is that why you grabbed my arm in the cinema?'

'Oh shush, that film was scary.'

'Mmm hmm.' Russ loved teasing Alec like this, watching him get wound up only to break into an exasperated smile as he realised that Russ would just keep going until he gave in.

'Okay, I suppose I was being a bit of a wimp.'

'You were just being the fluffy little collie you are.'

'Is that how you see me, as a fluffy little collie?'

'As my fluffly little collie.'

'And that makes you...?'

'I'm top dog; pack-leader. You have to do as I say.' He thrilled at the shock in Alec's face and pushed him onto the bed, pulling him in tight. Alec nuzzled into his side and he wrapped his arm around Alec's frame, running his paw up and down over the flat of Alec's chest and stomach under his shirt. Alec turned over onto his back in ecstasy and Russ rubbed quicker and more vigorously with both of his paws nibbling Alec's ear while Alec moaned softly. Russ let go of the silken-furred skin between his teeth and whispered gently 'Do you want to do something tonight? Something...sexy?'

He felt Alec go rigid before unfolded himself from Russ' arms and sat up, a troubled look in his face. Russ panicked - had he pressured Alec? He hadn't thought so...

'We don't have to,' he blurted out, desperate to make things okay, 'I just thought because we have all evening and I've really missed you...you know how sexy I find you...I didn't mean...' He stopped when he saw Alec smile, that same beautiful smile that had lit up his face when he'd asked him to the cinema all those months ago.

'Thank you, Rusky,' said Alec, placing his paw over Russ' own, 'but you don't have to tiptoe around me. I really would like to do something with you, right now, but...' He trailed off.

'But?' Russ coaxed.

'Promise you won't hate me?'

'I couldn't hate you, Tiny.'

'Well...you've heard me mention Cam, my best friend at school who went to Drama College?'

'Yeah...go on.' Russ pondered in his mind where on earth this could be going.

'Well, after I booked us the hotel I saw that she was performing in Un Enfant Terrible at Sunchester-West...'

'Wait - Camilla Brushtail, that's Cam? Wow, she's done well!' said Russ as the realisation dawned that Alec's old-time friend and the famous singer were one and the same.

Yeah she has, and I've never seen her perform - apart from in school plays and stuff - and tonight is the last night they're performing Enfant here, so I kind of got us tickets...and it starts in an hour, so we need to get ready and go quite quickly.'

'Ahh.' Russ sighed. This was typical Alec: impulsive, spontaneous. He couldn't blame him for being who he was - that was why he loved him.

'Are you angry with me?' Alec asked him tentatively.

'No, you daft pup. I totally understand you wanting to see her. I'm sure I can wait a couple more hours to get you naked,' he finished with a wink. Alec punched him softly on the chest. 'Oh, aye?' said Russ, grabbing Alec's still extended arm and forcing him flat on the bed, pinning him. 'You think you're tough?' He nibbled Alec's ear and neck, marking it.

Alec squirmed, giggling. 'No Russ, please, we have to get ready!'

Russ released him with a great effort of will. 'Okay I'll put a shirt on.' He proceeded to swap his t-shirt for a white, pinstriped shirt, buttoning it up with a heavy heart. The truth of it was that he'd seen Enfant before, and he'd thought it was pretentious rubbish.