FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sunlight greeted the otters the next day as usual when they departed for school. In the morning, before school, Rye made an agreement with his physical education teacher that allowed him to do his own activities during class since his body was used to the excessive exercises his training endured. Cloud was also given permission to accompany Rye on the basis of their relationship, although Cloud wouldn't participate in all of Rye's exercises since he wasn't use to the exercises.

They remained on the field because their first class was physical education. Rye and Cloud heard the bell rang but wandered to a private section of the field.

"So how hard did they push you at camp Rye?" Cloud asked while they walked through the grass that was wet with the morning dew.

"To our limits," Rye answered. "We usually ran five miles every morning to warm up, then continued with our morning routine which consisted of a variety of different exercises."

"Five miles? Wow. Well, shall we get started?"

Rye nodded. Starting with simple stretches, Rye remained patient while he instructed Cloud on the different poses.

While Rye performed his own stretches, that Cloud couldn't quite compete with, Cloud discovered how flexible his boyfriend really is. When they finished, Cloud could already feel his muscles starting to protest but he didn't allow it to show.

The otters performed several exercises, while the rest of their class did their own routine and eventually moved onto playing a soccer game. Cloud struggled his best to keep up with Rye, but he could never complete a set. To his flattery though, Rye went at his pace and stopped with him to move onto something else.

"You're like a machine," Cloud commented finally while he lied on the grass, panting.

Rye chuckled, and remained sitting cross-legged next to Cloud. His breathing wasn't different at all. "I'm used to it. You did a wonderful job though Cloud. I couldn't even do as much as you did when I first went into camp."

Cloud grinned and closed his eyes. "Every muscle in my body has gone limp. I never really understood how much I weigh until now. I'm so sore."

Rye's smile remained on his face but he looked at Cloud apologetically. "Sorry. Want me to carry you back?"

Cloud laughed, amused by the idea. "No. No thanks. I'm not looking forward to the rest of the day though. I'm going to be dead-tired all day."

"Well come on now," Rye said, standing up. Cloud looked at him and Rye extended his paw out.

Smiling, the white otter accepted the paw and was pulled to his feet. With a groan, Cloud's legs failed and he nearly fell back down but was caught by Rye. "Damn it."

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? What's wrong?"

"I think I pushed myself too hard," Cloud muttered through gritted teeth. "I'm fine, but I have no energy left."

"We're going straight to the nurse," Rye said firmly. Rye put Cloud's arm around his own shoulders and hefted him back on his feet. With Rye's assistance, Cloud slowly walked across the field and toward the main building. "I'm so sorry Cloud. I should have told you to stop sooner."

Cloud laughed shortly through his labored breaths. "Don't be sorry Rye," he said, panting. "The fault is mine if anybody's, so don't go blaming yourself. It was an honest mistake to overestimate my body's capability."

"Still, I'm sorry."

With Rye's help, Cloud made it to the nurse's office where she examined the otter. Rye sat in a chair nearby closing supervising Cloud.

"Ouch, yes that hurts!"

"Well Cloud," the nurse said finishing her examination. "You've sprained your calf muscle, your shoulder and your triceps. You're also becoming dehydrated." The nurse gave a cup of water to the otter. "You need to go home and rest."

"Thanks," Cloud responded, and gulped down the water. The otter hid his broken pride well.

"Rye," the nurse turned to the student sitting in a nearby chair. "You should stay with Cloud. Hot and cold pads will help relax Cloud's muscles, and he shouldn't do any task that'll require him to reach too far." The nurse stepped back as Rye helped Cloud back to his feet and then he nodded to the nurse. "And no sexual activity for a while."

Rye rolled his eyes, but he knew it was medical advice rather than his usual friends teasing him and Cloud. "Thanks Nurse Patty."

"Head straight home," the nurse advised. "And come visit me more often Rye."

Rye helped Cloud into the BMW and then got behind the wheel himself. Cloud kept his eyes closed and kept relaxed, and Rye assumed his silence was a part of him trying not to do anything that'll strain a muscle.

They arrived at their apartment with an uneventful drive, and Rye helped Cloud through the apartment door to the couch. Cloud sat down and Rye turned on the television and inserted a movie that Cloud would like.

"Thanks Rye," Cloud said resting.

"Is there anything you want?" Rye asked concerned.

"Nah, I'm fine." The two otters remained silent for several minutes before Cloud spoke up again. "I'm going to be blunt with you; I'm kind of ashamed of myself right now."

Rye gasped and jerked his head to look at Cloud. "Why!?"

"Just not being as good as you are; being weaker. I don't like it."

Rye chuckled. "That totally reminded me of when we first met. When we competed at everything. You're not weaker by any means; you just don't have as much stamina as I do now."

"I still don't like it." Cloud smiled though, contradicting his point. "I'm not trying to compete with you but don't you think for a moment because I got injured that I don't want to continue your routine."

"Not until you get better."

The white otter pulled his knees to his chest as he sat up, but he groaned with discomfort the movement caused.

"Here, I got an idea." Rye said standing up and going to the kitchen. "Lie down and take off your clothes." Cloud raised an eyebrow at him. Rye laughed at the expression. "Just do it. And lie on your stomach so it'll be easier on you... and me."

"I don't know what you're up to but I'll play along. Just remember the nurse's advice."

"I didn't forget," Rye said with a smile as he pulled out a large pot, filled it with water and set it on the oven to boil. With the water heating up, Rye quickly went across the living room, ignoring Cloud undressing himself, and entered his bedroom to the bathroom where he found two large, thick beach towels.

Turning on the shower and setting to the temperature as hot as it'd get, which was almost boiling, Rye drenched the towels in the steaming water. After turning off the shower, Rye headed back to Cloud trying to keep as much of the water in the towels.

Cloud lied on his front, his arms folded in front of him with his jaw resting on them, completely naked as he watched the television. The otter took noticed in his boyfriend's activities though and soon ignored the television.

"Satisfied?" Cloud asked noticing Rye's hesitation when he looked at Cloud's sleek body.

"Yes," Rye shook his head and unfolded one of the towels. "This will help keep you relaxed." Rye laid the towel on Cloud's back, which allowed the hot water to seep through his fur and relax his muscles.

Cloud let out a low hum. "Ooh, that feels great."

"Good," Rye replied and smiled. The towel covered most of Cloud's body so the scene wasn't so seductive to Rye. With the other towel still in paw, Rye took it to the boiling pot and put it in to keep it warm. "Let me know when you want to switch the towels."

"Will do."

Rye went back over to Cloud quietly, knelt on the floor next to the couch near Cloud's head and stared at him. Cloud's eyes were closed as he enjoyed the warmth and Rye thought he was falling asleep.

"What?" Cloud asked with his eyes still closed and he smiled. "You just going to sit there all day?"

"Until you fall asleep at least."

Cloud opened his eyes. "I'm not tired at all. . . Okay, well, I'm completely exhausted physically but I don't have any intention on going to sleep."

Amused, Rye giggled and gently caressed Cloud's cheek with his paw. Cloud smiled in response. "So what are you going to do then if you're not going to sleep?" Rye asked.

"Let's talk about something. I still don't know that much about your past. Did you ever have interest with anyone else besides me?"

"Nothing serious," Rye answered thinking about his past crushes. "You're the first person I really even hugged passionately. Last summer, before we even met, I did have a small crush on a cheetah named James but he was visiting from Fortuna. A few crushes here and there before that. What about you?"

"Well, I have to be honest, if you met me just a few months before we did meet, I would have been a totally different otter. I noticed you during Government on the first day of school and instantly felt an attraction to you. I was nervous and scared so I avoided attracting any type of attention to myself but I really did want to meet you and get to know you. Before then I ignored my feelings I had for a few other guys and never got around to even speaking to them. Something about you made me change: be friendlier and less shy."

Rye nodded with Cloud's story and waited patiently but Cloud again closed his eyes to rest and didn't say anything more. "Well, there must be more to that story. I know so little about you Cloud, come to think of it. For the record though, I'm glad you didn't ignore your feelings for me."

Cloud smiled, keeping his eyes still shut. "Me too. Have you ever had a fight with one of your teachers?"

Rye laughed. "Not really. Sometimes a teacher would say something stupid or bias but I didn't make a scene out of it."

"I know how that is. You're lucky then, I've had many teachers that I didn't agree with."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like my elementary physical education teacher," Cloud started to explain. He slightly opened his eyes and looked in Rye's eyes. "The towel is getting a little cold."

"Oh, I'll be right back," Rye said. Less than a minute later, the towels were changed.

"Thanks Rye," Cloud said, with his eyes still closed.

"Your welcome hun," Rye responded. "What was wrong with your PE teacher?"

Both otters continued to discuss a variety of things, which most of it was related to school or their school history, and whenever Cloud started to get cold, Rye would switch the towels. Nearly an hour and a half went by before Cloud finally fell asleep, and when he did Rye dried his fur and put a blanket around him. While Cloud slept, Rye kept watch over him. He eventually picked a book up and started to read it, sitting on the sofa adjacent to the couch where Cloud lied.