Doggie Do's and Doggie Dont's. Chapter Five.
Doggie Do's and Doggie Dont's Chapter Five By Roofles
The two arrived in the same car deciding it was best not to waste gas. Neither of them would admit it but they lived in the apartment complex for a reason after all. It was cheap. A simple enough thing that all the tenants seemed to face and yet none were willing to talk about or address. And the land lady could care less just so long as she got the dough by the end of the month. The large wolverine however did have some heart and let things slide every now and then.
Most of the tenants in the building weren't human as was common place. The lower class was mostly composed of none humans. Most companies were happy enough to let them work but very few let them gain any real footing in the business. It was common knowledge that a dog's wage for instance was less than a mans. It was one of those unspoken things however and very few were willing to risk their reputation to bring the issue to light. No one that could do something about it had anything to gain from doing it, so no one did. It was a simple matter as unfair as it was.
Maybe that was one reason why Axon caught an interest in the man that smelled of other men. He was smart, good looking and the fact that he was clearly gay was all reasons for the large saint bernard to take notice. One of the few human tenants in the apartment complex he stood out like a sore thumb and the dog had a bad habit of bumping into the man. The young man that always returned his smile and greetings warmly without any sign or trace of disdain, hatred or fear of him.
To have the chance of going somewhere with him instead of just inviting him over made the dog's heart aflutter. Even in the cold night air, being a little after seven, with snow falling from above like white flower petals Axon wanted to skip and dance like snoopy in that old comic strip. Each snowflake was clearly visible in the streetlamp next to the park car.
The dog stuck his tongue out opening his muzzle wide for a rather fat one that landed perfectly on the center of his tongue. Tom smiled as he came around the side of the car watching the dog. The man was carrying a large case of beer he had gotten from the back seat. It was an off brand but he doubted anyone would really mind. It all tasted like horse piss to Tom, not that he would know what that tasted like.
"I have a love hate relationship with the snow." Tom confessed laying the box down on the front of the car and staring up into the night sky. He rested back, folding his arms and looked down at the dog finding him far more amusing and captivating than the frozen water falling from the sky.
The dog caught another one on his tongue, tail wagging as he looked over at Tom. His head and shoulders were beginning to be covered in snow and each flake could be seen in the lamp light. Dangling from the end of his whiskers several large flakes had fallen and Tom covered his mouth with a hand as he laughed to himself slightly embarrassed for the dog. It looked as if he had stuck his hole head into a mixing bowl of whip cream; or at least that was the thought that came to Tom's mind.
"What?" Axon asked folding his ears and cowered back as if Tom had raised a newspaper up threateningly. The dog growl growing a bit of his back bone back as Tom continued to laugh and just shook his head. "What?" The dog growled. It was friendly enough Tom could tell, only someone having been living around a dog would notice though. When a dog really growled you knew it.
"Here." Tom said deciding it was best not to treat him as an oddity any further. However Axon was hard to ignore and not just because the dog towered over the man. Axon had a bright friendly mug of a face. Almost dopey with those large eyes black markings swirling around them before running down his face like stripes. Brown covered the outer sides of them and the whole back of his head and ears, the ends of which darkened the closer they got to the tip of them. A white line rand down from the top of his head, between his eay and around his muzzle. Several black dots covered the side of the muzzle where the whiskers met. His nose was black as coal and the dark skin showed from the loose fur at the very end making it appear black. His cheeks hung a little lower than most dog breeds and dangled below the jawline when his muzzle was closed. And of course that dark but bright pink tongue was panting at the end of the muzzle as Axon cocked his head to the side and looked at him with a confused face. Tail wagging once more though. Tom noticed that his tail only ever wagged when the man gave his attention to him. It made him feel kind of special.
Tom walked over wanting nothing more than to hug the loveable beast and feel that warm, thick fur on his face and the hot flesh underneath. If he was but a dog Tom would've done just that. He always had an affinity with dogs. It was one of the thing the man had to really work at. One needed to see them as a person but except the fact that they weren't human. It was easy to confuse the two at times and for that Tom had gotten in more than enough trouble for. It was hard to tell what was a friendly hug and an intimate one. A simple pat on the arm or something more. They seemed to have a way of telling but Tom wasn't familiar enough with it. He learned if he just put up with it and pay it no mind things usually didn't go anywhere even though at times he truly wish it would. He was a afraid if he returned the wrong gesture it would be misread or taken as an insult. If he wanted to return a loving one it mind be coming off as friendly. And vice versa and at more than one time he had to apologize on the matter. He suppose that was why he never saw mix couples. It really was just easier to date your own species after all.
"Shall we?" Tom asked half way towards him. Axon had hoped he was going to get a hug and Tom in turn was almost about to give one but decided against it know that playing neutral was the safest option. He was Switzerland in the end of things. And at times he wondered if that was a good thing or not. Not taking risk meant you weren't hurt but in turn...
Axon nodded his burly head. He walked over and Tom half expected to get a hug. Feeling embarassed and awkward when the dog bumped his chest against his face as Axon reached past him to grab the beer. The dog wrapped an arm around him though as Tom had returned the misread hug. Axon didn't mind bit though and would've just loved popping the back door open tossing the man inside and climbing on top of him. At least the cool winter air was cooling his aching passion for the man that had to pull himself away from Axon one arm bear bro hug.
The walkway off to the side and leading to the front door was lined with christmas lights and candy canes. Festivites decorated the yard and there were several reindeer about. Axon wondered why there wasn't a santa claus and Tom rolled his eyes knowing the reason why seeing two reindeer obviously doing something not christmasy. Then again Christmas was religious and they were doing missionary position.
"Chad always does that." Tom said as he kicked his boots against the cement step leading up to the door. The snow fell from the bottom of his boots as he did so. Axon held his tongue looking down at his bare feet, wiggling his toes. His paws were wrapped up with a leather band that protected them from the ground mostly. However it left the toes free to breath and get covered in snow.
Overhead were several more christmas lights. The dangling icicles and raindrop lights mixed together. It looked nice Axon though. The soft white glow of the long icicles mixed together with twice as many smaller faint blue raindrop lights. Several wreath's hung along the house. One in each of the side windows and a rather large one on the door. A bird's nest had been glued inside with several plastic eggs each of which had a santa hat on.
Tom rang the doorbell.
The dog bent down placing a paw on the side of the house as he undid the straps around his paws and pulled each one off. It was practically the same as taking ones shoes off when entering a building although it was far more customary for furs to do so than humans as most furs prefered to go bare foot. Only in the military or in construction or other hazardious places would you see a fur wear shoes and those would usually be steel toed boots. Shoes fussed with the fur and no shoe ever really seemed to fit right for their heel raised hind paws.
"You don't think they'd mind, do you?" Axon asked holding the slightly damp leather strips in one paw and looking at Tom with a guilty face. He wanted to make a good impression on Tom's friends only so that it would look good for him for Tom. In the end Axon wanted to feel like this was a date. Wanting to do his best to impress the man next to him even if there was only a slim to none chance that Tom would except his advances.
The door opened a few second after Tom rang the doorbell cutting Tom's reply to the dog off. A tall, lanky reindeer stood in the doorway. The large Cervidae had to bend his head down to stick it out the door, his antlers still getting caught on the top of the doors frame. Several mistletoe hung from his antlers making Tom laugh and Axon frown. The dog wished he thought of that.
"Glad you could make it." Chad said tossing both arms open wide and giving him a strong hug. Axon jaw nearly dropped as he looked past the large 'buck' into the house.
The crowd was far different than the dog figured. Not that he had expected much to begin with or trying not to anyways. Axon kept having to convince himself, however, that this was in fact not a date (though he desperately wished it was) and that it didn't mean more than it actually is. Or was. Or could be.
Always having seen Tom as a rather classy guy Axon wasn't expecting the joe schmo, hipster, freaks and geeks type of people (and furs) around the room behind the large buck. Chad headed inside an arm around Tom as the two quickly began catching up with one another. Axon only spotted two other humans as he headed in side. Both of whom were talking with each other on bean bag chairs in the corner, ignoring the rest of the world around them. Obviously the two were in a relationship and needed or felt like expressing their love every couple of seconds as they chatted away with one another. Axon was both annoyed and jealous of their PDA that both digusted and made him feel envy and spite for them.
The dog's eyes drifted towards the man he had come with that was heading deeper inside and seemingly farther and farther away with every step he took.
Axon was used to this though. Feeling and seeing it. Most of his own friends were in happy relationships and they needed to rub it in his face, indirectly, every chance they got it seemed. Always touching each other and kissing right in front of him not even caring he was at the same table or on the same couch... They did everything other than fuck right in from of him it seemed sometimes. It seemed as if they did this out of some kind of spite for him as if he had wroned them in another past life. At least thats how it felt anyways. The couple in the corner reminded him of them. And in turn of the thing he didn't have. Such as the man now heading towards the kitchen with his own contribution to the party.
"I brought the beer!" Tom said loudly getting several frat boy cries from several of the other guys crashed in front of a massive sized screen TV playing one of the latest shooter games online. Their attention was immediatly pulled back to the screen however as the tank one of them were driving was hit with a giant laser beam. Several curses sounded from the pilot of the tank, a rather heavy set wolverine. The co-pilot that was manning the machine gun soon followed with her own string of curses. The small shrew had a set of lungs on her Axon had to admit. Nearly half his size the smaller rodent (who was standing up now) was nearly about to throw the controler at the TV cursing a string of words that would put a sailor to shame.
"Great." Chad said clapping his hoof paws together having figured that was what the dog had carried in with him. Axon noticed as the reindeer walked over that he really was lanky kind of reminding him of gumpy. Taller and thinner than Axon's taste but the tight brown shorts he wore with straps over each shoulder with sleigh bells was rather classy touch he had to admit. The red nose might've been going a little too far however, Axon frowned. The reindeer had several mistletoes hanging from his antlers the dog only now seemed to notice and as the reindeer drew near Tom his head dipped down so they hung overhead like tiny guillotines as far as Axon was concerned.
The dog quickly headed over cutting the reindeer off. He wiggled his fingers in a hello, wrapping an arm around Tom who was busy scanning the finger foods for anything that striked his fancy. Settling on steamed mushrooms filled with crab and veggies the man busied helping himself to a few while Chad and Axon sized each other up.
"And you would be?" Chad inquired looking down on the dog even though they were the same height practically. Although the reindeer had antlers and the dog had girth they appeared from a distance to be equals in size. One was slightly taller due to the antlers and the other wider due to muscle and a fuzzy body.
"Axon. Chad. Chad. Axon." Tom said motioning between the two around a mushroom he had stuffed fully into his mouth. "My next door neighbor." Tom gestured to Axon not even looking at him as he spied a nice oreo truffle that Carlos, the mountain lion on the couch, was infamious for. "And this is a friend from work." He said not even bothering to motion at the reindeer as he headed over to sate his sweet tooth slipping away from Axon and under the dog's arm.
"Charmed to meet you." Chad offered with a friendly tone and a paw.
"Likewise." Axon said lowering his eyes into a glare as he looked at the reindeer, took his paw and the two began to arm wrestle as they shook hands.
"Any friend of Tom's is a friend of mine." Chad forced a grin now flexing his arm trying to over power the hand shake. The reindeer was in good jest over it not even seeing what Axon was, a competition in alpha maleship which would in turn lead to Tom's heart. Axon had a strange line of thoughts sometimes; a part of him really just wanted to show off to Tom.
"Likewise." Axon said again not even putting his back into it as he shook the reindeer dark brown hoofed hand.
The two continued to glare at each other, one in good fun and the other in rivalry, until Cody ducked underneath them carrying a small plastic basket of nachos. A basket covered in cheese, with ground beef, salsa and sour cream. A chip was already in his mouth as he slipped between them and over to the couch. He swung a leg over and slid down between the stocky wolverine and cougar.
"I'm next." Tom said wiping his mouth on the back of his hand placing his basket on the table where several others had already accumulated. Most of them were empty. Tom figured they were the wolverine's seeing his cheese covered fingers, the cheese stain on his pants and the end of his muzzle that still had some sour cream on it.
"Over my dead body." Candis said before cursing again; the shrew was now trying to snap her controller in half in a raging fit that she got sniped, again, just as she respawned.
"Just died. Hand it over," Mike said about to take the controler from her and nearly getting a finger bitten off in the process. The cougar growled his claws extending from his fingers. "It was your own words!"
They bickered amongst each other as Axon grabbed his first drink for the night. Not exactly a gaming type the dog kept to himself mostly as the reindeer went to greet a cockatoo and iguana that had just come in without even knocking. The dog looked over them. And then at the diversed crowd and began to frown as he saw Tom already jumping into the party head first without even putting his swimming trunks on.
Axon did fear this coming to pass. Going to a friends party left him all alone when said friend was hanging out with others. He wasn't the most social of animals. Not that he was anti-social he was just awkward when first meeting someone and made a poor impression. He didn't have to charisma or self confidence as Tom did. Axon was sure if the roles were reversed the man sitting on the couch now would be just fine. The saint bernard on the other hand took a seat at the kitchen counter watching the game with a bored expression, trying to appear interested, before slumping over in defeat. Wondering how long he'd have to stay here to be respectful. And wishing he had brought his own ride.
Tom was kind enough, Axon had to admit, to come over and keep him company as he switched out with one of the other guys after a round was over. He talked with the dog who was more than happy to pick up a conversation with him but before long Tom was back on the couch playing another round and Axon was left to ponder over his own thoughts.
No matter how hard he tried his eyes were drawn over, back to the giant screen tv and down to the man sitting on the couch. Who was now hollering at the screen with everyone else as their team made a truimphant comeback from the edge of defeat. Several high fives were exchanged, a chest bump here and more curses (of victory?) from the shrew. Tom laughed with the others and Axon tail wagged as he saw the expression on the man's usually dismal face.
"So... Axon right?" The dog jumped nearly out of his fur as he turned quickly to the reindeer. Chad joined him at the counter pouring himself another drink. He flicked one of the sleighbells on his chest idly not even looking at the dog. "Tom's a cool guy, huh?" Axon frowned wondering what he was fishing at. "Why don't you go over and join them? Fun game. Its addicting." Chad said resting back in his seat the motion causing several of the bells to jingle.
"Not much of a gamer." Axon admited turning away from him.
"Theirs drink. Booze. I can set up my ipod if you'd like some music. Can borrow my laptop if you want to watch a movie." Chad offered being a good host half interested or invested in the conversation however. "Plenty of single or open minded guys here that wouldn't mind a big dog like you." Axon ears twitched at the tone and implication behind it.
"I don't think we've met properly." Axon said rather proffessional offering a paw. Chad took it, shook it and still didn't face him. The reindeer was facing the tv seemingly watching the game as he toss a leg up onto the back of the couch, having to stretch a little to make sure it didn't just slip off.
"You know I could go around and bang anyone here. Well maybe not the two over there," the reindeer motioned towards the couple that still hadn't moved from each others arms. "But they're a couple. That doesn't count. Always." He added with a wicked grin facing the dog now. "I could just go over to anyone and tell them to bend over and they would without question."
"Are you...hitting on me?" Axon raised an eyebrow. Chad laughed but didn't anwer taking another long drink.
Axon's frown only deepened. So he could get laid whenever he wanted too and it was no big deal to him. Stupid pretty boys he thought grumbling to himself as his paws tightened into fist.
"Tom's not like that. Don't get me wrong. I tried. Did my moves on him and everything but he just wouldn't bite, if you catch my drift." Chad said turning away from him and to the tv once more.
Axon's ears fell back and his eyes grew a little large. "How did? I mean you. But." He stammered feeling flustered that someone had noticed him staring at the man.
Chad let his leg slip from the back of the couch and turned to face the dog, setting his drink down. Placing both his paws on his own legs the reindeer stared him square in the eye. "I don't know you. I'm not too sure if I want to either. Tom's a good friend though and he invited you. So I'm sure your a good guy." A smile crossed the reindeers face as he laughed easing up. "You need to grow a spine though. Just tell him you love sick fool," he said standing up. "I didn't think guys like you still exsisted." Chad fussed with his antlers undoing one of the mistletoe and placed it in the dogs paw.
Axon stared down at the small plant in his palm as if it was a strange foreign alein object that he knew or was sure was posionious. "Why would you..."
"I like Tom. I love the guy like a brother. I want him to be happy." Chad shrugged slapping the dog hard on the shoulder, bending down to whisper in his ear. "Hurt him. And I'll be the last thing you ever see." And with that note headed over to the couch.
Axon wanted to stop him, afraid that Tom had heard their conversation but the noise of the tv had drowned out their conversation. Chad leaned against the back of the blue sofa illumanted in the pitch dark room except for the tv and several christmas lights, whispering down to Tom. Chad nodded behind him before patting the man on the back and heading off to go entertain some of his other guests.
Tom tossed the controler over mid game and got a bunch of the nacho baskets before going around the couch blocking two of other players views for a second or two. They cursed and shouted blaiming him for their deaths. Tom ignored them dropping the baskets off on the counter and taking a seat next to Axon.
The man didn't say anything and neither did Axon, who was afraid that the reindeer had blabbed the whole thing. The dog hid the mistletoe away keeping a good, closed palm grip on it.
"Sorry." Tom said finally speaking up. "Its been a while since we've all been together. And a while since I've last been able to game." He apologized his head down. "I should've told you what kind of party this was. Or what to expect at the very least. I didn't mean for you to be bored."
"Bored? Me? Ha, do I look bored?" Axon laughed and lied trying to be friendly and appearing as if he hadn't been dieing of boredom. He frowned as Tom looked at him unable to lie to that face. "I'm just...not much of a gamer." He confessed as if it were some kind of great sin.
"I enjoy a few games." Tom mused. "I enjoy plenty of other things though." He said with a smile making the dog's heart beat quickly in his chest. "And I am glad you came. I don't mean to ignore you or anything."
Axon shook his head, barking a laugh again. He lowered his head down to be more on the level with the man. "No, no, no. Your fine. I maybe a little bored sure but its because I don't know anyone here."
"Do you want to?" Tom asked glad he could do something for the dog.
Axon bit his own tongue for saying it. "No. Not really." He chuckled softly, embarrassed now. "Not to be rude but..."
"No worries." Tom said shaking his head. "I just wish I could've...we could've done something together."
"I'm sure theres something else here than..." Axon looked around the room and frowned a bit. A bunch of nerdy gamers really. Several playing the xbox. A few around talking with each other about the latest sci-fi movie and some that had even brought their own hand helds and were busy playing it. Another, a koala, was texting even as she came down from the upstairs.
"Would you like to see the view?" Tom offered as nothing else came to mind. Axon nodded so Tom led him upstairs as he continued to talk. "We don't normally celebrate christmas you see. Chad's Jewish. Mike and Candis are atheist, Andrew is anti-corporation and well it all gets into a huge mess when we tried last year. Even just giving presents out. Chad decided this year would just be a simple get together and well...do what we always do," he laughed as he reached the top of the stairs. "We play table top games and such as well though."
"Oh. I love monopoly!" Axon tail wagged glad he could offer something to the table. Tom laughed and shook his head but didn't say anything as he headed towards the back.
"Not the kind of table top games I meant." Tom said leaving it at that not wanting to show just how nerdy he could be.
The twin back doors were wooden oak, finely polished with two large drapes covering them. Tom unlocked the door, slid the drapes back and opened it up for the dog. The balcony only allowed the two to take a foot step outside but it offered a great view of the city in turn. Tom shivered at the cold shutting the doors behind them and faced back against the city.
The house was ontop of the hill. All the neighboring houses and several of the ones heading down hill had their lights off. Only those of the city seemingly far below them were on. All the houses were lit up each with their own decorations and with the snow falling from the seemingly clear, starless sky it provided a good view for the two.
"Chad bought the place because of this." Tom said resting against the snow covered railing. Several of the houses had trees between them and from where they stood it almost appeared as if houses had sprung out of the ground like large mushrooms in a sparse forest.
"Here." Axon offered taking his coat off and placing it on the man's shoulder. The large dog rubbed his shoulders a bit unable to help himself before pulling away and leaning on the rail alongside him.
"Thanks."
"It really is a wonderful view."
"That it is." Tom replied. Silence fell over them but neither of them minded this time. "It's such a nice view. I want to live in a place like this one day." Tom said offhandedly more to himself than to the dog as if voicing his thoughts aloud.
"Would be nice." Axon agreed though he was thinking more of the here and now on this balcony than of the location of the houses. The dog scooted closer to him, their elbows touching.
Tom shivered feeling his nose grow cold as the minutes began to tick by and the snow continued to drift down from above lightly. He closed his eyes and stuck out his tongue waiting for a snowflake to land on it. An act he hadn't done since he was a kid and when he saw the dog do it earlier that day he had wanted the same. Axon smiled looking over at him.
The dog rested down on his arms staring over at the man who was still trying to catch a snowflake.
"Tom." Axon said aloud unsure where he was going with it.
Tom opened his eyes and 'swallowed' his tongue before facing him.
"What's up?"
"I'm glad you invited me." The dog said still resting on his arms and looking over at him.
"I'm glad your not bored anymore." Tom laughed looking back out across the snow covered rooftops and down at the city below. "I think I see our house from here." He laughed.
The balcony light was on at it allowed Axon to see a perfect snowflake fall from above, drifting down like a discarded plastic bag before landing on Tom's nose.
Without thinking the dog leaned over placing a paw on Tom's shoulder and closing his eyes licked the snowflake off.
"You had a snowflake. On your nose." Axon said keeping his paw where it was and looking at him. His breath washed over Tom's face making his nose wrinkle at the smell.
Tom laughed wiggling his nose. "You do too." Axon smiled softly at that and moved his large head closer, bending it down so his bumpy black nose was even with Tom's. Tom blushed and bashfully returned the gesture. "Axon I just..."
Axon looked at him waiting for him to finish. Unsure if he wanted to hear the end of it. To hear the rejection but his paw stayed firmly on his shoulder.
"Axon I..." Tom voice trailed off and he looked away. Out across the city before turning back towards the dog. "I'm glad I could share this with you." He said with a smile and got a strong hug in return. A hug that last for the rest of their stay outside as Axon cradled him in his arms.
"Tom." Axon spoke up as they closed and locked the doors behind, shaking the snow off their shoulders and from their hair and fur. Before they could go downstairs Axon had stopped the man. He raised his paw up and above their heads. Opening his closed fist, and pinched between two fingers, was the stim of a mistletoe and the small seasonal plant hung down below.
Tom smiled a bit smugly. Axon stood up fully grinning down at the man. Tom reached up and on tip toes gave him a sweet, innocent peck on the lips pulling away just as quickly.
Axon tossed the plant aside, wrapped an arm around his waist and dipped him back catching Tom off guard. Bringing the other hand down he caressed the side of the mans face and with it brought his muzzle down and gave him a proper holiday kiss.