FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 11 "Falling From Heaven"

"Why hasn't she called?" Amy wailed, wiping away a few tears. "It's been like, almost a month! She should have called by now!"

"Well, what did you expect?" Trish shrugged over the webcam. "She's some stripper you randomly gave your number to. Did you really expect her to call you back?"

Amy looked up at her computer screen, the faces of her two friends staring back at her over web chat. "But, she said she would call."

Trish and Ling both sighed. "I don't see why you even care so much." Ling shrugged. "You don't even know her. So you sniffed her panties, it doesn't mean you need to have her babies."

"I know..." Amy whined, trying not to cry and blushing heavily. "But, I dunno... I can't stop thinking about her." She finally broke down, wailing again. "Why won't she call me?!"

Just as the poor girl collapsed into tears, her cellphone went off, an unknown number on the display. She nervously went to answer, trying to keep her voice calm and the sobs at bay. "Hello?"

"Hello, this is Max Douglas; Maxi D. I'm looking for Amy."

Amy suddenly sat up, blushing heavily as her throat went dry. It took her a couple of awkward attempts before she finally managed to speak coherently. "This is Amy."

"Oh good." Max replied cheerily. "Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, but things have been pretty busy at work for me, with new jobs and photo shoots. Well, I'd love to tell you all about it in person, maybe over dinner?"

"Is that her?" Trish tormented, Ling chuckling all the while. "Are you getting a booty call from a stripper?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Amy answered, angrily waving at her friends to shut up. "Um, did you want to do something this weekend?"

"Oh honey, I work on the weekend. How about next Monday night?"

"Y-yeah, that's fine." Amy quickly responded. "I can't wait. Is six o'clock a good time?"

"Make it seven." Max coolly responded. "I prefer late dinners. Meet me by the city park fountain, okay? I promise you a great time, to make up for making you wait so long."

"Sounds good, see you then." Quietly she placed her phone on the desk, took a deep, calming breath, then screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Holy fuck!" Trish covered her ears, while Ling smartly muted her P.C. "What's wrong with you?!"

"She asked me out!" Amy cried triumphantly. "Maxi called and asked me out! I'm having dinner with her on Monday!" She jumped out of her chair and started running around her room squeeing. "Oh my god, what should I wear? Should I buy a new dress? What kind of underwear should I wear? Would it be wrong to wear a thong on a first date? Do I even have a thong?" She continued on like this while rummaging through her closet.

"I think we've lost her, Ling." Trish chuckled.

"Oh leave her alone." Ling responded with a smirk. "Look how happy she is."

"Yeah, our little girl is all grown up."

Max hung up her phone, smiling to herself. the young girl on the other end had sounded so nervous, it made the skunk feel giddy. 'So this is what it's like to ask someone else out.'

"Was that the little fangirl you were telling me about?" Cheryl asked with a smirk, looking up from the small paperback in her hands. "You go girl. But are you really going to go out with her? Some random girl you stripped for?"

"I know it seems rather weird for me, but Amy is adorable! She gets so nervous around me, and I just want to hug and snuggle her like a teddy bear. Besides, she built up the courage to give me her number. I might as well give her one date."

"Sounds like she's got a serious hardon for you." Cheryl teased, turning her attention back to the book. "City park, huh? So you're either taking her to The Ivory Terrace or Skyline. God I wish I had the money to eat at those places."

"Do you think it's too much for a first date?" Max pondered as she sat across from Cheryl at the dining table. "I don't want to overwhelm the poor girl, but sometimes I forget how much I can afford."

"Rub it in, why don't you?" Cheryl teased.

"Sorry." Max pouted. "I'll take you to one of those places anytime you want. You know that right?"

"Yeah I know." Cheryl winked at her friend playfully. "But don't take that fangirl there; you'll just overwhelm her. Why don't you just take her to a nice diner, or Olive Garden?"

"I guess. At least I've got some time to think about it." She glanced at Cheryl, whose nose was once again buried deep in that book. It was a very unusual look for her, and Max could barely remember the last time she had seen the Torgi even glance at a book. "What book has actually managed to get your attention?"

Cheryl suddenly looked up, and a mischievous smile spread across her face. "Here, take a look for yourself." She tossed the book across the table, Max barely catching it. "I think even you might find it interesting."

Max picked the book up and glanced at the cover, which simply pictured a red tree in front of a white background. "Under the Red Oak Tree." She read the title aloud. "What the...? Sounds like something we'd have to read in high school."

"Just keep reading." Cheryl encouraged her. "Check out the author."

Max sighed, rolling her eyes. "Under the Red Oak Tree: and other stories and poems by Aiden Snowtail." Her eyes suddenly went wide. "Wait, as in our Aiden? Who lives here, in this apartment?"

"The one and only." Cheryl grinned. "I asked him if he had any books out there, and he suddenly got very defensive and tried to change the subject, so of course I had to investigate further. I picked that up at a bookstore yesterday."

"Oh man, I've got to see these." Max snickered, flipping through the small book. "I wonder why he's never mentioned it before."

Almost as if on queue, Aiden stepped through the front door, still in his delivery uniform and carrying a small box. "Man, what a day. Hi girls."

"Hi Aiden." Cheryl greeted cheerily. "Oh my, that's quite the package you've got there." She smirked lewdly. "Have you come to give me your big package?"

"Like I haven't heard that one before." Aiden chuckled. "And actually it's for Max. I figured it was just easier to bring it home after work than to make multiple trips all over the city." As he placed the box down next to Max, Aiden saw the book in her hands and froze, eyes wide in panic and embarrassment. "W-where did you find that?!" He tried to snatch the book from her, but Max was took quick. "Don't read that! Give it back!"

"It's mine, actually." Cheryl quipped as Max deftly tossed the paperback her way. " I bought it myself, and I'm keeping it and reading it."

Aiden's ears dropped, a look of utter defeat and despair on his face. "But why? It's not any good." He whimpered pathetically.

"Because I wanted to get to know you better through your work." The Torgi smiled, flipping through the book. "You said yourself that you best express yourself when writing, so I wanna see that."

"But that stuff sucks." Aiden whimpered. "I never even wanted that crap published."

"Then why was it published?" Max had to ask. "I mean, as the author, couldn't you have stopped it?"

"I was... pressured into it." Aiden muttered as he took a seat. "One of my professors thought very highly of my work, and was friends with a publisher. I was just about to get my bachelors, and it sounded like a good idea at the time." He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "My professor kinda rushed the whole thing, and before I could really think about it, all those crappy stories were on the shelves. Hell, that same professor uses it as required material for one of his classes."

"Wow, that kinda sucks." Max shrugged. "Are all those stories really that bad?"

"Yes." Aiden muttered.

"Well, I don't think they're that bad." Cheryl shrugged. "I mean, I admit I'm not really super smart, so I probably don't really get it exactly, but some of these are kinda cute. Hell, the fact that I'm still reading them has to count for something."

"You're being nice." Aiden smiled pathetically. "That stuff is mostly just the results of various assignments from undergrad classes. It's just a bunch of embarrassing works made out of necessity for a grade."

"Well, I like it." Cheryl declared, closing the book and hiding it in her purse. "And don't think about trying anything funny. If it goes missing, I know who to blame."

"Don't worry, I won't take it." Aiden muttered with a defeated sigh. "It's not really a big deal anyway, I guess. I'm gonna get changed."

Cheryl pouted as Aiden walked past her on the way to his room. "You're not mad at me for this, are you?" When the fox didn't respond she quickly chased after him. "Aiden, wait. Let's talk about this." Was the last thing she said before closing the door.

"Thank god these walls are insulated." Max chuckled, not wanting to hear yet another of their stupid fights. "Now, who the hell sent me a package?"

She took a look at the shipping label, but didn't recognize the sending company. "Did I order something and then forget about it?" Curious, she carefully opening the box, but the contents only confused her further. "What is this? Why would someone get me a webcam?" She lifted the brand new web camera out of the shipping box. "Wait a minute, is this for the online stripping?" Putting the new toy aside she rummaged further in the box, finding instructions on how to sign in and set up the live performances on her computer. "Sweet! I was wondering when they were going to start this."

Putting everything back in the box, she ran up to her room to boot up her laptop and set everything up. But within minutes she was confused, not even sure where to plug the thing in, nevermind get it working. "Dammit. Why must computer stuff be so confusing? I bet Aiden knows how to do this."

Without thinking she grabbed the webcam and made her way to his room, walking in without knocking. "Hey Aiden, can you hel-lo there." She was instantly distracted by the sight of Aiden, standing before her in nothing but his boxers. He froze from surprise, giving the skunk a chance to really look over his mostly exposed body. She had always thought he was good looking or course, but to see him this naked was even too much for her to ignore. "Hot damn..."

"Can I help you?" Aiden asked when he finally recovered from the surprise entrance. "Or do you just like walking into other people's room's unannounced?" He was clearly annoyed as he grabbed for a pair of pants.

"She was probably hoping to catch us doing it." Cheryl teased, sitting comfortably on the edge of Aiden's bed. "You're the only one who likes to be watched, Maxi. Unless you're turning into a voyeur too."

Max stuck her tongue out at Cheryl, then turned her soft green eyes the fox's way. "Sorry Aiden. I thought you would have been changed by now. I was just wondering if you could help me set this up?" She held the box containing the webcam up while trying to look sweet and innocent. "Please?"

"A webcam?" Aiden took the box, looking the product over. "Wow, this is a really high end model, too. Sure, I can help I guess. Though this shouldn't be too hard to install yourself."

"Maxi is completely hopeless when it comes to computers." Cheryl interjected with a chuckle. "She thinks the CD-Rom tray is a built in cupholder."

"Shut up! I do not!" Max argued back, her cheeks flushing a bit.

"Don't worry, I'll help." Aiden smirked, handing her the camera. "Just give me a couple minutes to finish getting dressed, alright?"

"If you insist." Max teased, sitting on his bed next to Cheryl. "Though I won't lie, I don't mind you going around shirtless."

"Hey!" Cheryl chuckled, elbowing her friend playfully. She giggled mischievously, nodding her head towards Aiden as he pulled a shirt out of the closet. "Wait, you're not going to wear that one are you? You wore something like that the other day. Wear something different for once."

Aide just grumbled a response, putting the shirt back and searching for something else. Again Cheryl nudged Max and nodded towards the fox, whispering in her friend's ear. "I told you he was fucking hot. Can you believe how athletic he looks? He so works out."

"Well I've never seen him so much as jog." Max whispered back, unable to take her eyes off the man. "And given all the fatty foods he cooks, I'm surprised he doesn't have more of a gut."

"I can hear you, you know. And my food isn't fattening." Aiden informed them, eliciting a chorus of giggles from the girls. While he continued to find a shirt worthy of Cheryl's approval, Max took a chance to look around his room. It was pretty much exactly what she expected a guy's college dorm room to look like, with movie and video game posters all over the walls, and an organized mess on every flat surface. The bookshelf half full of toys was more than she had anticipated, even after Cheryl's warning. Reaching nearly to the ceiling, the shelves were packed to capacity with various toys and action figures, most of them still in the box and none of the she recognized. Curious, he got up to take a closer look. There was a small collection of toys from various titles she had never heard of before, like 'Firefly' and 'The Fifth Element', but one series was more represented than any other. "Aiden, what's 'Stargate'? You seem to have a lot of stuff from that." Max asked, taking a boxed action figure off the shelf to get a better look.

Aiden smiled at the very mention of the series. "Well, it's only one of the best science fiction series ever created." Finally putting a shirt on, he turned, and his face sank when he saw what Max was holding. "Don't touch that!" He shouted, running across the room and grabbing the box from Max's hands. "That's a rare, collector's edition of Daniel Jackson in desert camo! There aren't too many of those still in the box!"

"Sorry!" Max jumped back. "I was just looking, really. I wasn't going to hurt it."

"Wow, get a grip, Aiden." Cheryl chuckled. "It's just a damn toy. Don't be such a nerd about it."

Aiden shot the Torgi a glare as he put the figure back on the shelf. "Look, why don't you both wait for me out in the other room? I'll help you as soon as I'm finished getting dressed."

"Yeah, alright." Max nodded, already heading for the door.

"You don't have to be so sensitive about it." Cheryl teased, smacking him on the ass on her way out. "After all, it doesn't bother me."

"Maybe you shouldn't tease him like that." Max suggested as the girls went to her room. "He seemed pretty ticked off by it."

"Oh, he knows I'm only joking." Cheryl shrugged it off. "At least, I think he does. Anyway, that's just how I am. Of course, you know that first hand, Maxi." With a smirk she snuck up behind the skunk and quickly grabbed her boobs, causing her to squeal.

"Don't do that!" Max slapped away the laughing Torgi. "And I'm serious. Those toys seemed important to him, so I think you shouldn't tease him about them. Just like you don't tease me about... well, y'know."

"Yeah, I suppose." Cheryl conceded as she sat on Max's bed. "It's not like I don't have other things to tease him about."

"You are hopeless, girl." Max sighed, shaking her head. "You just started getting along with this guy. If you're not careful, you'll just chase him off."

"Hey, if he can put up with me, then maybe we were meant for each other." They both had a laugh over that as Aiden finally walked in. And true to his word, he had her new webcam setup and installed in minutes. Only for Max to discover that the actual website was still down for maintenance.

"Oh man, what am I doing?" Amy fretted nervously, sitting alone on a park bench. "I can't believe this is really happening." The collie had been panicking all week, unable to take her mind off the impending date with Max, and now that it was finally here, she felt like she was going to explode.

Afraid that she might be late, Amy had rushed through preparing and had ended up being nearly half an hour early. Waiting alone in the park wasn't doing anything to help calm her nerves. "Oh, what should I say? What if I say the wrong thing? Oh, maybe this was a mistake."

With half a mind to run away from the whole things, she looked up to see Max approaching. The skunk offered a wave as she approached, which Amy meekly returned. 'Oh crap, this is really real. And she looks so hot.' Amy stared in amazement as Max approached, her long hair curling elegantly around her shoulders, bouncing slightly with each step. A somewhat revealing red dress hugged the curves of her body, supporting her ample bust while accenting the gently sway of her hips and tail. The outfit was finished off with a pair of red heels, with straps crisscrossing her shins. It was almost too much for the young girl to take.

"Hi Amy. I hope you weren't waiting too long." Max walked right up and gave her a tight hug. "You look great."

"T-thank you." Amy muttered. She didn't feel anywhere near appropriately dressed in her light blue blouse and white skirt. Unfortunately, it was the nicest thing she had to wear, and she didn't have anything nearly as sexy as Max's dress. "You look really beautiful." She blushed, trying to hide behind her hair. "So, where are we going?"

"Well, I did have a couple places in mind, but..." she hesitated just a moment as she looked Amy over, "a friend of mine said they might be too over the top. So, I was thinking of trying the Treble Clef Lounge over on twenty fourth street. They have live music and I'm told the food is really good."

"The sounds really nice." Amy smiled, still blushing. But inside her head she was chastising herself. 'Idiot, you're underdressed. Why didn't you go and get a nice dress, like Trish told you to?' Trying to hide her despair and doubt, she let Max take the lead. Despite herself, the collie couldn't help but watch Max's hips and tail sway with each step, remembering that night she had dared to steal a taste. She blushed at the very thought, remembering that musky scent fondly.

Suddenly Max turned her gaze back, glancing over her shoulder with a soft, almost knowing grin. Without a word she held her hand out towards the collie. 'She wants to hold my hand?' Nervously she sped up, taking her crush's hand with a bit of a thrill. It was almost like a dream come true. Her tail couldn't stop wagging as Max gave her hand a squeeze, her cheeks turning bright red as she hid her smiling face behind her hair yet again.

Max smiled as well, watching the collie out of the corner of her eye. On the outside she remained calm and refined, but inside she was squealing with delight. 'Oh my god she is so adorable! I can't believe how nervous she is from just being near me. Was I like this with my first crush? Oh god if she keeps this up I'm gonna lose it. I just wanna hug her forever!'

Both unable to stop smiling, the girls quietly made their way to the lounge. It was a dark, unassuming place, a live band playing some smooth jazz providing the ambiance. They were lead to a small table and left with some menus. "Oh my, they have a bigger selection than I expected." Max muttered as she perused her options.

"Y-yeah..." Amy squeaked, her eyes going wide at the listed prices. 'Oh man, this place is kinda pricey. Why didn't I listen to my mom and get a summer job?'

She was looking for the cheapest thing on the menu when the waiter arrived, taking Max's order and turning to her long before she was ready. "Um... I'll just have a salad?" She muttered, her stomach already grumbling in protest.

"Oh no you don't." Max stopped the waiter from leaving. "If you want to start with a salad that's fine, but you order whatever you really want as an entree. It's on me tonight."

"Okay..." Amy blushed nervously, going back over the menu. "I- I guess I'll have the grilled chicken then." She sank in her chair as she handed the menu to the waiter, suddenly wanting to hide. "You really sure about this? This place is kinda... pricey."

"Honey, don't even worry about it." Max smiled warmly. "Now, how about we talk and get to know each other better? You just turned eighteen right? Are you still in high school?'

"No, I just graduated." Amy confessed nervously. "But, I'm going to college after the summer, though I don't know what I want to major in." She shifted in her seat, hating talking about herself. "So, um, how did you get into... your line of work?"

"You mean dancing?" Max smirked as the waiter brought their drinks; iced teas for both. "Well, I honestly started work there as a waitress and worked my way up. Really, the job just kinda fell in my lap. And I do enjoy it, too. Getting to perform for so many people, making them smile and feel good. It's very rewarding."

"I bet..." Amy shifted nervously in her seat, blushing as she thought about how rewarding her dance had been. "You're very good at it, too."

"Why thank you, Honey. I do try my best." She smiled happily, truly glad for the compliment. "So, it's safe to assume you still live with your parent's then. They're okay with you going out like this, with someone like me?"

"Oh, they don't know I'm on a date." She responded with a light chuckle. "They don't even know I'm... gay. They think I'm spending the night at my friend Trish's house. She'll cover for me, and her parents are cool."

"Yeah, friend's parents are usually always cooler than your own." Max agreed as the waiter delivered their salads. "Wait, did you say 'spending that night'?" She cast a stern look on the collie, who suddenly looked very nervous. "What makes you think you'll need an excuse for the full night? I'll have you know I almost never go home with someone on the first date."

"I, um..." Amy stuttered, panicking a little. "I just, I wasn't sure, so I wanted to cover my bases. I- I can just go to Trish's afterwards and really sleep there. I didn't mean to imply anything. I'm... I'm sorry." She squeaked out a quick apology, blushing heavily, before diving into her salad, eating as an excuse to stop speaking.

"Woah, it's okay honey." Max tried to calm her. She hadn't expected the girl to get that upset over it. Though, it was refreshing to know this girl actually cared about her feelings. "Listen, we'll just take this one step at a time and play it by ear. Besides, you could argue that this isn't our first date." She smiled and threw her a wink. "Now slow down before you choke."

"Sorry..." Amy muttered, swallowing a large amount of food. "It's just, I eat when I'm nervous. I can't help it. Keeps me from saying something stupid I guess."

"Oh, Amy, don't worry so much." Max offered a comforting smile as she reached a hand across the table to take the girl's hand. "I like you, okay? So, there's nothing to be nervous about. Just relax and be yourself. Nothing you say could possibly scare me off."

"O-okay..." Amy muttered, blushing heavily but unable to look away from her crush's friendly eyes. For some reason, despite her nerves and fears, looking into those green eyes made her feel calm. She took a deep breath and offered a genuine smile. "Okay, Max."

With a bit more confidence, Amy was able to make it through the rest of the meal. Once she calmed down, she found it much easier to talk to Max,though she especially enjoyed listening to the skunk's pleasing, musical voice. The pair ended up talking for almost an hour after paying the check when Max finally made the suggestion Amy had forgotten to panic about. "Hey, do you wanna get outta here and go somewhere more private?"

"Oh, y-yeah okay." Amy smiled, blushing heavily 'Oh my god, did she just invite me back to her place? Is this really happening?' She tried her best not to squeal with delight as Max hailed a cab. She spent most of the ride convincing herself this wasn't a dream, and before she knew it she was right outside Max's door.

"My roommate should still be out on his own date," Max said as she unlocked the door, "so we should have the place to ourselves for a little while." She lead Amy inside and nodded towards the couch. "Make yourself at home. I'm gonna change into something more comfortable."

As the skunk disappeared into her room Amy found herself once again alone with her thoughts and fears. 'Oh god, Amy what are you doing?' She nervously questioned herself as she sat on the sofa. 'This really is too good to be true. But, are you really gonna do that with her? Would she even want to do it with me?' The room grew uncomfortably quiet, which only made her doubts seem louder. 'If it comes to that, she'll probably take one look at my body and change her mind. I've already wasted enough of her time anyway. Maybe it would be better if I just left.'

Amy was just trying to think of the best way to excuse herself when Max returned from her room, now wearing an incredibly low cut top and a pair of jeans so tight fitting that they perfectly formed to her hips and ass. "Sorry to keep you waiting." She smiled as she came around the couch. "Would you care for a drink?"

"O-okay." Amy stammered, unable to take her eyes off the woman. As the skunk moved, she couldn't help but notice how free and loose her large breasts seemed, and her eyes went wide as she came to a realization. 'She's not wearing a bra!' The collie's face was bright red when Max returned with a couple of hard lemonades. "T-thank you."

"You're okay with alcohol, right?" Max asked as an afterthought. "If not, I can get you something else."

"Actually, maybe I should go." Amy muttered, standing up and placing the drink on the table. "I've already had a great time, I'll probably ruin something if I stick around. Besides, you can do better than me. Thanks for humoring me for tonight though, it means a lot. I'll just catch a cab-"

"Stop." Max interrupted sternly, grabbing the collie's wrist. "What do you mean by that, 'I can do better than you' stuff?"

Amy blushed, hiding behind her hair. "Well, it's just that you're so beautiful and wonderful and awesome, and I'm so... plain and boring, and fat. And I'm inexperienced too. I know you're being nice to me, taking me out and everything, but you don't have to go to all this trouble just for me, when you can be with anyone you want to be with."

"Don't say that!" Max suddenly jumped up, staring intently into Amy's eyes. "I don't think you're plain or boring or any of that other stuff. In fact, I've had a lot of fun with you tonight, and I think you're very pretty. If I didn't think that, if I wasn't interested, then I never would have asked you up here." Max bowed her head a bit, taking the collie in a warm hug. "The truth is, I really like you and I want you to stay. I don't want to sleep alone anymore."

Amy froze, not sure what to make if it all. Max liked her? Wanted her to stay? It was unbelievable. And her last comment; she sounded so sad. It seemed unlike the outwardly cheery skunk. Amy caved then, hugging her back. "I'm sorry, and you're right. I want to stay too. I'll stay with you tonight."

"Good." Max broke the hug, smiling to try and hide her moment of weakness. "And I won't hear anymore of that self doubt talk either. Now, let's just relax and watch a movie, okay?"

Amy nodded with a smile and soon she was snuggled up to the skunk on the couch watching "Finding Nemo". It was more than she could hope for, resting comfortably against Max, an arm draped around her, able to just enjoy the company and warmth of her crush. It was so relaxing that she even forgot to feel nervous, lost in the moment and never wanting it to end.

Her bliss was interrupted when Max suddenly nuzzled against her, rubbing her nose against the collie's forehead gently. "Amy, have you ever kissed someone before?"

Amy blushed as she muzzled back into Max's neck. "Yeah, my friends and I have practiced making out before. Y'know, just to practice. I've never done it with someone I really liked though."

Max cupped the younger girl's chin, lifting her head to she could look her in the eyes. Amy whimpered slightly, her lower lip quivering as she felt the anticipation build. She could hear her own heart beating loudly in her ears as Max slowly closed in, her lips pursing. Unable to take it, she closed her eyes and lifted her chin invitingly, welcoming the skunk to take her lips.

She heard Max lick her lips as she approached, which sent a shiver down her spine. Would she get the chance to feel that tongue? To taste it? Amy whimpered again she felt the skunk's warm breath against her own lips. The poor girl could barely stand the anticipation any longer.

And finally it came. Amy gasped as Max pressed her warm lips against her own. She took the collie's head in her hands as she pressed the kiss in, their soft lips rubbing against each other's. Amy felt it then; the tip of a tongue pressing against her lips, asking to be let in. She whimpered again, her body shivering as she opened up and allowed that warm, moist tongue to invade her mouth. The feeling was incredible, and all Amy could hear was her own heart beating loudly in her ears as their tongues mingled and entwined in her mouth. It was the best kiss she had ever had, and the poor girl was left shaking and whimpering as Max finally pulled away. "Wow..." was all Amy could manage to say.

Max giggled as she settled back into the couch. "I guess that means I did good." She brought an arm around Amy, bringing her back in to snuggle. "You're a very good kisser, by the way. Looks like all that practice paid off."

"Th-thanks." Amy squeaked, practically melting into Max as she was pulled in close. With that, her night was complete. Even if nothing more happened between the two of them, Amy could go to sleep happy and content. She sighed warmly as she cuddled back into Max, feeling like nothing could ruin this night.

It was then that the front door clicked open and Aiden walked through the door, not really paying attention to the two girls on the couch. In fact, he looked quite lost in his own head to Amy, who was suddenly nervous again, like she just got caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.

"Hello Aiden." Max greeted somewhat coldly, glaring at the fox out of the corner of her eye. The skunk was clearly less than pleased that he was suddenly home, though she knew she couldn't really gripe about it. He lived there too, after all. "By the way, this is Amy, my date." She put emphasis on the last word, as if trying to remind Aiden that she might want some privacy tonight.

"Oh, nice to meet you." Aiden waved with a smile as he sat at the nearby dining table, already booting up his laptop, clearly not getting the skunk's meaning. "Just pretend I'm not here." was all he offered, already typing away at something.

Max just grumbled an inaudible response and Amy could tell she was less than pleased. They tried their best to ignore the fox, just as he suggested, but Max's ears kept twitching in annoyance as Aiden typed away at his laptop. Finally she huffed then leaned over to whisper in Amy's ear. "Wanna finish this upstairs? My bed is more comfy anyway."

The collie blushed heavily once more. If this kept up her cheeks were likely to become permanently red. "Yeah, okay." She managed to squeak out, slowly getting up. Max quickly grabbed the DVD before taking Amy by the hand and leading her to the stairs.

"Good night, Aiden." Max called over her shoulder, trying to sound annoyed. But the fox was already fully engrossed in his writing and didn't even hear her. With a roll of her eyes she continued to her room, making a mental note to give the fox a piece of her mind in the morning, after Amy had left.

Once in the bedroom, Max quickly grabbed her own laptop, giving Amy a chance to look around the room. Everything was neat and orderly, and the room was larger than she expected. There were a small number of stuffed animals on a shelf over the bed, and several framed posters from what seemed to be various plays and musicals.

With her laptop set, Max crawled into bed, placing the machine on her lap. With an inviting smile she patted at a spot on the bed next to her, beckoning the collie to join her.

Amy nodded with a nervous smile, crawling into bed alongside the skunk. She soon found herself snuggling into Max's side, an arm draped around her. The collie even found herself resting her head on Max's breast, which was much more comfortable than she had expected it to be. They both let out a contented sigh as they became engrossed in the movie, truly enjoying each other's company.

Amy had become quite comfortable by the time the movie was over, and though she was starting to feel tired, the collie was hoping they would get to watch another one before bed. Anything to stay here at Max's side anyway.

But Max had other ideas. She moved her laptop aside and rolled over, pulling Amy into a big hug, wrapping her fluffy tail around the both of them. "Hi there." She said in a sultry voice, leaning in and giving the unexpecting girl a kiss. Amy moaned softly as their tongues danced, the girls wrapping their arms around each other as they made out. It was so warm, so wonderful, that Amy couldn't help but whimper, never wanting it to end.

Max's hands made their way over the collie's body, sending shivers down Amy's spine as her nerves were tickled. She gave out a little yelp when Max suddenly reached down and gently grabbed her ass, squeezing it greedily as she continued to kiss her new lover, their tongues entwined. Their bodies pressed together as they grabbed and held each other close, becoming lost in the moment.

Max eventually broke the kiss, sitting up slightly with a smile on her face. Without a word she pulled her shirt off, tossing it aside and letting her bare breasts hang free. Amy's eyes went wide at the sight before her, and she whimpered again as Max wrapped her arms around the young girl, bringing her muzzle right up against one of her breasts. Amy hesitated only a moment before accepting the offer, her lips parting to suckle on one of the skunk's already pert nipple. Max gasped as the collie went to work, sucking hard and deep on her breast and surprising her with her ferocity and intent. "Easy there honey. That's AH!... that's kinda sensitive."

Amy glanced up apologetically. "Sorry. I've never done this before. Do you want me to stop?"

"No honey." Max smiled, petting her softly. "Just try to be gentle with it, okay. It's not like sucking on a straw. And don't hesitate to use your tongue a little." Amy nodded and returned to suckling, leaving Max moaning with pleasure, her own hands caressing the canine's body gently, often going down to her ass to give those cheeks a firm squeeze. Feeling daring, and wanting, her hands soon snaked their way up under Amy's shirt, hunting for her bra. Amy squeaked as her bra was undone, blushing but not giving up on Max's erect nipple.

It wasn't until Max started lifting off Amy's shirt that the younger girl backed off with a panic. "Umm, s-sorry..." She muttered at Max's surprised face. "It's just... I'm kinda fat and..."

"Not this again." Max gently scolded her. "You are not fat honey. And just because you're not skinny as a rail doesn't mean you're not attractive. I think you're very pretty, hun, and if you want me, I'd like to keep going, as far as you'd like to go."

Amy whimpered for just a moment, her eyes tearing up a bit. But she quickly wiped them away with a nod. "Yes, if you really think I'm pretty, I'd like to keep going. Just, go slow please. I... I've never done this before. I hope I don't dissapoint you."

Max smiled, giving her a kiss. "Don't worry. I'll take it easy. Just relax and follow my lead. I promise, I'll make this as pleasurable as I can." With a comforting smile, she tried again to lift off Amy's shirt. The girl didn't resist this time, though she was clearly embarrassed by her slightly chubby body. But no matter how she may have felt about herself, Max truly thought she was adorable. The skunk closed in again, kissing Amy deeply as a hand ran through the collie's fur on her side and stomach, slowly making her way down her thigh, then up her skirt.

A nervous shiver ran through Amy's body as that hand continued up her thigh, finally brushing against her soft panties. The collie moaned softly, clinging to Max's body, her head once again buried in her cleavage. Max couldn't help but smirk as her fingers danced over those soft cotton panties. Her reactions were adorable, and Max couldn't help but giggle, taking Amy's chin in her hand and lifting her head to kiss her deeply. Amy whimpered at the touch, feeling Max's fingers dig in a bit deeper, exciting her nerves and teasing her sensibilities.

"P-please..." She managed to squeak out through the kiss. "It's too much... I need more."

"Then we better take these off." Max teased in response, moving her hand to unzip Amy's skirt. Within moments they were both nude and snuggled under the bed sheets, once again locked in each other's arms. Max let her hands roam free once more, lightly teasing Amy's pussy and causing the girl to whimper and moan with pleasure. Her fingers dipped lower, parting the girl's labia and teasing the already moist folds of her pussy. "Oh my. Somebody's excited." Max teased with a smirk, her fingers probing deeper and eliciting a few loud gasps and wails from the girl.

"Maxi! P-please..." Amy whimpered again, nuzzling into Max's neck. "I don't want this. Would you... take me?"

"Still begging? How could I say no?" Max smiled warmly. She had intended to go all the way, if allowed. Pulling away, the skunk carefully positioned herself over Amy, looking lovingly into her soft, brown eyes. "Are you ready?"

"Y-yes." Amy stammered, swallowing nervously. She tried to relax, feeling calm under the gaze of those beautiful green eyes of Max's. She didn't know what to expect, but when Max lowered herself, and their bodies finally touched for the first time, she felt electric shocks of pleasure course through her whole body. She never imagined it would feel this good.

Max moaned a bit as she pressed her breasts against Amy's, her hips grinding against the younger girl. Their dripping pussies rubbed against each other, their folds intermingling as Max's juices spilled out over Amy's body, a small pool forming under her ass. "Oh Amy..." Max moaned, wrapping her arms tightly around the canine and picking up the pace as she fell into an almost feral pace. "Amy, oh god it's so good."

"M-Maxi!" Amy called out, her arms and legs clinging tightly to the skunks body. She could barely speak as the skunk made love to her, their bodies grinding and writhing together under the sheets as they pushed each other closer to the edge of ecstasy. Her hand reached up and grabbed at Max's hair, holding her tight as she felt herself reach her limit. "Maxi! I think... I'm gonna..."

"Me too." Max gasped, her eyes shut tight with pleasure. "Let's cum together." She suddenly picked up the pace, grinding hard against Amy, their pussy lips rubbing tight against each other's and pushing both girls past their limits. They let out cries of pure, feral lust as they orgasmed, Max's juices squirting out between their legs. They held each other tight the entire time, their bodies twitching as their minds became lost in complete bliss.

It was a few moments before they both let out a contented sigh, Max slipping to one side and pulling Amy in close for a hug. "Mm. So, how was it, babe?"

"Wonderful." Amy gasped, nuzzling close into Max. "I had no idea it would feel that good. Though it's kinda tiring." She let out a sigh, feeling happier than she ever had in her life. "I love you, Maxi."

Max paused at that, but a soft smile formed on her muzzle. "I love you too, Amy." She gave Amy a soft kiss, petting her gently. She found she couldn't help but at least be fond of the adorable girl, who seemed to quickly be falling asleep in her arms. She chuckled softly, giving her another kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Babe." A warm smile on her face, Max snuggled in for sleep as well, mostly happy to not be sleeping alone.

---

---

"Honey, I'm home." Terra called out as she walked through her front door after a long day of modeling. She wasn't surprised to find Marcus on the couch, entertaining himself with some video game. It was the scene she walked into everyday during his summer breaks.

"Hey, Babe." Marcus greated with his usual, warm smile. "How was your day?"

"Oh, nothing out of the ordinary." The siamese sighed as she sat down next to her boyfriend. "I spent most of the day standing around while other people messed with my clothes and fur, all so they could take hundreds of pictures and use only one." She giggled, giving Marcus a kiss. "And how was your day, baby?"

"Quiet." Marcus said with a shrug. Terra knew what that meant; the cat hadn't done anything productive all day. She sighed inwardly, wishing he would listen to her at least one year and get a hobby or something. Anything to keep him busy during the day.

Not wanting to get into that argument again, she pulled out a magazine and started flipping slowly through the pages. After just a few minutes she had a noticeable blush, and her occasional fidgeting finally caught Marcus' attention. "What are you... is that a Playboy?"

"I was wondering when you'd notice." Terra chuckled. "One of the new ads for that strip club is supposed to be in this issue, and they used Max for it. I just wanted to see how it turned out."

"Well, this I've gotta see." Marcus smirked, pausing his game and leaning over Terra's shoulder. Several pages full of naked women later they finally found the full page ad for Stardock 69, Max posed provocatively and completely nude, her tail the only thing covering her waist as she invited the readers to see more at the club and online. "Damn, I forgot how big those were." Marcus commented before returning to his game.

Terra gave him a sidelong glare but said nothing. The skunk's breasts were pretty big after all. Seeing the ad reminded her of the photoshoot, and the look of intent Max had in her eyes, as if she was putting on a show just for Terra. She felt a shiver run down her spine as an itch began to grow between her legs, and flipping through the adult magazine was only making it worse. Luckily, a means of relief was sitting right next to her, and she knew just how to get his attention.

Putting the magazine aside and sighing casually, Terra put her paws on the coffee table, in full view. "Man, my paws are killing me. I've been standing around in these shoes all day, and they're feeling a bit hot and cramped up."

Marcus' eyes were quickly glued to those paws as he subtly licked his lips. His game was already forgotten. "Well, if you want, I could give you a quick paw rub."

"Oh would you?" Terra innocently teased, turning so her paws rested on Marcus' lap. "That would be really nice. Thank you, Baby."

Marcus quickly took those paws in hand, sliding her shoes off with ease and gently massaging them through her leggings. Over the course of the day they had gotten a little sweaty and the cat could already pick up the unique odor, which he inhaled deeply, bringing the paws right up to his face to take in the full scent. Terra giggles, cupping her toes around his muzzle to immerse him in the smell. While she had originally found his paw fetish weird, she had grown used to it. Plus, it easily lead into her own guilty pleasure.

"Your paws are so sweaty." Marcus purred, gently rubbing them in his hands with a smirk. "It's such a shame to have such dirty paws. We should clean them."

"Are you gonna clean my paws, Baby?" Terra purred right back, pulling her legs in to slip her leggings off. She then put her paws right in his face, causing his eyes to roll back in his head. "Will you make me a clean kitty?"

Marcus didn't need to be asked twice. Taking a paw in his hands, he inhaled her odor once more before his rough tongue darted out to run across her pads. Terra moaned softly as she felt that tongue run over her pads and between her toes, purring loudly as Marcus cleaned her paws with his tongue.

Marcus couldn't stop purring either, the smell, taste and feel of Terra's paws filling his senses. He ran his tongue through every bit of fur, cleaning them thoroughly and then some. If he could have, he would have spent hours on just her paws, but he knew where this was going, knew what she liked, and was more than happy to oblige.

He let his tongue roam through the fur on top of her paw, slowly cleaning up her shin, gradually making his way up her leg while making sure to clean as much as possible.

"Oh yeah..." Terra moaned through a purr as Marcus continued working up her legs. "That's it Baby, make me clean." She shivered as his rough tongue working it's way slowly up her inner thighs, the male probing his nose up her skirt, lapping at her fur until he got to her panties.

"Ah! Oh no you don't." Terra playfully scolded him, pulling his head out of her skirt. "You don't get that until I'm all clean."

Marcus smirked, sitting up on the couch. "Well, I certainly can't clean you with all those clothes on." He took his own shirt off, watching somewhat hungrily as Terra slowly followed suite. They were both nude in no time, Marcus purring loudly as he knelt down to resume the loving bath.

"Oh, that's it, Babe." Terra purred as her lover slowly licked her stomach clean. "I'm a dirty kitty. Make me clean again." A shiver ran through her body as she felt that rough tongue glide through her fur and tickle her skin. It was one of the best feelings in the world for her.

Marcus made sure to take his time cleaning her abs, knowing how much she loved it, but he didn't stay there for long, slowly crawling up the couch to clean between and across her perfect, tear drop breasts, making sure to tease each nipple and bring out a few gasps from Terra.

"Oh, god, Marcus, that's so good." Terra squirmed on the couch, her eyes shut tight as she purred loudly. "I want to feel that tongue on every inch of my body."

"I'll let you feel everything, Babe." Marcus purred before licking up her neck, while gently grinding his hips into hers, his thick dick rubbing against her wet pussy. "I'll clean you outside and in."

"Not yet." Terra moaned, gently pushing him away with a sly smirk. "I'm still too dirty." Marcus looked at her curiously; she usually gave in at this point. But when she rolled onto her stomach, sticking her ass in the air, he realized what she was getting at. "Please, Baby," Terra mewled, looking at him lovingly over her shoulder. "Make me a clean kitty."

"Well, since you're begging for it." Marcus teased, grabbing her ass and spreading her cheeks, revealing her already dripping pussy and quivering tail hole. Licking his lips, the cat dove in, lapping up some of the juices that threatened to spill out.

Terra moaned, the tip of her tail twitching slightly as Marcus cleaned her mons and labia as thoroughly as possible. He used his thumbs to spread her lips further, taking a moment to gaze at the dark pink flesh before diving in again, plunging his tongue deep inside her pussy.

"Oh, god!" Terra hissed, arching her back and digging her claws into the arm of the couch. "Yes! Clean my deepest parts. Get that tongue in there!" She suddenly reached around, grabbing Marcus' head and pressing his face tightly against her pussy. "Clean me! Fuck me with your tongue!"

Marcus grunted and moaned as Terra fucked his face. He could barely breath, but he didn't care, thrusting his tongue as deep as he could. He thrust his tongue in and out of her hot pussy, causing Terra to gasp and cry out in pleasure. She eventually had to let go of him, needing both hands to hold herself up, practically drooling from the ecstasy.

Marcus didn't waste the freedom, lapping his tongue across her tail hole, making her squeal and squirm. Smirking, he swirled his tongue around her quivering pucker a few times more, before getting up on his knees and slowly dragging his tongue up her spine.

"Oh Marcus, I can't wait anymore..." Terra moaned, unable to stop purring. "Just give it to me already."

"Are you sure you're clean enough?" Marcus teased, gently licking at the back of her neck as he pressed his cock against her pussy. "I want to make sure you're all clean before I get you dirty again."

"Shut up and fuck me, asshole." Terra countered with a hungry growl. She couldn't wait anymore, and she made that known in no uncertain terms. She reached down between her legs and grabbed his throbbing dick, rubbing it against her pussy before positioning it just right and backing onto it, thrusting his dick deep inside her pussy. "There, now I hope I don't need to tell you what to do next?"

"Never." Marcus grinned, wrapping his arms around her and suddenly thrusting in all the way. He loved it when she got demanding like that. He cupped the siamese's breasts as he thrust deep against her, gently biting into Terra's neck and reducing her to nothing but moans and gasps of pleasure.

Terra's eyes soon rolled into the back of her head as Marcus fucked her with long, even strides, dragging the act and the pleasure out for as long as he could. Just when she thought she was going to lose it, Marcus pulled out, breathing heavily. "Turn around, babe. I want to see your face, and I want those paws."

Terra whimpered, rolling onto her back and spreading her legs wide. "Give it to me, Baby. I need you so bad."

Marcus took a hold of Terra's legs, lifting them up high and resting them on his shoulders as he went back in, sticking his penis in and going right back to work. He brought one of her paws right against his face, inhaling deeply as he thrust hard and fast. Soon his tongue was slipping between her toes, and Terra was left gasping and shouting in pleasure, barely able to think, let alone speak.

She yelped as he suddenly leaned in, bending Terra in half and thrusting even harder and deeper than before. She wrapped her paws tight around his neck, encouraging him to fuck her brains out. Their purrs and screams filled the room as Marcus pushed Terra over the edge. Her entire body flexed as she screamed her lungs out, her pussy tightening around Marcus' cock, begging for his seed. His body complied as suddenly thrusting in deep and spilling his seed inside her, filling her up as he shot again and again.

When all had settled, the two cats were snuggled into the couch and each other, purring happily. Marcus hugged Terra close, giving her neck a lick. "Looks like I made you dirty again." he teased playfully.

"Oh, shut up." Terra giggled, lightly bopping him on the nose. She then snuggled into him, loving the feel of his warm arms around her. As happy as she was, there was a bit of concern in the corner of her mind. She loved Marcus more than anyone in the world, but ever since she had watched Max's photoshoot, her mind hadn't forgotten the feelings she had experienced. Was she also attracted to the skunk? Could she tell Marcus that she had been so aroused by a women? Would he understand? She wasn't even sure is she understood it herself. 'He'd probably love the idea, actually.' She giggled to herself, trying simple to feel content in her lover's arms.

---

---

"Another great performance." Max hummed to herself as she got dressed, glancing wistfully at her laptop. They had finally finished setting up the online stripping service, and the skunk had already taken advantage of it twice, much to the delight of a small but growing fanbase.

The skunk was humming contentedly as she made her way downstairs to enjoy the rest of her Monday. "Well, you seem to be in a good mood." Aiden commented from his usual seat at the dining table. His own work day had been cut short due to a lack of deliveries, so he was taking the time to get more work on his novel done. "I take it things went well up there?"

"Of course." Max beamed, sitting across from him. "This internet stripping thing is awesome. I love finally being able to get completely naked for my audience. And they're so sweet, too. People say the nicest things online."

"Sometimes." was all Aiden would offer, having read through his fair share of scathing reviews and forum trolling and flame wars. He didn't want to spoil her fun.

"I wonder how far I can really take it." Max pondered as she sipped at her bottled water. "I mean, that contract was kinda vague, and the Mistress said I could do pretty much anything as long as I'm by myself and it's legal." She blushed a bit as a wry smile crossed her face. "Maybe next time I'll give them a real show."

"You should probably charge extra for that." Aiden chuckled, using the conversation to take a break from working. "Maybe charge an additional fifty bucks per hour or something."

"If only I could," Max laughed, "but I don't get to decide the prices." She sighed warmly, her tail bristling a bit. "Things have been great at work, too. I've been getting much more respect lately. Even Diamond's been bothering me less. Plus, now I've got an adorable girlfriend." She giggled a bit as she thought about Amy and their date later that night. "Things are finally starting to fall into place for me."

"I'm happy for you." Aiden said with a smile. "You deserve it, and you're much prettier when you smile."

"Oh, thank you Aiden." Max felt herself blushing heavily at the compliment, though she noticed he seemed oblivious to the giddy effect he just had on her. 'This must be what Cheryl keeps talking about.'

"So, how are things going with you and Cheryl?" She dared to ask after thinking of her friend. "She's been complaining about you a lot less, so you guys must be getting along."

"For the most part." Aiden shrugged, growing a bit more serious. "I certainly seem to be pissing her off less, which is definitely a good thing, but..."

"But?"

Aiden shrugged. "Things have reversed it seems. Now she just keeps getting on my nerves."

"I knew it." Max pouted a bit. "I told her not to tease you too much."

"It's okay." Aiden quickly deflected, not wanting to upset her with his problems. "I'm sure it will all settle down with time. We're still exploring each other's boundaries, that's all."

"I hope so." Max muttered. "I've just started getting used to this idea of you two dating."

"Like I said, don't worry." Aiden insisted with a soft smile. "I'm sure we'll work everything out real soon."

A loud banging at the door got both their attentions, this unexpected visitor seemingly hitting the door with great force. They were both a bit afraid to answer when a voice yelled from the other side. "Maxine Adelaide Douglas, you open this door this instant!"

"Oh, shit..." Max quickly got up, making for the door with her tail tucked low. She swallowed hard, opening the door and trying to put on a smile. "Hi, Daddy. What's-

She didn't get to finish as her father forced himself through the open door, slamming it shut and corning his poor, confused daughter. "You lying whore."

"What?"

"Did you think I wouldn't find out?" Her father asked angrily, pointing a finger at her. "Or is this some dumb ass joke to you?"

"Daddy, what are you talking about?" Max finally got out through her father's ranting. "I haven't done anything."

Her father just glared at her, his ire growing by the second. "You said you were a waitress." He finally spat out. "You lied to my face all these years. But now I know the truth." He took a deep breath, staying surprisingly calm. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you've stooped to stripping and whoring yourself out for money."

Max froze, her eyes going wide. She hesitated just a moment before chuckling nervously. "Daddy, that's silly. You know I'm a waitress."

His eyes flashed as he suddenly slapped his daughter, the sound echoing through the room. "You continue to lie to me? Fine, but if you're just a waitress, then explain to me why my daughter's half naked body is promoting a strip club on a billboard over the interstate!"

Max just stood there, the sting of the slap mixing with embarrassment and the pain of betrayal. She took a deep breath, finally deciding to be out with it. "Fine. Yes, I'm a stripper, but I'm not a whore, and the only reason I didn't tell you is because I knew you'd react this way."

"What father wouldn't?" He countered. "You've always been a disgrace, Maxine, but this is a new low for you. How could you do this to me?"

"What?!" Max suddenly snapped back. "I didn't do anything to you, Dad! I'm doing this all for me! Yes, I'm taking my clothes off for money. Damn good money. I'm holding down a stable job; I make more money than you do; I'm living and managing all on my own! What exactly am I doing that's so disgraceful?"

Her father just scowled at her. "You could be doing something respectful if you had only applied yourself. But no, you took the easy route. You are an embarrassment to the entire family, Maxine. You're lucky your mother hasn't seen your perversion yet." He kept his stern glare on her, and Max felt a lump form in her throat, preventing her from speaking. "The worst part is that you so boldly lied to me, again and again. You've disappointed me yet again, Maxine, and if he were here right now, Daniel would be disappointed in you, too."

Max froze, her entire body going rigid, her eyes wide with a mix of emotions. Slowly her body bowed, her head dropping to look at the ground as she clenched her fists and ground her teeth. Finally she muttered just two words. "Get out..."

"What was that?"

"Get out!" She screamed, a fire raging in her eyes. "Get out of my home! Get out of my sight! Get out of my life!" She suddenly grabbed the man and pushed him out the door. "I never want to see you again!" With those final words she slammed the door shut and locked it, and her whole body began to shake, all of her emotions spilling out at once.

A noise to the side got her attention, and Max glanced over to see Aiden standing by the table, his ears flat and his face full of concern. 'Oh no, he heard everything.' Panic began to well up in the skunk once again. She had worked so hard to keep her old life out of her new one, but she couldn't escape it, and now everything was ruined.

With tears in her eyes Max suddenly bolted to her room, slamming the door shut behind her and collapsing into bed as all her emotions spilt forth in loud, long sobs.

Aiden winced as the door slammed shut. He wasn't sure what he should say or do, but the fox knew he had to do something. He rubbed his eyes, deciding to let her calm down a bit, and give him a chance to think of something to say to the poor girl.

It was half an hour later when a soft knocking came from Max's door, causing her to open her bloodshot eyes. She had stopped crying a little while ago, and had simply decided to keep her face buried in her tear stained pillow. The knocking came again, and Aiden called softly from the other side. "Max, I made you some tea, if you want it. We don't have to talk or anything. It's just, well, tea sometimes makes me feel better when I'm down, so I thought I'd make you a cup."

Max smiled faintly as the fox carried on. He really was a big, innocent goofball, but at least he cared. "Thanks, Aiden. You can come in." She sat up as he entered, trying to wipe her eyes dry. Without a word he brought her the cup of hot tea, which she took with a sad smile. "Thank you. You can sit, if you like, though I don't know if I'll be good company."

"That's okay." Aiden smiled, sitting next to her. "I'm here if you want to talk, and if not, well, I'll stay if you just want the company."

Max smiled, sipping the tea and letting it warm her from the inside. Aiden really was a good friend, and right now Max was glad he was around. His presence was oddly soothing. She sighed, staring at her reflection in the eat. "I'm sorry you had to hear all that, Aiden. My father can be a real asshole sometimes."

"Don't worry about it." Aiden smiled softly. "If you want, I can pretend I didn't hear any of it."

But Max shook her head at that. "No, my old life was bound to mix with this one eventually I guess." She sighed heavily before taking another sip. "Well, since you're kinda involved already, I might as well tell you whatever you want to know. I was really hoping to leave it all behind me, but it might be better to tell you everything, now. Trying to pretend all that didn't happen may just make things worse."

"Yeah, you may be right." Even with that said, Max was silent. She had no idea what to start with, or even if she wanted to talk about it just then. Aiden eyed her nervously. He hated seeing her that way. 'Maybe she's waiting for me to ask something?' He cleared his throat, trying to think of the easiest thing she might be willing to talk about. "So, um, I was wondering who this Daniel is that your dad mentioned. Who is he?"

Max froze, her eyes going wide as her lower lip quivered. Aiden had to ask about him. The skunk took a deep breath, hoping to keep her voice steady. "He was my brother."

"What?" It was Aiden's turn to go wide eyed with shock. "Really? You have a brother? You've never mentioned it before."

"No, Aiden." Max somberly corrected him. "I had a brother." She took another deep breath, and Aiden could feel the air get heavier. "Daniel was my older brother. He died ten years ago... right in front of my eyes."