Tied Down in Misery

Story by Michael Deltair on SoFurry

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#2 of Life's Twists and Turns


Yea, it took a while, but here is the second chapter of my first story. Hope everyone can enjoy it. A bit of a different tone than my other stuff, but I like how it came out.

Disclaimer: This is a completely fictional story. I do not own the rights to the TV show Heroes. Characters that appear in this story are mine and no one elses. This story contains M/M furry sex. If you are under the age of 18, do not continue. If you do not like the idea of furry sex, do not continue. If you do not like M/M sexual situations, do not continue. Otherwise, have fun!

Sam sat down on the comfortable leather seats in silence. He had no idea what to say to the imposing figure who sat across from him. Even in a calm relaxed form, this rhino's very presence made Sam quiver, but he didn't know if it was in fear or awe. His face was completely blank except for the small smile on his face and the small chip on his horn. Even those small features dominated Sam's character. Being naked didn't help this at all.

Not too long ago, Sam would have never thought that anything like this could ever happen. He was kidnapped, auctioned off, gang-raped by a bunch of chubby-chaser furs, and now, he belonged to this rhino. Not too long ago Sam was full of life and happiness, and now he was completely broken in both mind and spirit. His eyes looked up at the rhino, who was apparently named Kevin. As quick as Sam's eyes went up, they went right back down.

Even though the rhino seemed asleep, Sam thought he could feel the rhino's eyes roam all over his body. He kept his head bowed in shame the entire car ride. He said nothing, but his thoughts were racing a mile a second. All he could do now was think about the life he had lost, the life that self-destructed, the life he once would not give up for anything.

************

The smile on Sam's face could not be bigger. He had been working at Furtronics for about 5 years. He never thought he would get a promotion of all things. He knew he did his job well. His co-workers and bosses praise could not say that simple fact enough. He never dreamed that he did his job well enough to take his bosses place. Sam's boss was an aging panda, in his late fifties. He had retired and had given Sam the good news before he was officially promoted in a week. The happy skip in his step was undeniable.

'Why shouldn't I be happy? I just got a job I know how to do easily! Not to mention the job comes with a three figure salary!' Sam thought.

Sam walked along the streets of Los Angeles brimming with pride. His big body didn't waddle like most guys his size, but it plowed though the crowded streets like a hot knife through butter. The large hippo knew that waddling would probably be better for his thighs, but refused to resort to that. Actions made more of an impact in the world than anything, and this was no different in the business world. It was not just his skill that got him this new job. It was also his powerful actions. In essence, he was like fire itself, unwavering, unrelenting, and could never just go with the flow like water. He made his own flow and made others around him adhere to it. Sam made sure that all of his actions stood out beyond every stereotype he might have come across.

Unfortunately, he still had to sweat like the rest of the city. Sam wiped the sweat from his brow as he walked the twenty blocks to his loft. The city was in the middle of a heat wave, the current temperature being somewhere around Ninety five degrees. In retrospect, Sam thought that wearing his slick black suit with a dark blue button down was not the best idea.

"Uhhh...Oh well. That's the price you pay to look good I guess," said Sam as he smirked to himself. To tell the truth, he did look good. The suit did not hide his size, but used it to make him look better. The entire suit was custom fit for Sam, and he was glad for it. The suit was jet black, and looked as if it was made with pure black ink. It complemented his gray skin well. The suit jacket made his shoulders more pronounced, as well as stronger. He looked like he was hiding his strength rather than his weight, and he had no problem with anyone thinking he was stronger than he actually was.

Sam had a sigh of relief as he arrived at his building.

"Home sweet home."

Sam walked to the elevator as he smiled at the thought of being in his central air equipped loft. The elevator opened, and Sam rushed in, eager to get to his big comfy chair and relax. He was so caught up in his thoughts of comfort, that he didn't see the large rhino that he charged right into. Sam fell flat on his ass has he bumped the rhino, the rhino only taking a step back to compensate for the bump. Sam looked up, ready to pour his apologies on whomever he hit.

"Oh my god, I'm soooo......"

His words trailed off as he saw a sexy rhino before him. He was huge! He towered over Sam's standing body by at least half a foot. Considering Sam was six feet tall, this guy was huge by any standards. He wore a blue suit similar to Sam's black one, and it did the same things Sam's did to his look. This rhino looked like he could bench a train, and even the little bulge of stomach looked like it could get hit by the same train he benched. Sam's eyes drifted to this sexy rhino's face and saw his features. He was clearly older than Sam, at least by fifteen years. That didn't affect him too much though, as his face still had powerful features to it. Every feature screamed important, and not to mention hot. The only part that looked out of place was the small chip at the side of his horn. Sam struggled to regain himself and began to apologize again.

"I'm so sorry sir. That was very careless of me." Sam was a little shocked to see the rhino extend his hand out.

"It's quite alright," said the rhino in a very deep and sultry voice. "I'd be in a rush also if I lived in an incredible building like this." He had a genuine smile on his face, as if he was not upset in the least. Sam blushed a little as he reached and grabbed the outstretched paw.

With almost no effort at all, he pulled Sam to his feet and went towards the door. He didn't even give a second glance as he walked through the front door, pulling out a pair of car keys. Sam looked on until the rhino disappeared from few completely. He slowly walked into the elevator as he tried to calm his mind and dick down a little.

**************

Sam walked into the huge room that he called home. Anyone who had never been here before would be surprised at the sheer size and impact of the space. The loft was a typical loft size. It looked about one thousand square feet total, but that was not the surprising part. What was the shocker was what occupied the space, and how everything was arranged. Small walls that didn't even hit the high ceiling were placed all over, separating the different areas like the bedroom and kitchen. Each area was enveloped with furniture, all of which was very simple and clean-lined, but looked extremely high class none the less. Everything looked expertly picked out, as if every piece down to the dust itself was placed in absolute order.

Sam walked over to an over-sized, brown leather lounge chair and plopped down with a relieved sigh. He quickly undid his tie knot and unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt. He closed his eyes and smiled a wide smile as he felt the central air wash over his large, overheated body.

"Oh lord.....the simple pleasures of life...."

Sam was feeling very content now. Everything was going his way since he decided to make his life his own. Most guys his age were just starting to find, or had just found an out of college job. This was not the case with Sam. He had buckled down and finished college in two years with a bachelor degree in business management and a 3.9 GPA. He thought highly of himself, and so did his family, but they were not the only ones. Companies had heard about a crazy college student who finished a five year business degree in only two years with a high GPA. Sam felt like he was pounced on as soon as he left college.

He finally settled with a company that offered him an Assistant Project Manager position, starting salary of 80k a year, stock options, and best of all, he got to leave his urban home town on the east coast and move to Los Angles. He may have been born and raised in a ghetto city, and the area may have turned into a small and safer version of New York City, but it was still too small for the large hippo's larger ambitions. The heat was the only thing he didn't like, and his loft took care of that problem.

After he moved, things only got better. Everyone at the office loved him, even those under him. He may have been their boss, but that didn't stop them from hanging out and going to clubs and bars, which is where the next great thing happened to him.

For his one year anniversary at the company, everyone took him to a bar to celebrate a year of success and his 21st birthday. That was when he met Jim. Sam had been staring at the large muscle god of a wolf the entire night. As the night went on, and as he got more and more drunk, he didn't notice Jim getting closer and closer. At the end of the night, and close to sunrise, Jim found his way in Sam's new loft, and inside Sam.

Sam smiled at his memories, nothing drastic happening to him in years. He knew karma was a bitch, but he was hoping that it would stay this way for a good long time. He let out a murr of satisfaction as he stretched his arms behind him. His murr quickly turned to a gasp as he felt two powerful paws grab his own.

"Look who's all happy with himself. I'm assuming the meeting went well then?"

Sam smiled again as he heard the deep, yet gentle voice. He opened his eyes and saw a large, muscular black wolf in nursing scrubs. Jim was standing above with his own smile. The wolf was built to say the least. He was the same height as Sam, but he had none of the size Sam carried with him. The wolf went to the gym daily, and from his six pack abs, to his bulging arms, down to his large calves, it all showed. The scrubs he wore were the same color as his fur, making them blend together as if he had no fur at all, or vice versa. The only part of his outfit that wasn't black was the plain white tee he wore underneath and the Hospital badge on his chest pocket. Jim leaned down and gave the smiling rhino a deep, but quick kiss. Sam groaned into the kiss a bit until Jim pulled back, allowing the hippo to speak.

"Yeah, it went EXTREMLY well. I got the vice-president position Ferguson is leaving behind."

"Sam, that's great! See? And you were all worried this morning about it, thinking they were gonna fire you for being better than your boss," laughed Jim.

"Yeah yeah, what are you doing home anyway? I thought you were called in for an extra shift in the ER," questioned Sam. He had indeed though he was going to be alone all night, but having his mate with him did not upset him in the least.

"Oh, that," Jim started saying, his smirk never leaving his face. Jim was the head nurse at the local hospital's ER. He usually worked from seven to three, but would occasionally work the three to eleven shifts as well."I got someone to take over for me."

"What? Why?"

"Well....you seemed so worried this morning about the meeting. I figured I wouldn't be a very good boyfriend if I didn't come home and give you a shoulder to cry on," said Jim. His smirk turned from an innocent one to a lust filled one like magic. His paw let go of Sam's and drifted down Sam's shirt, rubbing his chest and causing the hippo to start groaning again. "Or help you celebrate."

"What about dinner?" Sam groaned out. He didn't know the time exactly, but he got out of work at five, so it had to be close to six or seven. Sam was getting hungry, not to mention he didn't want Jim to think he was easy still. Jim only got closer and started nuzzling Sam's neck, playfully nipping at the nape. He whispered something as Sam groaned from the treatment.

"Oh... I think I'll be full enough from eating the tubby hippo I have right here..."

Sam let out a little giggle. "Hey, how many times do I have to say not to call me tubby?" Jim just laughed in response.

"You have no problem being called fat in any other way, shape or form. I don't understand why you mind tubby. Besides, I like cuddling with my tubby hippo." said Jim as he reached his paws out and started to molest Sam's stomach. Sam kept groaning from the big hand roaming all over him. He was about to argue back, but the thoughts quickly left his head as he was pulled out of his chair into the paws of a very horny wolf.

Jim quickly silenced his mate with a very deep kiss, which ended far too quickly for Sam. He broke the kiss almost immediately, taking a step back from the living area. Sam followed like an obedient dog, getting another kiss, one just as deep as the first and also just as short. Jim broke the kiss off again, taking another step back, luring the hippo in as if he was following a trail of breadcrumbs. This continued for a while, until eventually they were in the bedroom. As soon as they were close enough to the king size bed, Sam reached in for another kissed, but gasped as he was quickly tossed back onto the bed. Jim quickly pounced on him as he started kissing Sam again, this time without the teasing.

Sam quickly submitted to the wolf as he felt Jim's tongue dance in his mouth, caressing his own. He thought that their tongues would get tied in a knot from the way they twisted around each other. Sam just let Jim work him over, using his own tongue to compliment what the wolf was doing.

After what seemed like forever, Jim broke the kiss. Sam gasped for air as he was released, but gasped harder when Jim drove back in, kissing and nibbling his neck. Sam moaned loudly as Jim went to work again. He felt Jim's paws roam over him again until they stopped on his chest and started unbuttoning his shirt. After Jim was done with that, his paws slid further down and started with the belt. Soon, Sam was still moaning, but this time he was only in his pair of boxers.

Jim finally removed himself from Sam's neck as he knelled over the panting hippo. His entire body looked exhausted, but the look in the hippo's eyes said he was wide awake and going to be that way for a few hours.

"I see that you're ready to celebrate now," said Jim with the same smirk that was plastered on his face. "Now....if you're still hungry..." Jim started explaining as he pulled off his nursing scrubs, reveling his throbbing erection. Sam saw this and rushed in head first, literally. The only thing he saw was the massive erection in his face, so he didn't notice the hand stopping him.

"Now now, you have to have the appetizer before you have the main course."

Sam smiled as he nodded, knowing what the wolf had in mind. He got off the bed and allowed the wolf to take his place, propping his back on the bed's headboard. He sat there, waiting for Sam to get the hint. Sam quickly saw this and crawled onto the bed, his arms on either side of the wolf's waist, while his mouth was grabbed the wolf's paw. Jim pulled him into a deep kiss, breaking it quickly. Sam whined a little, thinking he started teasing him again, but Jim shushed him quiet as he explained a little.

"Now now, I thought you'd want to kiss some other things also."

Jim started to take off the rest of his scrubs, revealing his perfectly defined body. Sam stared at his body, as it always amazed him. The wolf was built like a Greek god. His entire body looked like it had been sculpted out of marble instead of the fur and pure muscle it actually was. His chest was showed off his hard chest, and had two large nipples to accompany them. His stomach was just as hard with his six pack abs covered over in black fur, but still widely visible. Going back up, Sam stared at Jim's powerful arms. His biceps, triceps, forearms, and shoulders were all massive. They all looked as if they were able to bench press the hippo, although he knew this was impossible. Hell, it would be impressive for someone to just be able to lift him, and Jim was inching toward that with every trip to the gym.

Sam dived into Jim's arms, kissing and licking along the muscles. Jim murred to himself as he felt the hippo's thick tongue wash over his muscles. This is what Sam loved. He loved to worship his mate. Everywhere in his life, Sam was dominant. He liked being in charge and commanded respect from everyone he knew. He had a good hearted character, but he was never anyone's bitch. In bed was the only place that he was submissive. That was the only place he allowed himself to be free and let someone dominate him, and the only thing he could see right then was the wolf whose arms he was working like an ice cream cone.

Sam went from arm to arm, sucking and caressing each arm back and forth. He kept going until his tongue settle in the wolf's massive pectorals. He nuzzled the hard, yet comforting muscles as he worked them. He eventually found his way to a set of very hard nipples. He immediately went to work on them, sucking and nipping at them, which drove Jim into a fit of growling and moaning. Sam barely noticed as he lost himself in Jim's body. He was pulled back into reality as he was pulled away by two big paws. Jim was panting a little, but still managed to keep the same smirk on his face.

"Now now, I think you've had enough of the appetizer, let's get on to the main course."

Sam's ears perked as he heard Jim. He smiled as his head went down to what he really wanted, and Jim was finally letting him have it. Wasting no time, Sam dove in, head first, into the massive wolf cock, and easily took it to the root. He sucked hard on the shaft, his teasing from before driving him mad with lust.

Jim groaned at the enthusiastic response. He watched Sam bob up and down on the big cock, even sucking on the huge knot at the wolf's base as he got near it. The huge hippo sounded like he wanted to swallow the wolf whole instead of just his cock. He pulled up a little as he began to just suck on the head, working the shaft with his paws. He made sure to work Jim's knot especially well, making him moan from the treatment.

Jim didn't last too long from this. He let out a loud howl as he shot his load. Sam sucked it all up, swallowing fast as the wolf shot off. When Jim was finished, he was panting as Sam kept sucking, eager to get any cum he might have missed. He didn't stop until he felt a warm paw rub his cheek, Jim looking down at him.

"Now, I think I need a little something to eat. You can't be too much of a glutton."

With that, Sam was flipped on his back as if he were a sack of potatoes. Sam grunted in surprise, but that was immediately followed by a loud demanding moan. Jim had wasted no time at all and pounced on the hippo's throbbing erection. Sam shut his eyes in ecstasy as he felt himself being worked over. The wolf was sucking hard on the hippo cock, wasting no time with foreplay or teasing at this point. He was showing that he was indeed hungry, and the only thing he wanted was hippo cum.

Sam's head was spinning. Jim loved to tease him to get him in bed, but once he did, all bets were off. The wolf went almost feral at that point. Sam felt the muzzle bob up and down on him, while the wolf's paws were still molesting his gut. Sam gasped as he felt a hand descend and begin to abuse his ballsack that hung heavy between his legs. The other hand slipped under the hippo's ass, and he felt a finger slip in, causing anther loud moan to escape his mouth.

Sam felt the orgasm rush up on him. He knew he was not going to last much longer. The wolf was rushing him too much for him to last much longer. From the sucking, to the cupping, to the now three fingers up his ass, Sam was being pushed in record time.

Sam shuddered and thrashed as he came in Jim's muzzle. Jim did not waste a second as he greedily drank in every ounce that was pumping out of the climaxing hippo. Sam panted as he finished. The wolf always brought him to the most powerful orgasms, but he always felt drained afterward. Sam did not even notice when Jim flipped him over on his front, leaving his ass exposed.

"Don't tell me that you're tired already. I guess I'm just going to have to re-energize my dinner for tonight."

Jim spread Sam's ass apart and dived into the hippo's moist hole. Sam groaned out as he felt the tongue caress the inside of his tailhole. He was in heaven. The tongue was moving around like a snake, and the thickness of the wolf's appendage was filling up every ounce of Sam's hole. He gasped and moaned every time the hot, slick object hit his prostate, it teasing him into regaining his energy fast. Sam was enjoying himself to such a level, he could not help but whimper when the tongue and the pleasant feeling it bought was removed. The whimper became much louder as he felt something else pressed against the tailhole.

"Now that the front is fed, I think its time to feed the other end, don't you?"

With that, Sam almost screamed as he was hilted with the Jim's dick. The knot had not reformed yet, but the tiny bump at the base said that it would not take that long for it to come back full form. There was also a loud smack as a set of wolf hips descended upon the large rump. Jim did not start thrusting right away. He instead started grinding, causing Sam to start whining, his whines getting very close to begging for the pounding that awaited. He felt the wolf's knot press against his hole, and that just furthered his whines.

Jim had decided that he teased Sam long enough and began to pound the hippo, in long, hard thrusts. Sam's moan got louder each time he was hilted by the large cock. He began to claw at the sheets, feeling the wolf member pleasure him. Every thump against his prostate made him let out long moans. Jim kept his pace even. Every thrust was powerful, and they were a teasing inside of themselves as they were prolonged a bit. He knew Sam wanted more, but he wanted to hear it from the hippo's mouth. He leaned forward and nibbled on the slightly rounded ears. He then whispered into them.

"So, tell me Sam, do you want more?" The hippo's eyes shot open as he heard the words.

"Yes!" he shouted, in hopes of getting a harder pounding. Jim kept his pace the same, not speeding up.

"You want the daylights fucked out of you, don't you?"

"Oh God yes!"

"Then say it. Tell me what you want me to do to you Sam..." Jim started to nibble on Sam's ear again as he waited for a response.

"I want you to fuck me! I need you to fuck me hard! Oh Jesus, just fuck me harder now! Make me cum with that big dick of yours!"

Jim smiled as he heard his lovers screams for more. He immediately began thrusting in harder and harder. Sam was overwhelmed by the sudden change. The teasing had taken such a toll on him at this point. Now he was being screwed like a bitch in heat, and he loved every moment of it. It was not long until he felt the swollen wolf know begin to slip in a little. Sam wanted it in him. He knew it would set him off, and he screamed for it, knowing that was what Jim was waiting for.

"Jim, please! Tie me! Do it now. Oh God do it NOW!

All of a sudden, Sam felt the knot go in and he felt the thrusting become much harder. The nudges that he was getting before were nothing compared to this. His prostate was no longer being tapped, but pushed harshly as the wolf was fully in him now. He let out a demanding moan and began to shoot all over the bed beneath him. A few seconds later, he also felt Jim shoot of. Jim grunted hard as he came, all of his seed spilling into Sam's well fucked ass.

The two were both exhausted from the furious love making. Jim collapsed on Sam. Sam felt the wolf that was tied to him roll on his side, forcing Sam to do so also. The wolf wrapped his brawny arms around Sam as Sam basked in the warm body of his lover. Jim leaned over and gave Sam a small kiss on the cheek.

"Congratulations babe," he whispered to the tired hippo. Sam smiled and moved against the large wolf, both of them drifting into sleep.

*************

"OWWW!!!"

"That's what you get for trying to pick at my lasagna. It's not even cooked yet."

"Oww....freaking fat Italian hippo...."

"Heh, that just means it will be good when it's done."

Sam was in the kitchen and Jim was right next to him, nursing his hurt paw from the wooden spoon whack it just got. Sam smiled as he looked at the sulking wolf, carefully placing the pan into the oven to be cooked. Jim was holding his knuckles in pain while wearing a pair of sweats with a plain white tee. They wear both wearing the same thing, whether it was from lack of caring or laziness on Sam's part, but he chuckled at the wolf next to him.

"You know," Jim started to say, "you're worse than a mom."

"Heh, be thankful I'm not. An Italian mom would make damn sure that that paw would be broken, and didn't just hurt like all hell."

Jim only rolled his eyes as he padded over to the living room, lying down on the large, brown leather couch. Sam followed suit, climbing onto the couch, letting the wolf drape his arm around the ample body.

"Sometimes I wonder why I put up with your shit..." said Jim. Sam only smiled as he nuzzled back against Jim's chest, loving the warmth that pushed against him.

"Well, there are couples of reasons for that. One thing is you know that I'm a fat, Italian hippo, so I know how to cook, and better than you. Another reason is..." Sam paused and gave Jim a quick kiss on the lips before pulling away. He then whispered in a low tone, "you know you love pounding my ass."

Jim only chuckled from the response. He expected as much from the sarcastic hippo, which was one of the reasons he loved him so much.

"I'll give you that one. When are you gonna teach me how to cook that well?"

"When you stop buying random things." Sam shot a glance over to the counter top by the door with a strange lamp and notepad on it. "I still don't understand why you would waste money on that thing."

"What!? It's unique. It's a black light notepad."

Sam just stared blankly, his eyes still asking the previous question.

"Oh come on. It's not like it doesn't have a point at all. If you have a message for me, or vice versa, you write it down with the black light pen and leave the light on, that way with know if there's a message for one of us."

"Riiiiiiiiight...."

"Whatever, all I'm saying is you have to teach me how to cook one of these days."

"Family recipes."

"I'm practically family. Your mom loves me."

"Because she thinks you're just my roommate, not the guy who pounds a giant cock up my ass. Besides, family and practically family aren't the same thing."

"Fine, fine." Jim stayed quiet for a few minutes, his face thinking about something very serious. Sam didn't notice too much, as he was just enjoying being so close to his boyfriend. This was a rare occasion where they were both available, and not fucking. This was just a moment of small intimacy, just being together and enjoying each other's presence. Jim suddenly got up almost knocking the hippo over.

"How long before its ready?" Jim asked as he put his shoes on.

"It'll be done in about an hour. Plenty of time for you to go out for your smoke and come back, although you know I don't like you smoking babe. You work in a hospital yet you insist on smoking still!"

"It's BECAUSE I work in a hospital that I smoke. Sick people don't have nice personalities. Be back in a few." With that, the door closed and Sam turned on the large T.V., hoping to catch some random show.

**********************

Jim walked down the stairs and reached for his jacket. Instead of pulling out a pack of cigarettes, he pulled out his cell phone and proceeded to dial a number.

"Hello?"

"Sarah? It's Jim."

"Hey Jimmy. What's up?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about what we last talked about."

"What are you.....Oh....I take it Sam isn't around then."

"That's right. He's upstairs."

"You told him you went out for a smoke didn't you!? When are you going to tell him you quit for him? I love that guy. He's so good for you, and I really wouldn't mind having a brother-in-law like him."

"Yeah, Mom and Dad said something similar, but they yelled at me, saying that if I was going to do it, get it over with." Jim sighed at the memory still fresh in his mind. His parents were very argumentative and screamed and him for his lack of decisiveness. "As for telling him, I'll tell him when I find a ring I like and give it to him. You're still going to help me with that right?"

"Of course. What kind of sister would I be if I didn't? You may be gay, but you're the straightest gay guy I have ever met."

"Aww shut the hell up!"

"Hehe, just kidding little brother. Maybe." Jim growled into the phone, making sure it was extra loud for the effect.

"Alright, alright. Sorry. I should be free two weeks from Friday. That sound good?"

"Perfect. That's my day off, and Sam will be at work till five."

"Alright, then it's a date."

"Bye Sarah. See you then, and thanks!"

Jim put his phone away and took out a lighter. He proceeded to fiddle with it as he walked away from the building. If he was going to keep up the ruse of him getting a smoke, then he needed to not be around for a few minutes. He looked around and saw a falcon with a smoke slowly walking to him.

"Hey buddy!"

"Yea?"

"I need a quick favor from you man. I need you to blow some smoke into me a few times."

"What the fuck? That's really random man."

"I'll give you six bucks. Enough to buy you a new pack, just for you making me smell like I had one."

"Six bucks? Alright, you gotta deal." The falcon proceeded to blow smoke, Jim making sure it soaked into his shirt.

"Just outta curiosity, why are you doing this?"

"Oh, I quit a month ago, but I haven't told my mate yet. I'm using it as a cover while I look for an engagement ring."

"Hahaha, that's pretty sweet. Is this person worth giving up smoking?"

"Yeah, he is. I can't imagine my life without him anymore. He doesn't like me smoking, and I'd do almost anything for him." Jim handed the falcon six dollars as the last puff was blown.

"Thanks a lot,"

"Thanks to you too, and I hope you two are happy with each other."

Jim smiled as he walked back to the loft. He wanted to surprise the shit out of Sam, and if that meant pissing him off a little, so be it.

**************

"Jim, you know you're retarded. That last place had some amazing rings."

"Yea, for women."

"Well, most people who are excited about being married tend to be women."

"You know, I asked you to help me find a ring, and so far, you haven't been that helpful."

"Because you're so god damn picky!"

Sarah was becoming annoyed, and rightfully so. She and Jim had been to at least twenty different stores since ten in the morning, and they hadn't found anything that Jim liked. The wolf was very simple, which meant he liked simple things. Everything he saw was extravagant and flashy, it it just didn't appeal to him. Sam was the same as he was when I came to things like this. They both thought that simple, clean lined things looked better than anything dramatic looking.

"How about this place?" Sarah suggested. Jim looked up and was a little surprised. Every other place they had been to looked like they had diamonds coming out of the faucets. This place was, for lack of a better term, plain. It didn't stand out that much and Jim never noticed it, even though he had been through this area a thousand times before.

"This place? It looks so.......simple."

"Exactly. Their bound to have a simple ring you would like." Jim didn't like the tone Sarah had used. It sound condescending and annoyed, but this place could not be worse than the rest of the shit he saw today. They walked in to the small jewelry store, but Jim walked in with a bit of uncertainty. As they walked in, the inside was a bit different from the out. Everything was simple, but it looked like a place you would find in the best of areas in Cali. The cases gleamed with jewelry all over, and if any more light came into the store, Jim thought he would go blind.

"Hello, can I help you with something today?"

Jim snapped around as a very attractive panther came up to him, wearing a regular black and white outfit. The young lady was the same as the store, simple, but gorgeous. Jim was about to start speaking, but his sister beat him to it.

"Yes, we're looking for a set of engagement rings."

"Oh well congratulations! Have you two set a date yet?"

They both looked at each other and laughed a little.

"No no," Jim started saying. "This is my sister. I'm here looking for a ring for my boyfriend."

The panther's black cheeks suddenly had a very noticeable shade of red on them.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Well, let's see if we can find something for you today. Do you have something in mind?"

Jim was again about to speak, but was cut off once more by his sister.

"No, he doesn't. He is very picky, so we don't really know what he wants."

Jim growled a little. He was getting annoyed really fast at the way his older sister acted. She may have been five years older than he was, but they were not kids anymore.

"Well," started the panther. "Let's have a look around, and we'll see if something catches your eye."

As they started walking, nothing 'caught his eye'. Everything was the same in most of the store as everywhere else, and Jim could only sigh at this realization. After a while, his sister was talking the panther alone about rings for herself, leaving Jim to wonder and keep looking through the inventory.

Jim really didn't want to do this anymore. It seemed impossible to him. He had no idea how anyone could ever do this as a job, let alone once for a mate. At that moment, Jim stopped in his tracks, staring at a set of black and gray rings. He slowly walked over as he kept starring, until he was close enough to get a good look. The rings were identical. One was black and the other one was gray, and nothing at all standing out. The only things unlike the rest of the ring were the white and red stones at the top of each, encircled with an infinity symbol.

"Excuse me!" Jim called out to the panther. She walked over as Sarah was having fun thinking about herself getting married.

"Have you found something?"

"Can I have a look at these please?"

"Of course." The panther proceeded to go behind the counter to open the case. She pulled out the holder and handed it to Jim. He took both rings into his hand, feeling the smooth texture on each while idly starring at them.

"Can you tell me about these rings?"

"Well, these two rings were crafted by a private jeweler. They are very simple, as you can see. The two stones at the top of each are both the highest quality diamond and ruby. The stones were encased by the infinity symbol. The jeweler thought that would secure the relationship of those who wore them. The rings themselves are made of pure platinum."

"Wait, platinum? But platinum doesn't come in these colors."

"True, most platinum does not come colored. The creator of these rings found a way to color platinum before crafting. This practice very rare, as there are no others who can do this at the moment. You can be assured that these are the only rings of their kind."

Jim starred are the rings so hard his very sight seemed to be drilling a whole through them. Everything about them seemed perfect, from the simplicity to the colors. Jim had found what he wanted, and nothing was going to be changing his mind any time soon.

"How much?"

"Sir, you have to understand how rare these-"

"How much?"

"The set together have been appraised for about $50,000, but due to lack of interest, they are being sold for $30,000."

"$30,000!?! For those?!"

Jim jumped as he heard his sister's voice shriek behind him. The entire store turned to look for a second, but quickly turned to their own business. Jim rolled his eyes as he went back to the panther.

"I'll take them."

"Jim," Sarah started, "think about this a little. That's thirty k your about to spend on a pair of small rings that are as plain as the day is long."

"How long will it take for them to be sized correctly?" Jim asked the panther.

Sarah was shocked from being completely ignored, and Jim couldn't care less at this point.

"About one week, since they have to be sent back to the jeweler directly for proper sizing. Do you have the ring sizes?"

"Right here." Jim went in to his pocket, pulling out a small sheet of paper and his check book.

"We require a ten percent non-refundable deposit. Once the ring sizing is completed, the rest of the payment will be due then."

"James!" his sister shouted. She couldn't just let him spend this obscene amount of money like nothing.

"Sarah," Jim started as he wrote the check out. "Thanks for your concern, but I made my mind up on this. You know how stubborn I can be, so right now I could care less about anyone's opinions on this matter."

"Fine, it's your money." Sarah was pouting a bit, but she was at least happy Jim found something he liked after hours of searching.

***************

"So, you found it, so when are you going to ask?"

"I don't know, but it will come to me sooner or later."

Sarah sighed at her bother. He was in a ridiculously good mood now that the stress of the rings was gone. He walked down the street with a small skip in his step, his entire body gleaming with happiness.

"Well, what about his family?"

"What about them?"

"Aren't you going to call and get permission like a good son-in-law should?"

Jim stopped in his steps. He never thought about that. Sam's family didn't even know he was gay. How was he going to tell them they were going to get married? At that moment, all of his happiness was replaced with more worry.

"Awww come on. It can't be that bad."

"They don't know he's gay. Not to mention their all Catholic."

"........... well that could be a problem."

"Ugghhhh.... what am I going to do now?"

"I guess you should just tell them. They should be happy for their son that he has someone who cares about him so much."

"I guess you're right. I guess next week will be good for that. Sam's leaving for a business trip to the Seattle office for the whole weekend next week." Jim was weighing the choice in his head even as he spoke. He was unsure about the family part, but he was dead sure about the Sam part. After a little more deliberation, his confidence returned.

"Yea, I'll call when he's gone and when he gets back, I'll propose."

"Wow, you do have some backbone after all," laughed Sarah.

"Shut the hell up."

***********************

"You're all packed right?"

"Yup. Hence why we're just sitting here watching T.V."

The two were sitting down on the couch in their living room; mindlessly watch Heroes on T.V. Jim had decided to change the subject from that of Sylar. Sam had said that he thought Sylar was hot, and Jim was arguing that he wasn't. They went on arguing for a good thirty minutes until Jim realized this was a fight nether of them would win.

"I wonder why you're not worried. This is the first time that you've had to fly away for a meeting."

"Well, this is a different kind of meeting. This is with the corporate main office. The CEO just quit out of nowhere, so they wanted to call a meeting with the upper-level management from the big branches. It's not going to be fun, but it has to be done. I just hope I don't have to fire anyone from my groups. I kinda need everyone I have, not to mention I know them all better than I should."

"Well, I know you'll be fine," Jim smiled at his mate as he spoke. "You know how to handle yourself around businessmen, being a big shot yourself."

"I'm not that big." Jim reached around and proceeded to shake Sam's gut.

"This would disagree." Sam could only chuckle at the lame pun.

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know. But that's why you love me."

The show ended then, and the two started to go to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for both of them.

***************

Jim was sweating bullets. He had never been this nervous before in his life. Then again, he had never been in the position to have to ask to marry someone.

"Come on," Jim said to himself. "You can do this. It's just a phone call to people you've known for the past four years. There's nothing to be worried about. They'll give you their blessing, Sam will say yes, and everything will be perfect."

Jim composed himself, as he began to dial to number to New Jersey. Every number he hit added to his fear and worry, but he had the resolve to at least finish dialing. The ringing was another test. His heart raced as he heard to phone ring, waiting for an answer. He felt like his heart would explode, every ring seemed like it was going on for a year. After the third ring, a click and a voice came ring through.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mary."

"Jim! How good to hear from you! How is it over there? You're getting along well with Sam aren't you?"

"Yeah, everything is going fine with Sam, but I actually needed to ask you something about him. Do you have a minute?"

"Of course I do. Anything for the man who's been taking care of my son for all these years. What do you want to talk about?"

"Well..." Jim was sweating like there was no tomorrow. He swallowed and continued. "Me and Sam aren't exactly what you think we are?"

"What do you mean?" There was worry in her voice. She was probably thinking something happened to him at this point.

"Well, Sam and I aren't roommates."

"Of course you are. You two have been living together for four years."

"No, I mean it's more than just that. Sam is...my...boyfriend. I...I wanted to ask you and John if it would be alright for me to...for me to propose to him."

Jim heard nothing. Only silence. Sam's mom was not saying anything. Jim had expected something like this, so he wasn't too worried. That changed when the click clicked and a dead tone could be heard.

Jim panicked a little. He immediately dialed the number again. The phone just rang out. Jim just kept calling the line, determined to get an answer, but the worry in the pit of his gut wouldn't go away, and the fear that this was a horrible idea was getting bigger and bigger.

After a half hour, the phone was answered.

"Hello Jim."

"Hi John. Is everything alright?"

"No, not right now. You shocked Mary to her core. She's sitting down crying right now."

"I..." Jim was speechless. He had not expected this to happen. This wasn't going well. "But you seem fine."

"Because I already knew, years ago. It wasn't that hard to figure out. But I think it would be best for everyone if you don't call anymore."

"TELL THAT HETHEN TO STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!"

"I...I..." Jim was tearing up now. He knew he wouldn't be able to take this much longer.

"Can I speak to Sam?"

"He... He's out of town. He had...and important meeting with his company. He's coming back Monday."

"Alright." With that, the phone was hung up, leaving Jim standing speechless in the loft. The tears were streaming down the powerful wolf's eyes like waterfalls. He lost all strength as he collapsed on his paws and knees. His mind was slowly wrapping around what just happened. As the seconds drifted on, the tears kept coming.

"What...what did I just do....I ruined...everything....I ruined...Sam's life..."

Jim just stayed on the floor, crying to himself. For an entire hour, all he could do was cry to himself. Just then, the phone rang. Jim weakly reached for it, slowly from his despair.

"He...hello?"

"Hello, this is Classic Jewelry. Is James Mason there?"

"Spe...speaking..."

"Alright. Your rings are ready. Would you like to pick them up?"

The words echoed in Jim's mind. The rings. Did he still want them? He had just ruined twenty-five years for Sam's family. Even worse, he ruined it for Sam.

"Sir? Hello?"

"No, I...I don't...need them anymore..."

"I'm very sorry to hear that sir. Just as a reminder, your deposit is non-refundable."

"Yes...I realize that...Thank you..."

"Have a good day sir."

Jim hung up the phone. The good day was long gone. Everything was horrible now. All Jim could think about was what he had done. Nothing could fix this. What was he going to tell Sam? How could he even face him? What he had done was far too horrible to even see the hippo again. Jim slowly got up from the floor as he started back toward the phone. He started dialing a number and held the phone tightly, his tears still streaming.

"This is for the best..." Jim whispered. "For me...and for Sam...I don't deserve him anymore...not after what I did...

"Express Movers. Can I help you?"

"Yes... I would like to schedule a moving service....for tomorrow morning if possible...."

*********************

Jim starred at the half empty loft in silence. The movers had already taken his things to the storage unit he bought. He had already booked a hotel room for the night, and until he found another place to live. The tears were welling up in his eyes, but they had been for the past three days. They seemed like they were part of him now, as if they were permanently attached to his now depressed features. It was Sunday night now. Jim knew that Sam would be back in the morning, but he himself would never be returning to the loft. He would never see Sam again. That thought alone made the tears crawl closer to the wolf's muzzle.

Jim looked across the partially bare space. Everywhere he looked brought back thoughts of the past four years of his life. Every inch of the space where he once called home was full of happy memories. He smiled for the first time in days as the memories flooded into his mind. He took a deep breath in and all he could smell was Sam's scent. More memories came crashing in as he did so. He remembered how content he was with his life, how perfect everything between him and the hippo had been since they met. Along with the memories, doubt filled the wolf's mind.

"Am I...." whispered Jim, "Am I doing the right thing? I love him. Do I really have to leave him forever?"

Jim took another look out, and saw the phone by the couch. Suddenly, all the doubt was gone. All of the happy memories shattered apart like the most fragile glass. All he could see now was the scene of him there a few days ago. The tears came back to the wolf, wiping away his smile with the water that they brought. He kept looking, and saw his lamp. It was the one thing the movers did not take. Jim walked over to the lamp and turned it on. The black light flooded the dark loft with light, and illuminated the entire area; everything that was white was now glowing with brilliance. Jim took the pen, and began to write on the black paper that was underneath the light.

****************

Sam crawled out of the elevator with almost no energy. The meeting had not gone well at all. The final choice was to start layoffs so the company could say open. A new CEO had not been chosen, but there was a rumor that another company wished to takeover. The thought of firing some of the members of his work groups made the large hippo sigh. He tugged his luggage along as he walked weakly toward the door. His flight had been delayed for 12 hours. That just added to the stress he felt. He was only thankful that he was home at this point.

Sam opened the door and sighed. Jim would still be a work, so he did not bother to call for him. He did not ever bother to turn on a light as he walked in. He just kept his eyes closed as the shrugged off his black blazer and dropped it on a rack by the door. He heard it hit the floor and opened his is surprise. The coat rack that was there was gone. Sam panicked a little and looked around the apartment. His eyes went wide at the sight. Many off the things in the apartment were gone! He pulled out his cell phone and proceeded to call Jim, feeling the need to alert his mate that they might have been robbed. The phone rang once, and went to a voice message that chilled the hippo's spine ice cold.

"We're sorry. The number you have dialed has been disconnected. Please hang up and try your call again."

He looked at his phone and saw the wolf's name next to what he dialed. He knew it was right.

"What the hell is going on?" Sam questioned. Nothing was adding up. Sam took another look around and noticed that Jim's things had gone missing. His head shot around to secure his thoughts. Everything that Jim had bought on his own and brought to the loft were indeed gone. The apartment looked slightly bare now, but it was if the things that had been taken had never been there in the first place. The only thing that was standing out was the lamp on the table next to him. It was on, and the black light flooded though the darkness. There was also a black piece of paper with illuminated letters on it. He walked over and read what it said.

_Dear Sam,

I'm sorry for this, but we can be together anymore. I'm sorry this is the way I had to tell you, but it couldn't be helped.

Goodbye forever

Jim_

Sam fell to his knees. He could not even think about this fully. Nothing bad had happened between them. Why did he leave was all that he could think. Sam covered his face and began to sob uncontrollably. It was so severe that he could not even see the crumbled piece of black paper by him. The back paper had water stains all over it, and scribbled out writing that was barely legible as they glowed under the blacklight.

_Dear Sam,

I am so sorry. I ruined your life. I called your parents and told them that we're together, but it did not go well at all. I ruined everything for you. I don't deserve you anymore. You are so wonderful, and I love you with all my heart, but I don't deserve your love anymore. Please, forget me. You're better off that way. I didn't want to leave this way, but I can't bear to see you, not after what has happened. I can't bear to see you hate me, so I'm taking the coward's way out. I'm sorry, but I know you'll find someone who deserves your love._

I will always love you

Jim

****************

Sam shrugged into work the next day. Everyone who worked with him saw he was in a foul mood. He was not snapping at anyone, mostly because everyone was staying at least twenty feet away to avoid giving the large hippo the opportunity. Everyone suspected that he had some issues at home, but no one was going to grill him about it.

Sam just sat in his office the entire day. He was glad that everyone took the hint and continued along with their work without interrupting him. He was drowning himself in work for as long as he could, but when the work was all done, he was alone with his thoughts. He was so depressed because of Jim. He could not even wrap his mind around it. What had driven Jim away? Everything had been perfect when he left on Friday. Nothing had happened to warrant him leaving, and so suddenly.

Suddenly, Sam's phone rang, and he silently thanked the lord for the interruption from his depression.

"Sam Evens speaking."

"Sam, its Walter."

"Oh, hi Walt. Is everything alright?" Walter was one of the only men in the company that Sam worked directly under. Sam may have been a VP now, but he still had to answer to the Department President above him, the CEO, and the board of directors after that.

"No, unfortunately everything isn't alright. Do you have some time? I need to see you in my office. As soon as possible."

Sam grimaced. He knew this had to do with the corporate meeting he went to this weekend. He knew he was going to be told he had to fire some of his group.

"Yeah, I'm free. Just give me a few minutes to close this account and I'll head over to your office."

Sam hung up the phone. He took a few deep breaths, preparing himself for something he did not want to prepare for. He slowly got out of his chair and put on his blazer. He proceeded to lock his office door as he walked to his bosses office. It was a little bigger than his own office, but that was to be expected. He knocked on the door and walked in. Sam and his boss had a very good relationship, Sam always getting more done than anyone could ever expect. Disposing of the business formalities was the least Walt could do to repay him for all his work.

"Hey Walt."

"Oh...hi. Have a seat Sam. I think you have an idea on what this is about."

Sam took a seat in the large brown chair as he started to talk.

"Jackson's stepping down?"

"Yes, thats it." The otter that was Sam's boss leaned back in his chair and sighed. He then loosened his tie and unbuttoned his top button from his dress shirt. Sam could tell that his boss was under a huge amount of stress at this point. Sam was the only person he could confide in since his promotion, so he was comfortable trying to relax in front of him.

"We just got news of the damage that Jackson left behind."

"Is it that bad?" asked Sam.

"No, its worse," replied the otter dryly.

"Oh...."

"Apparently, He had been embezzling millions since he was appointed."

"What?!" Sam was justified in his reaction. The former CEO had been there for at least seven years. Nothing like this had ever happened so discreetly before.

"Yeah....the total is about 76.8 million..."

"How.... I don't even understand how he could pull that off."

"You and me both Sam. There is one piece of good news though. But just one."

"What's that?"

"Weathercorp has proposed a secret takeover."

"Weathercorp? I've never heard of them."

"I'm not surprised. They don't announce themselves often. Besides that, their one of the leading companies in the U.S. right now. They like to act behind the scenes, that way they reap the benefits without dealing with all of the hassles."

"Well, what did the board say?"

"They want to take the offer. That's how deep we're in now Sam." With that, Walter handed the hippo a stack of paper. It was too small to be a report, but too big to be a firing order. On the top had the words Notification of Immediate Termination.

"Unfortunately, they still want to proceed with the layoffs like they discussed." Walter turned to the side, not wanting to look his worker and friend in the eyes.

"I was ordered to give that to you Sam," said Walter. The otter sounded like he was chocking on his own words. Sam stared at the pack of paper. His brain was working very slowly to try and registrar the words he read and heard.

"I....I don't understand...." Sam stammered.

"Sam....you are the best VP I have ever had. You increased the entire department's efficiency by 56% and work environment satisfaction by 75%."

"Then....why....."

"Because of all that Sam. First off, when I tried to tell the board YOU were responsible, they just laughed and said a VP could never do that in only six months. Second, you did it too well. Your groups are able to work on their own for the most part. They said we no longer needed a VP in our department."

Sam looked up at his boss. The otter was furious. His face was scrunched up, and his fists were squeezed tight. They were so tight that a trickle of blood was seen flowing down onto the desk.

"I'm sorry Sam, but it's out of my hands now."

"But, if this is a termination order, why is it so big?" The otter started to relax a little. His hand never came unclenched and more blood flowed down.

"This was the only thing I could do for you Sam. I made damn sure you got a deserving severance package. The other layoffs start next week, right now is just for the upper level."

"Severance?"

"You're getting your regular pay for twelve months, and you can keep you insurance for the same amount of time. You're being allowed to keep you 401K open in the company and your stock options are not being terminated. If the company flops, you'll be getting it all back."

Sam just looked down at the stack of paper. Tears began to slide down his face onto the paper, staining it and smudging some of the letters. He could not respond right now. The sorrow and rage was too much for him to bear.

"Sam, go home. I'll have your things sent too you. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything else for you."

"It's alright Walt. I'll give you a call sometime I guess."

Sam got out of the chair and proceeded to the door. His walk was the most depressing thing that could ever be seen. It no longer have confidence to it, only sorrow. It looked like his spirit had been broken, and it wasn't too far from that. Sam closed the door behind him with a click. He only got about three steps away before he heard a scream and a fist flying through a wall in Walter's office. Sam could not help but think he would have done the same thing had he had to fire one of his former workers.

**********************

Sam slumped into his loft, from his last day at work.

'My loft...just mine...no one else's...' His thought kept going back and forth between the scene at his former employer and Jim. He could not figure out which felt worse. His heart was broken and his mind was in taters. Anymore strain would drive the hippo over the edge. He fell on the couch and stared at the ceiling in his own little daze.

The entire day, he had been on the verge of crying, but the tears only came a little. The true extent of his sorrow was not showing itself. Sam wanted to cry. He wanted it. He needed it. He needed to rid himself of the sorrow that plagued his mind and heart. The only way he could do that was to cry out all off the emotion that would not come out any other way, but he could not.

What snapped him out of his daze was the phone ringing. Sam remained motionless as the phone rang. His arm slowly crept out from his body and gasped the phone, holding it to his head.

"Hello...."

"Hello Samuel."

"Hi Mom...."

"We need to talk." Her voice sounded distressed. It was as if she was holding herself back from raging over the phone. Sam sensed this immediately. In his condition, he did not want to deal with it.

"Can this wait? I'm going though a lot right now," said Sam.

"No, this can not wait. And you think you're going though a lot?! I have to live with the fact that my son is a heathen in the eyes of the lord!" Some energy came back into Sam's body, along with worry.

"What are you talking about mom? I'm no heathen."

"Don't you dare lie to me! I know all about what you have been doing in California!" screamed Sam's mother.

"Working?"

"I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GAY!" Sam's eyes went wide as he heard the words. He couldn't even speak or think as he heard the rage in his own mother's voice.

"What? You can't answer anymore? Well I have an answer for you. As of now, you are no longer my son! I will not have your filth of a life curse my own. Don't bother calling here ever again. From now on, you are dead to me!" With that, the phone clicked off.

Sam just sat there, with the phone in his hand. He did not move at all. The dead tone of the phone was all he heard. The only thing that shook him from his daze was the knock on the door. Somewhere inside him prayed it was Jim. Another place wished it was something to end this nightmare. As he opened the door and faced the landlord, he realized that it was nether.

"Is something the matter Ivan?" said Sam as he faced the large, old bear in his doorway. The bear remained silent as he just handed Sam a few papers and walked away. Sam walked back into the loft and began to read off what he was given.

_To all residents of Regal Lofts,

I am sorry to inform you that this building has been bought over by a private company. All residents are to be evicted by the end of the month. Any of those who refuse will be forcibly removed from the premises.

Regal Lofts

Owner:

Michael Hardy_

Sam fell to his knees for the second time this week. The month ended a week from the previous day. He looked around the loft and saw all he made of himself in only five years. He just knelled there for some time. Sam got up on the floor and proceeded to call a moving company to take all these things to a storage unit. Sam wanted to cry. He needed to cry. For whatever reason it was, the tears just would not come.

********************

The abrupt stop of the car jolted Sam out of his thoughts. The naked hippo looked slightly worried as the rhino had finally moved and showed that he was still alive. He sat upright and proceeded out of the limo via the door. As he grasped the handle, he looked at Sam with a smile and spoke.

"We're here."

***********************************

Reviewed by Wolfe Dimitrivich Escada

And that is the end for now. I have no Idea when another chapter will be coming out for this one, as I don't seem to have the drive to continue. The response to this might change that, but we shall see.

As always, thank you very much for reading. Comments and votes are greatly appreciated.