FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 84: Heavy

His face was struck with a blow he did not expect. Indeed he felt it immediately. It was warm at first, and then it spread. It tingled. He felt faint. He even let out a cry initially when he felt it.

The thing that he did not expect was that it was soft. It dragged across his fur, up his face, and it was very light. It felt like-

He opened his eyes and wiped away the tears. He looked at the wolf, his anguish was replaced with surprise and confusion. Had he...?

He touched his cheek. It was matted slightly. He could feel himself begin to blush. He sniffled. The only thing he could think to say was, "...why?"

The wolf smiled at him and wagged his tail, as he usually had done.

"You... you looked mad, and... and all of the stuff I said...." Roger did not expect the situation to unfold as it did.

The wolf shrugged. "I think I saw that in a movie. That's what you do when you love someone, right?"

Roger's heart skipped a beat. Still, he was skeptical. "But... but you... you were interested in Mary at least a little, right? And what about all those girls you keep pointing out?"

The wolf shook his head. "That wasn't for me."

"Then... for..." the fox began, but he trailed off.

"You," Hunter finished. "You looked really sad, and you liked her, but she didn't... you know. So I was seeing if there was someone else you might like."

Roger touched his cheek again, and it made the wolf wag his tail. "S-so... you... love me?"

The wolf smiled back at him and gave a small nod. Then, the expression on his face changed from happiness to worry, and then regret. He said, "Did I do something wrong? I'm so sorry, please don't cry."

Roger wiped away the tears and gave a small, choked laugh. He shook his head and threw his arms around the wolf, holding onto him tightly. "I'm just so relieved," he explained. "I thought I was going to lose you."

They fell upon the bed and the fox continued to hold on tightly. He did not want to let go, and often he would remind himself that this was not a dream by nipping his lip. He felt so warm, he thought that he would ignite.

"I'm so sorry, Hunter," he said softly.

The wolf quirked his head. "For what?"

"Just... just all of this. Everything." Roger pressed his face against the wolf's chest. He could hear his heartbeat.

"I've caused such a scene. I made you worry, and I've been acting so... just so dumb," he continued. "When we first met... I thought that you would just hold me back and just be in the way. Hell, I even yelled at you and it was... it was so stupid of me. I was so blind."

"It's okay," Hunter said. He petted him softly.

Roger shook his head. "It's not just that, but... I've just.... You've had to deal with all of my crap. I thought I had it all figured out, and then... I guess I didn't, and I realized that. I didn't want to believe it, and I panicked, and then this happened. And I'm sorry that I've just been such... such a burden."

The wolf said, "Shh... it's okay. It's okay."

Roger shut his eyes and squeezed the wolf in his arms. He said, "I love you, Hunter. I love you so much, and it hurts to not be around you."

"Then why'd you say all that stuff? You thought you were going to lose me, but you said it anyway. Doesn't make sense," the wolf responded.

"Because... I convinced myself that it was for the best. If I kept it a secret then, and it was like how I thought it was... I just wanted to stop taking advantage of you. That, and I knew if I got anymore attached to you, I didn't think I'd be able to go through with it," the fox responded.

The wolf smiled at him. "That's a silly idea."

The fox laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess it is. So... so what do we do now?"

"Doesn't seem like anything is different," Hunter said.

"Well... I guess," Roger said. "But now you know how I feel about you. You're not weirded out or anything? I still feel... I don't know, I still feel it's wrong how I feel."

Hunter shook his head. "I'm just happy that you're my best friend."

"Do you think..." the fox began. He hesitated, collected himself, thought about what he would say, and then asked, "Do you think we could ever be more than... best friends?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Like, um... maybe... mates?" Roger asked softly. He uttered the world almost too quietly to hear, and perhaps he did not want it to be heard.

"What's that?" the wolf asked. He seemed confused again.

"Uh, right. Well, like... um... you know. Boyfriend and girlfriend for life, in a way. Except... just, you know. Us." The fox blushed and hid his face.

The wolf just smiled and shrugged.

Roger got up and said he would return, he merely needed to use the restroom.

When there, he viewed himself in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot and it had been obvious that he had experienced a lot of stress, but he was smiling. He felt just so... elated.

He washed his face and fixed his clothes, made himself presentable.

He knew he had to go back home, and he did not really want to. He regretted not having told the wolf sooner, but he was not about to curse his blessing. He laughed at himself. It was a ridiculous situation.

The wolf had helped him pack up his clothes and supplies. He walked him out the door, and as usual, the mother and brother waved goodbye.

He stood outside, facing Hunter, embarrassed. He apologized again for breaking down, and the wolf dismissed it.

He asked, "You seemed really... mad, though," referring to just before the wolf had licked his face.

"I was just frustrated," Hunter said. "You keep beating yourself up, but you didn't do anything wrong. I didn't want you to be sad."

Roger blushed, and his heart felt like bursting. He asked, "Do you think... maybe next weekend, we could , uh... go on a date?"

Hunter quirked his head. "What's that?"

"It's where we would go somewhere nice and just get to know each other, and... you know, get closer to each other." Roger looked at the ground and fidgeted. He could not believe what he was saying.

"Well, okay. But I don't see that being different than what we've been doing," Hunter said.

The fox nodded and smiled. "You have a point. Well... I guess I better head home."

Hunter gave him a hug, and before they let go and parted, he gave the wolf a soft lick on the cheek.

He returned home. He felt much lighter.