FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Winter always had the habit of bringing in an early night. It wasn't even 6 o'clock but that stars were shining bright and true. Asher; A Red Fox, sat in the drivers seat of his car, tail going numb from sitting on it in an odd position. Beside him in the passengers seat, sat Damien; A black dragon, large and well built, his presence seemed hostile, even if he looked sleep-deprived. But Asher knew better, to him, Damien was a close friend for as long as he could remember, they had been through thick and thin and till this day, have never felt a hitch in their relationship. "Enjoying your new job?" Damien asked, his soft mildly deep voice interjecting the music that played over the cars radio. Asher blinked a few times trying to snap out of the trance he put himself into for the long car ride to Damien's home. His new job payed well but it took a lot of energy and usually left him exhausted.  "It's interesting, although my supervisors seem to be at least a little incompetent." Asher replied, eliciting a chuckle from Damien. Asher tried to lift his rear off his seat in an attempt to free his uncomfortably numb tail. Asher sighed in relief as his tail slowly regained feeling, he indulged in the feeling so much that he lost focus for a moment and didn't notice the car in front had its brake lights turn on for a red light."Watch it!" Damien exclaimed pushing his body back into the seat in surprise. Asher slammed the brakes and the car skidded its way into a stop just behind the car in front of them. "I thought you got your license." Damien said playfully as he re positioned himself in his seat. "Just because I have one doesn't mean I'm a good driver." Asher replied trying to relax.The light turned green and Asher began to accelerate up to the speed limit. Asher was now focusing all his concentration on the road, he didn't want to risk something like that again, especially with a passenger onboard. "Thanks for the ride though. I wasn't really able to find someone else to drive me around today." Damien said. "Do you even ask anyone else?" Asher replied unamused. "We've done this every week since I got my car." "Well, I don't usually ask other people, no. And besides you had stuff to do as well, not like you're driving me around just for my needs." Damien replied, trying to act innocent. Asher felt kind of stupid, he always held whatever he could until the end of the week so he could be with Damien. Hoping that at some point he could get close enough to ask him an important question. A question that would either ruin their friendship or turn them into a couple, so every week Asher would try and muster up enough confidence to ask but ultimately fail, usually getting so off topic that there was no point in trying to get back. "Who was the genius that decided to put a stop sign for this intersection?" Damien said as he

did every week when they came up to this intersection. "people rarely use it, a give way sign would much more reasonable." Asher just shrugged as his mind began to wonder about how he could ask Damien whether or not he had a chance with him. As far as Asher knew Damien was straight, though he never got a definitive answer, again he never had the nerve to ask. Asher wondered if Damien had the same thoughts, Damien didn't know what Asher's orientation was either which probably should have been made apparent since they'd known each other for as long as they had. Was risking almost half a life time of experience together worth it? Asher began trying to form a string of questions that would lead up to the topic but he didn't want to come up too suspiciously. "I wish I had blue eyes." Asher said nonchalantly alluding to Damien's bright blue eyes that stood out like a flash light in a dark room against his black form. "I know, I'm so happy I got my favorite color for my eyes." Damien replied smiling to himself. Asher loved the effect he had on Damien. How Damien was so relaxed when they hung out, he could make Damien smile or laugh with humor that Asher thought was dry and unfunny, even during a bout of sadness. "So I need you to tell me whether I should continue my current job or join the armed forces." Damien said. Out of the corner of his eye Asher could see Damien looking at him with a big smile waiting for a response. Even though Damien was the most reliable, responsible and strong one of the two he always relied Asher when he needed anything, from personal to general advice he always depended on Asher to help him through just about anything, even if Asher didn't have a flawless track record. It always felt strange giving advice to someone that was alot more confident in himself then Asher was. Almost didn't seem to make sense. "I thought the forces were your original idea?" Asher asked, slightly confused that something Damien had been talking about for such a long time would suddenly come into question."Well I was thinking about it but my current job has alot more promise, plus I don't have to go off somewhere for an extended period of time... And also seems easier." Damien said. Asher didn't know how to answer the question and decided to avoid answering the question with his own. "I don't know. What interests you more?" Asher took a quick glance to catch Damien with a pondering expression across his face, Then realizing that the topic he was trying to get to had been lost. Asher sighed in disappointment and used the time waiting for a response to come up with a different tactic. "As much I'd want to join the forces I might not enjoy basic training too much." Damien said, pausing for a moment then continuing. "On the other hand I get to shoot guns." Asher appreciated Damien's effort to simplify what he really meant, Asher never understood

military related terminology mainly because it never caught his interest. "How about you think of it this way." Asher said, trying to help guide Damien along with his decision. "Your life expectancy will go down if you join the forces." "True..." Damien said to himself. "So... um, I have a question." Asher said quickly trying to hide his nervous expression. "Shoot." Damien said. "Do you... Have a crush on anyone?" Asher imagined himself banging his head on the steering wheel. Hopefully he didn't come of to brash. Despite his best efforts Asher could not stop the blood from rushing to his cheeks forming probably forming a blush on his face, though Damien didn't seem to take notice. "Well some of my co-workers are pretty hot." Damien said thoughtfully. Asher could see Damien rubbing his head. "Before I tell you though, shouldn't you maybe slow down a bit?" Damien nodded towards the dashboard. Asher was going well over the speed limit, his anxiety for the answer had caused him to push down on the accelerator. Asher Pushed down on the break trying to bring his car down to within a reasonable margin of the roads limit he waited for Damien's response. "I have one or two people that come to mind." Damien said. Asher could feel a bit of frustration wash over him from the vagueness of the answer. "Why?" Damien tacked on giving Asher a gaze that told him he was purposely trying to be nosy. "Just wanted to know." Asher said trying to resist the heat building up in his face.  "Alright." Damien said with a bit of disappointment in his voice. "That was a bit of a random question." Asher tried to forget the awkward situation he created and focus on getting to Damien's place. The highway seemed to stretch on forever. "So now I have a question for you." Damien said. Asher felt a bit nervous but assumed what he was going to be asked. "Who do YOU have a crush on?" Damien asked. Asher's mind raced as he began trying to come up with something. Damien was the only one that caught Asher's interest and his mind only pulled a blank when he tried to suggest someone else. "I-I don't know." Asher said in disappointment at his own response dropping his eyes a little bit but still keeping the road in sight. "Come on, there has to be someone." Damien said playfully but with firmness nudging Ashers arm which was resting on the center compartment. Asher took the final off ramp to Damien's house, he had to come clean at some point. "Well, there's one person that has been holding my interest for a while" Asher said nervously. "Do I know this person?" Damien asked, a soft smile present on his face. "Yes." Asher replied, his anxiety stopping him from giving a specific detail. "Who is it?" Damien continued to press on, his voice getting softer. Asher was sweating now, the butterflies in

his stomach making themselves ever obvious to him. "No matter who it is...It won't change what you think of me?" Asher said softly, trying to stop his voice from trembling. "Course not." Damien's voice was now a soft lull. "It's...You." Asher did his best to keep to the road, the effort now just to keep the car moving forward was overwhelming. Asher braced himself for whatever reply he would receive. Getting more nervous and weak until Damien brought his head up close to Asher's ear and whispered. "That's what I though." Asher inhaled deeply trying to verify if he heard that right. Damien brought his hand over and grasped Asher's, Asher responded with wide eyes and a racing heart beat trying not to lose control of the car. "What?" Asher said barely keeping his voice over a whisper. "Until now I only assumed." Damien said leaning back a bit. Asher turned his car into Damien's neighborhood and stopped in front of his house, putting the car in park and looking to make eye contact with Damien. "So, you wouldn't mind..." Asher tried to figure out how to complete the sentence. "Being with you?" Damien picked up where Asher had stopped. "Of course not." Asher could feel heart beating so hard it could burst. His mind couldn't construct any thoughts, just an everlasting replay of Damien's response. Damien smiled leaned forward a planted a kiss on Asher's cheek, causing Asher to go wide eyed and inhale violently. Asher could see the satisfaction in Damien's expression before exiting his car.Asher couldn't make out what he felt, placing his hand where the kiss had been administered. It went so smoothly, if only he'd asked sooner. Clearing his throat Asher put the car in drive and headed home. His mind now at ease and washed over with joy, forcing him to smile to himself.