FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Against All Odds: Epilogue

(Alexei)

"I have to say, your work is truly remarkable."

"Oh." Alexei shuffled a few steps closer to the raised section of his workshop's compact display area. "Thank you for saying so." He beamed proudly, settling upon a stool to bring himself level with the small, golden-furred vixen browsing a selection of chairs, tables and other Polcian-sized woodcraft arranged atop the railed platform. "I have only been crafting smaller furnishings a short time."

"You wouldn't know this from looking, I can assure you."

"Thank you once more. I must admit, I do have help for this." His contentment glowed brighter, ears flicking at the compliment. "Have you seen anything that interests you in particular?"

The little vixen looked up from the blue fabric armchair she'd been studying, casting her eyes a short distance across the cramped, sunlit room to where the larger items stood on display. "Those table and chairs. I love the floral patterning on the legs and backrests."

Alexei swiveled on his seat, following his customer's eyeline. "I like this set also. Probably my favourite piece. If you wish, I could craft a smaller version for you?"

"You could?"

"Of course. I would be happy to."

"I would like this very much." The vixen's grey-flecked muzzle creased with a smile. "I will take it, please."

"Great!"

A terminal in the corner of the balcony offered a means for the shop's smaller customers to make payment; a notably more widespread piece of technology here than back home in Velika. With a deposit taken, along with the vixen's details, they concluded their transaction.

"Oh, you live just at the end of the road, Mrs. Kovac?"

"Indeed. Concord House, seventh floor. The apartments built into the side of the bakery."

"I was going to ask if you had a larger friend to help collect when your order is complete, or if you would prefer to pay for delivery, but in this case, I will bring it myself."

"Why, thank you! That is very kind." Her bushy tail swayed with a short wag. "I will be sure to tell my friends of this place."

"Please do," Alexei answered, suppressing a wag of his own. "We have been here only six months. Any recommendation would be much appreciated."

"You say we, and before, you mentioned you have help? A partner?" The vixen's stated curiously, peering off to the back of the adjoining workshop area. "I ask because I see only one bench."

"My partner is Polcian. From Linvendia," he answered without hesitation. "It is he who helps me craft smaller pieces. He does a lot of work in the office also, like he is doing right now."

"That's interesting... It is a long way for someone to move to become a partner in a business."

"Actually..." Alexei smiled sheepishly, ears starting to warm. "He is also my... partner."

"I see." The vixen's own ears perked, right before she returned a happy grin. "That's very sweet. I'm happy to hear that everything appears to be working well for you here in Bolstrovo so far."

His ears burned even hotter. "T-Thank you... and, yes, it is going very well."

With their transaction complete, Alexei shared a goodbye with his Polcian-sized customer before following her outside. He, of course, took the shop's main door, while the little vixen used the scaled-down exit linking the shop to the walkways that linked the vast majority of Padinica.

Padding down the front steps and onto the sloping, cobbled street, he watched her stroll off along the automated pavement, using it to travel at a pace comparable to the larger raccoon travelling a short distance ahead.

"Have a good evening," Alexei called, waving until the vixen entered a tiny tunnel that allowed the walkway through the neighbouring shop's stoop. He captured a lungful of crisp, sea air, smiling up at the yellow-tinged blossom of the olive trees standing proudly beyond the white stone houses across the way.

Returning inside, the front of shop gave way to a tight passage leading to the back office. "Nate? It is five. I have closed the shop for the day." A creak sounded as Alexei pushed open the old, wooden door. He peeked around it, spying his husky sat hunched at the little desk atop a raised deck in the far corner. Unlike that which stood in the shop, this structure also included a tiny staircase down to the floor proper.

"...if the outgoings were this much for February, that means March's..."

"I guess you are deep into your work," Alexei smirked, padding gently past his own desk to approach Nathan's. "You did not even notice me come in."

"...can't forget to include depreciation for the first quarter..."

Succeeding in making it unseen all the way across the room, he had to stifle a snort of laughter. "So very busy... Perhaps I will take a seat, too." Alexei lowered himself to a crouch, hovering for a moment before dropping a fair distance to the ground.

"By the gods!" Nathan yelped, grabbing onto his desk with one paw while keeping the laptop upon it from falling with the other. "Watch where you park that thing, Alex!"

"I am sorry, Nate." A bellow of laughter filled the small office, the stabbing gaze offered by the little husky doing little to stop it. "You were so into your work, I had to get your attention somehow."

"Most people'd just give a poke or something," Nathan retorted, standing from his chair with a smirk. "They wouldn't try'n shake the whole building to the ground."

"Oh, stop exaggerating." Alexei ran a finger down his back. "It was only a little sit."

"To you maybe," he snickered, pushing back into the stroking. "Anyway. I think I'll finish for the day, too."

"How are things looking?"

"With the numbers?" Nathan turned to glance back at the paperwork organised upon his desk. "They're... tight, but no worse than they have been since we opened."

Alexei sensed his ears droop. "I see."

"Hey, don't worry yourself. We're fine. We can eat, pay our bills..." Nathan wrapped a paw around his finger, rubbing lightly. "Things are getting better, slowly. Word's getting around town; we're getting more and more customers through the door."

"This is true." Alexei's face brightened. "I wondered, if you are not busy back here, perhaps you would like to help me in the shop tomorrow?"

"Man the front while you craft?"

"Yes, but help me craft also. We have another customer wishing for scaled-down furniture."

"I'd not mind that at all!" Nathan's tail wagged wildly. "Might give me the chance to practice my Velikan, too."

"Oh?" Alexei grinned wide, his own tail slapping against the floor behind him. "-Kak tvoi Velikiy?-"

"-Prilichny,-" Nathan replied, smiling gently and with minimum hesitation. "My Velikan's decent... At least, I think that's what I said."

"It is." The thudding of tail upon floor intensified, right before Alexei leaned down to nose over his husky's head fur. "You are learning well!"

Nathan nosed back. "I have a good teacher, you see."

"Why, thank you--"

He reached back to pat the Polcian-to-Velikan language book sat at the edge of his desk. "You're pretty helpful too, big wolf."

"You little..." Alexei gathered Nathan up into a gentle hug, nuzzling over him with added affection. "Perhaps I will ask all_customers to speak Velikan _all the time, since you are an expert."

"Hey, now, I never said--"

"Besides, I still enjoy seeing Polcian-Bolstrovans speaking perfect Velikan, even after all this time. It is so different to back home."

"You wouldn't--"

"I would."

"But--"

He cut Nathan short one last time with a warm kiss upon his muzzle. "Come. Let us head upstairs."

(Nathan)

They left the office together, travelling to the spiral staircase waiting at the other end of the small hallway. It surrounded a small elevator shaft, allowing those of a smaller stature easy travel between floors.

The stairway led up into an open-plan living area, marginally smaller than that of Alexei's former home. Unlike back in Velika however, this area offered Polcian-sized doors already fitted into the bigger versions leading to the bathroom and bedroom. It also featured an alcove in the kitchen's backwall, home to scaled-down versions of the same appliances and worktops arranged outside. A smaller person like Nathan could live without issue in this apartment, only needing the help of someone larger if they so wished for it.

"Feeling better after your shower, Nate?" Alexei cooed, smiling down at his husky from atop their bed.

"Much," he replied, craning his neck to peer up from the bedroom floor. "Though I prefer joining you in the bigger one."

"Maybe a little later," came the smirking response, a wink following right after.

"A little help, hon?"

Alexei nodded, reaching back to press a button upon the edge of the headboard. A dull mechanical whir sounded, continuing as the bed's solid base began to lower into the floor.

"Alex... you could have just reached down and picked me up."

"This way is more fun."

"I could have pressed the button to do this from down here, too."

"I know, but I also knew you would say these things." Alexei folded his arms, smirking triumphantly. "As you can see, I am almost to the floor already. My way has made it so much quicker."

"Silly wolf," Nathan snickered, rolling his eyes. "So easily entertained."

"Oh hush, little husky." With the mattress now resting at floor level, the quiet whirring stopped. "Come here and join me."

"That I won't argue with." He hopped atop the bedsheets, dropping down to his knees before crawling over to cuddle up with his wolf. Alexei in turn rolled onto his side, pulling Nathan into his bare chest while reaching to command the bed to rise again.

"This is nice, Alex," he rumbled, stripping off his own shirt and trousers before wriggling even tighter. "_Much_nicer now."

"Agreed," Alexei chuckled, delicately pushing him onto his back to nuzzle and lick over his belly. "You are getting slimmer."

"Thanks, hon," Nathan squeaked, beaming even brighter. "More exercise, better food; it all helps." He wobbled his belly with a paw. It still possessed a curve, though one far less pronounced than when they first arrived here. "It's still not anything like as firm as yours, though."

"Perhaps, but you should only try for one if it is what you wish." Alexei nosed at his belly, then his chest, before pecking him on the nose. "Just remember, I love your little belly just fine. It is very cute."

Nathan returned the short kiss and smiled. "I'm very happy like this, so don't you go worrying about that."

"Good." Alexei kissed him again, on the lips and with far more tenderness this time round. "I am happy as long as you are happy."

"Oh, I meant to say!" Nathan heaved himself from his partner's loving hold, crawling over towards the nearby side-table. "I found something interesting this morning."

"Really? What?"

He grabbed the disc he'd set down upon the surface, quickly returning to snuggle up with his wolf. "This."

Alexei accepted it with a single finger, narrowing his eyes to read the printed text. "Against All Odds." He shifted to grin down at Nathan. "Wow. It has been so long since we played this."

"I know! By my count... I think it was almost a year ago, back when I visited you in Velika. My gods, we spent so much time playing that game."

"Indeed! Hour after hour. It was frustrating, but so very fun."

"Absolutely." Nathan's smile eased as he peered to the ceiling reflectively. "We never did beat it, though. We never did 'win our freedom'."

Alexei followed his eyeline upwards for just a moment, pulling him closer with a soft chortle. "Oh, I do not know if that is true. In some ways, I am thinking we did."

His happy laugh died suddenly, prompting Nathan to gaze up with concern at his saddening expression. "Have you... heard anything? From back home."

He remained silent for a few seconds, managing to retrieve at least part of his smile before responding. "Yana, Erik, they are okay. Yana is still working at the café. She will become assistant manager soon. I am so very happy for her."

"And Erik?"

"Erik... he is coping. He managed to find a job at a supermarket in the city. He does not like it, but it provides money for him and his mother."

"That's something at least," Nathan murmured, stroking the thick grey fur he lied against.

"The way things are in Velika, the fact that the VPU could win so many votes in the upcoming election, he wishes to come here to live and to work so much more than ever... but with his mother, with our shop as it is... It is not yet the right time."

"I'm really glad to hear more of those two, and that things are, mostly, okay... but... I was more thinking about your grandfather. Have you heard from him lately?"

Alexei sighed, hugging him firmer. "I have not, not since our... conversation, if it can be called this, during the New Year Festival."

"I'm sorry, Alex." He cuddled up to his wolf as tight as he could. "Maybe... he'll message you next month, on your birthday?"

"Maybe... It would be... nice," Alexei muttered, gently petting down Nathan's back. "How is everyone in Polcia?"

"They're good... My parents keep on nudging me; wanting to know when they can come visit."

"That would be fun. I would love to meet them, along with your brother and sister."

"I'd love you to meet them all, too! I'll arrange something with them soon, when we can afford the time."

"You definitely should." Alexei's tail wagged lazily, thumping the bed behind him. "What of your friends?"

"Tasha wants to come, for sure, though she has her husband and cubs to think about. As for Shaun... Yeah... not so much."

"I see," he snickered, rolling Nathan onto his back again before rising to paws and knees to loom over him like an immense grey, lupine sky. "He is the one that worries to meet me, yes?" Those words sounded more like a feral growl, a playfully wicked snarl plastered upon his hovering muzzle. "The one that fears this huge, monster wolf."

"Oh my gods, Alex," Nathan whined, sensing both his cheeks and ears warming severely. "Stop it."

"Try to make me, tiny husky!" Alexei's nose pressed downwards, pinning him lightly atop the bedcovers. "That is, if you can."

"Evil," he grunted, squirming in delight. "You know how I get when you do... this."

"I do." The pressure atop Nathan eased, briefly moving down to the expanding bulge in his crotch before his chuckling wolf scooped him up a moment later. "It is why I do it."

Alexei shifted to sit with his back against the cushioned headboard, holding his husky with both paws so that he sat in a near identical position against his chest. "This is what I love most about our new home, Nate; the view is so beautiful."

"It really is," Nathan murmured happily, joining Alexei in gazing out of the double window opposite. Their bedroom looked out over Padinica's town centre which sat at the base of the hillside their home, and those of most residents, rested upon. The golden sun had begun to set into the idyllic, azure waters of the bay, casting the numerous fishing boats floating upon them in a warm, comforting glow.

"I have to admit though. I think it's the second best view in the room."

"Such a sweetheart," Alexei whined softly, rubbing under Nathan's muzzle with a finger until he let out a low, throaty grumble.

"What's up, Alex?"

"Since we have been here, I have not told you something that I feel you deserve to hear. I wish for you to know that as difficult, as painful as it has been to deal with my grandfather cutting ties... not once have I regretted moving here. Whenever the sadness returns... I can look at you, I can hold you and I can remember that my life would be nothing but sadness if I could not be with you."

"Oh, come here, you big romantic," Nathan cooed, rolling so that his chest and belly pressed against the warmth of his wolf. "I'm glad to know you're truly happy here, with me, even with Maxim... struggling to understand. I've not had to battle with the same difficulties as you, not even close, but not once have I regretted moving here, either. Just to be here with you now, lying close to you like this... I'd go through all the problems we faced all over again for you." He hugged into Alexei as hard as his arms would allow, longingly gazing upwards. "I love you so much, Alex."

Sapphire eyes soon locked with amber, holding together with incredible, unbreakable energy that would have yielded for nothing. "And I love you, Nate. More than anything else in this world."

Their muzzles caressed softly, sharing their heat as they searched one another's souls. Lips connected, parted, giving way to a kiss that would last long after the sunset had faded and the waters no longer sparkled.